Honestly, it feels like a lifetime ago. But the 7th generation ipod touch release date actually landed on May 28, 2019. It was a weird Tuesday. No big stage. No Steve Jobs "one more thing." Just a quiet update on the Apple Newsroom that basically told the world: "Yeah, we’re still doing this."
For a lot of us, the iPod was the first "computer" we ever owned. That little sliver of aluminum was a gateway to the internet before we were old enough for a phone plan. When 2019 rolled around, the tech world was already obsessed with foldable screens and 5G. Then, out of nowhere, Apple dropped a device that looked exactly like the one from 2015.
The day the 7th generation ipod touch release date changed everything (and nothing)
Apple fans were confused. The 6th gen had been rotting on shelves for four years. People thought the line was dead. But on that May morning, the Apple Store went down. When it came back up, the 7th gen was there, sporting the A10 Fusion chip.
That chip was the same one found in the iPhone 7. It wasn't "cutting edge" in 2019, but it was a massive jump from the ancient A8 processor in the previous model. Suddenly, this tiny 4-inch toy could handle Group FaceTime and Augmented Reality (AR). Apple was pushing hard for Apple Arcade back then, and they needed a cheap entry point for kids to play games without needing a $1,000 iPhone.
Why did Apple even bother?
It’s a fair question. Why release a "new" device with a design from 2012?
Basically, it was the "budget" iOS device. At $199, it was the cheapest way to get onto the App Store.
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- Developers used them for testing apps.
- Parents bought them so their toddlers wouldn't smash an iPhone 11.
- Restaurants used them as point-of-sale systems because they were tiny and reliable.
What was actually inside the box?
If you bought one back in 2019, you got the device, a Lightning to USB cable, and those old-school wired EarPods. No brick. No dongle. Just the basics. It came in six colors: Space Gray, Gold, Silver, Blue, Pink, and (PRODUCT)RED.
The storage was the real news. For the first time, you could get a 256GB iPod. That’s a lot of songs. Specifically, about 56,000 songs if you’re still using 128-Kbps AAC files. It was the only iPod that ever beat the old 160GB iPod Classic in raw storage capacity.
The specs most people ignored
- Screen: 4-inch Retina display (1136x640). It felt tiny then; it feels like a postage stamp now.
- RAM: 2GB. Double what the 6th gen had.
- Camera: 8MP on the back, 1.2MP on the front. Honestly? The photos were... okay. In bright light, they were fine for Instagram. In the dark? Forget about it.
- The Jack: Yes, it had a 3.5mm headphone jack. This was a huge deal because Apple had already killed the jack on the iPhone years prior.
The beginning of the end
The 7th generation ipod touch release date was the last hurrah. It lived on the shelves for exactly 1,078 days. On May 10, 2022, Apple finally pulled the plug. They didn't replace it. They just said "the spirit of iPod lives on" in their other products.
It was a bittersweet moment. The iPod had been around for over 20 years. By the time it was discontinued, the iPhone had basically eaten its lunch, dinner, and dessert.
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Is it still worth buying today?
If you find one in a drawer or on eBay, is it useful? Kinda.
It supports up to iOS 15. That means it can still run most modern apps like Spotify, Netflix, and even some lighter games. But the battery is tiny—only 1043 mAh. If you try to play a heavy game, you'll watch that battery percentage drop like a stone. It’s mostly a nostalgia piece now, or a very dedicated, very small music player for someone who hates carrying a giant phone at the gym.
The 7th generation ipod touch release date marked the end of an era. It wasn't the most exciting release, but it was the final chapter of a brand that literally changed how we consume culture.
Your next steps for the iPod Touch 7th Gen:
- Check your iOS version: If you own one, ensure it's updated to iOS 15.8.5 (the final security update released in late 2025) to keep your data safe.
- Evaluate the battery: Since these devices are now several years old, the lithium-ion batteries are likely degrading. If it dies within an hour, consider a third-party battery replacement service rather than buying a "new" old stock unit, as those batteries have also aged while sitting in the box.
- Use it as a dedicated "Distraction-Free" device: Many people are now using 7th gen iPods as dedicated e-readers or music players with "Do Not Disturb" permanently on to escape the notification chaos of modern smartphones.