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Apple has been on something of a rollercoaster ride ever since it altered its flagging fortunes with the launch of the iPod. It was neither novel nor especially unique but it did capture the zeitgeist, and did it better than any of its then competitors.

But now, almost exactly nine years since its first launch, the writing may be on the wall for the iPod and perhaps all other single or limited function devices.

When Apple launched the iPhone and iPod Touch in January 2007 it heralded the start of something that was both novel and, at that time, unique. Apple had created a portable device which was now capable of performing a multitude of functions through the addition of software that we now know today as Apps.

Apple already had the infrastructure in place with the close integration of the iTunes software on Mac or PC via its previous generations of portable music players. Through this Apple also established relationships with people purchasing music from the store and, in the process, handing over their credit card details. It had created its very own eco-system for online commerce. Apple quickly leveraged this to then allow customers to purchase Apps or pretty much any kind of bits and bytes Apple was able and willing to sell.

Thus Apple has been able to ride the wave it began, at each stage building on the foundations of its previous innovations and gaining yet more leverage with both existing and new customers of its products. Today it means that Apple is perhaps one of the single largest micro-payment services on the web today… and all because it launched the iPod nine years ago.

But Apple’s management has never demonstrated a weakness for nostalgia. With the iPod family coming towards the final fling of the sales bell curve, there may be no value in maintaining future development. Don’t be surprised if iPod is dropped like a hot potato, with the scraps left to be picked up by other brands.

What we can be certain of is that Apple will put far more of its efforts into multi-purpose kit such as the iPod Touch, iPhone and, of course, iPad — the kind of hardware that not only commands premium prices, but also locks customers into future software purchases directly with Apple via the Apps Store. After all, who wants to work through a reseller when you can own the customer relationship and thus keep more of the profits?