Supplies of Apple’s iPod Shuffle are reported to be dwindling in Apple’s retail and online stores. Apple, who has warned their employees that Shuffles will be in short supply for an unspecified amount of time, suggests that customers wanting one should be directed to the company’s online store.
But that, too, might not be so helpful. According to Apple’s official online store, the iPod shuffle ships in “7-10 business days,” which is far longer than the 24 hours quoted for the two remaining iPod lines, the Touch and the Nano. This uncommon shipping time (for an older product) exists for all available colors. The current generation iPod shuffle was introduced in 2010, but it has seen a couple of color refreshes over the past couple of years.
It’s unknown what exactly is at the source of the shortage, however it is likely a temporary one, and supplies of the Shuffle will increase once production picks back up. However, it is also possible that Apple could be phasing out the iPod Shuffle, as sales of the entire iPod lineup have fallen drastically ever since the introduction of the iPhone and iPad.
Apple discontinued sales of the iPod Classic last year, due to the fact the company could no longer obtain parts to build them. The 1.8-inch mechanical hard drives used in the iPod Classic were sourced from Toshiba, who discontinued its entire line of 1.8-inch hard drives.
