Apple Relegates Aging iPod To Apple Store Accessories Shelf; Bargain Bin Next?

Instead of the Smart Signs, Apple will put product and pricing information directly onto the displays of iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.

Apple’s iPods live alongside other products such as Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases and customers will be able to pull the music player directly off the shelf for purchase, starting Wednesday.

The changes are anticipated to come into effect on Wednesday, August 19, in U.S. stores. The new iPod touch features an 8-megapixel iSight camera, an improved FaceTime HD camera, the Apple-designed A8 chip with 10 times faster graphics performance, and the M8 motion co-processor for better fitness tracking.

In addition to running software that’s largely based on that of Apple’s iPhone and iPad, the company is also reportedly launching a dedicated App Store for the Apple TV. Moreover, Apple has also made some changes to its official website by merging the Apple Online Store with the Apple.com website. Apple will also supposedly do away with the iPad-based Smart Signs, which are placed next to several display devices.

The shopping process at Apple Store till now was the customer had to inform the employee’s store of the product and model they wanted to buy.

Plus, consumers will no longer have to wait for an employee to return from the mysterious back storage room with their new iPod; they can just pick and choose directly from the wall.

Available for $199 (16GB), $249 (32GB), and $299 (64GB), the next-gen devices seem like an odd choice to be relegated to the accessories aisle. Apple is apparently shifting them to the accessory shelves section. In 2011, Apple replaced those signs and boards with non-working iPad 2 units that displayed product information on their screens.

Recent iPod sales have not been up to the mark, so it makes sense that Apple is moving the iPod into the open for greater visibility. The iPhone-maker has launched some new colors for the music player recently, but it’s surprising to see how the product now has a space in the accessories section and not the main displays.