It’s 2022, so why is Apple still selling these products?
Exactly a year ago, I wrote an opinion piece saying why Apple should discontinue the Apple Watch Series 3. Well, it turns out, Series 3 is still part of Apple’s lineup for some reason – but it’s not the only product that the company should leave behind. It’s 2022, so why is Apple still selling these products?
Apple Watch Series 3
Yes, Apple is still selling the Apple Watch Series 3. I understand that it is now an entry-level model for people who may never have had an Apple Watch before, as the $199 price point definitely sounds attractive. However, the experience you get with Series 3 in 2022 is far from being the best.
Unlike the Apple Watch SE, with which you give up just a few premium features like the always-on display and ECG, Apple Watch Series 3 is quite outdated by today’s standards. It is the exact same display as the original Apple Watch. The screen has large bezels and the square design of the watch face.
But more than just the display and watch faces, Series 3 has another huge problem: its 32-bit S3 chip. Series 3 is the only Apple Watch currently available that is still based on an older architecture, as Series 4 and later have 64-bit chips. Although Series 3 runs watchOS 8, it’s unclear whether it will survive for another year of updates.
And when it comes to the GPS version, it only has 8GB of internal storage, which makes the user’s life a nightmare, especially when trying to install software updates on the watch. It shouldn’t be the first Apple Watch experience for a user.
iPod touch
Remember the days of Apple releasing a new iPod touch each year in order to compete with the iPhone? These days are over. The seventh generation iPod touch was introduced in 2019 with the same A10 chip as the iPhone 7 and no design changes. It has not been updated in the past.
I don’t see any reason why Apple would continue to sell the iPod touch model. It has a four inch screen and a poor chip. The battery life is also very low. Apple Pay doesn’t have Touch ID at the home button. Apple might be able to make the iPod touch a gaming device if they wanted, I wrote once.
Some may argue that the iPod is still there for kids or new iOS users, but why would anyone buy it? The 128GB version costs $299, and you can find the iPhone SE for similar prices with special offers – and it comes with a slightly larger screen, Touch ID, better cameras, Apple’s latest chip, and a whole phone inside.
Not to mention that a $329 entry-level iPad is much better than an iPod touch for someone curious about using iOS for the first time.
Apple TV HD
The fourth-generation Apple TV HD, also called Apple TV HD, is last but not least. The situation here is similar to the Apple Watch Series 3 – You have a product from five years ago that isn’t exactly cheap but also doesn’t deliver the best experience.
In fact, Apple doesn’t know whether it wants Apple TV to be a streaming device, a gaming device, or both. Apple TV costs a lot for a streaming device. For a gaming device, Apple TV doesn’t have triple-A games.
But specifically talking about the Apple TV HD, $149 is a bit pricey for a 2017 device that could be discontinued at any time (did you know it still runs on the same A8 chip as the iPad Air 2)? Apple could either discontinue its Apple TV HD or make it cheaper to appeal to those who only want streaming devices.
Even Apple doesn’t want you to buy these devices
Do you know what is the funniest thing? These products are not even offered by Apple. Guess what, I was surprised to find out when I visited the Apple Store. None of these products are displayed in the stores. There is no mention of them. If you want an Apple Watch Series 3 or an iPod touch, you need to ask an employee.
Apple is aware that the products they sell are obsolete, and so it should stop supporting these brands. I don’t have an answer about Apple Watch Series 3 and the Apple TV HD, but I do think that Apple doesn’t want to give up the iPod brand, even if that means selling an outdated product that no one cares about.
But what do you think? Are you a believer that these products should be discontinued? Let me know in the comments below.