Source: IT House
Apple has released a lot of new products this year, from the brightly colored 24-inch iMac to the four brand new iPhone 13s, but Apple has also said goodbye to a few other products, and here are five products and accessories that Apple will discontinue in 2021.
HomePod
In March 2021, Apple announced the discontinuation of the full-size HomePod in order to focus on the HomePod mini. At the time, Apple said it would continue to provide software updates, services and support for the HomePod.
When the HomePod launched in February 2018, critics praised the speaker's sound quality, but its initial $349 price tag was much more expensive than competing smart speakers like amazon echo and Google Home. Even after Apple lowered the price of the HomePod to $299, sales of the speaker are said to still be sluggish.
iMac Pro
The full-size HomePod isn't the only Apple product to discontinue production in March 2021, as the iMac Pro was also cut out in the same month. At the time, Apple said the 27-inch iMac was the first choice for the vast majority of professional iMac users, adding that customers who needed more performance and scalability could opt for the Mac Pro.
The iMac Pro, released in December 2017, did not receive substantial hardware updates during its lifetime, causing the 27-inch iMac to eventually become faster and more affordable than the standard iMac Pro with a 10-core Xeon W processor.
While the iMac Pro has been discontinued, Apple is expected to release a high-end 27-inch iMac with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips next year.
Space Gray Magic series accessories
A few months after the iMac Pro was discontinued, Apple stopped selling the Space Gray version of the Mac with magic keyboard, Magic trackpad, and Magic mouse2. Apple continues to sell silver versions.
21.5-inch iMac
In October 2021, Apple discontinued its last 21.5-inch iMac model, which has always existed as a low-end configuration for educational institutions. The discontinuation is not surprising, as Apple unveiled the ultra-thin and colorful 24-inch iMac powered by its custom-designed M1 chip six months ago.
Apple has only three Intel-based Macs left in its lineup, including the 27-inch iMac, the high-end Mac mini, and the Mac Pro.
iPhone XR
After the launch of the iPhone 13 series in September 2021, Apple discontinued the iPhone XR. The current iPhone lineup includes four iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11, and the second-generation iPhone SE.
Launched in September 2018, the iPhone XR features a 6.1-inch LCD display with Face ID, A12 bionic chip, and a single rear camera.
IT House understands that other products discontinued by Apple after the update this year include the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 6, the fifth-generation iPad mini, the eighth-generation iPad, and the first-generation Apple TV 4K. Apple also stopped selling the original Powerbeats, Beats Solo Pro and Beats EP headphones.