Apple releases its first iPod in 4 years

LOS ANGELES - The iPod changed the way we listened to music forever, and while Apple no longer prominently lists the device on the front page of their website anymore, they certainly haven't forgotten their roots. That is why Apple released the first iPod since 2015, and with a serious hardware upgrade.

Since the release of the first iPod in 2001, Apple has sold more than 400 million units.

While sales have dwindled since the release of the first iPhone, Apple hopes to attract a niche market of consumers looking for an affordable music device without having to shell out the big bucks for a brand-new iPhone, which can go for up to $1,000.

"We're making the most affordable iOS device even better with performance that is twice as fast as before," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Product Marketing.

The new iPod runs on the Apple A10 fusion chip, the same chip that powers the iPhone 7, making the hardware about three years old but still faster than the previous A8 chip that the last iPod ran on back in 2015.

The upgraded hardware means that the new iPod can support Group FaceTime calls, augmented reality apps and the latest games.

Apple is using the release of the new iPod to promote its new gaming subscription, Apple Arcade, which was announced in March.

The new iPod touch will start at $199 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 256 GB option. You can get yours in space gray, white, gold, blue, pink and red. It is available for online order in 27 countries starting Tuesday.