Apple Discontinued These Four Products This Year, But One Will Return

As we get into the final months of 2024, now is a good opportunity to look back at devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year.

Apple Discontinued Products Goodbye
Apple products discontinued this year include the iPad 9, SuperDrive, FineWoven cases for the iPhone, and the Powerbeats Pro earbuds.

This list excludes most previous-generation devices that were discontinued this year as part of annual updates to Apple's product lineup, such as the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 9. The one exception to this rule is the iPad 9, as that device was discontinued in May, over a year and a half after the iPad 10 launched.

Check out our previous lists of Apple products discontinued in 2023, 2022, and 2021 as well.

iPad 9

iPad 9th gen feature
On the same day that it unveiled new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in May, Apple discontinued the ninth-generation, entry-level iPad. In addition, Apple lowered the price of the tenth-generation iPad, which now starts at $349 in the U.S., down from $449.

SuperDrive

8 Old SuperDrives
In August, the SuperDrive went out of stock on Apple's online store in the U.S., and it is now listed as sold out or unavailable in all countries. Given it has yet to return, it seems likely that Apple has discontinued the 16-year-old accessory.

Introduced in 2008, the SuperDrive is an external CD/DVD drive that was released alongside the original MacBook Air, which lacked a built-in CD/DVD drive. Despite having an outdated USB-A cable attached to it, the SuperDrive remained available on Apple's online store until just recently, becoming one of the company's longest-sold products.

FineWoven Cases

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven feature
Apple last year discontinued its leather accessories, including iPhone cases, and it introduced a new "FineWoven" fabric material as a replacement.

"FineWoven" cases for the iPhone 15 series were widely panned, and it appears that Apple was well aware of this feedback, as the material is no longer offered for iPhone 16 cases just a year later. It is unclear if Apple will come up with a new solution.

Powerbeats Pro

Powerbeats Pro Original
Apple this month quietly discontinued the Powerbeats Pro, around five and a half years after the wireless earbuds launched.

Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Key features of the original Powerbeats Pro include the H1 chip that debuted in the AirPods 2, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, up to nine hours of battery life, and silicone ear tips with four size options.

In a short teaser video last month, Apple revealed that it will be launching new Powerbeats Pro 2 next year. The earbuds look similar to the original Powerbeats Pro, but they have a more vertical, slimmer design. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris later discovered iOS 18 code revealing that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will feature heart rate monitoring during workouts, and gain support for Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Adaptive Audio.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

Rayansb Avatar
9 months ago

I found a heavily discounted FineWoven case for my 15 Pro, bought it out of curiosity to see how truly terrible it is. After 2 days use there was already a circle on the back from charging it via magsafe that doesn’t seem to go away, and after 2 weeks the edge of the fabric where it meets the sides is a slightly darker colour than the rest of the back.
by far one of Apple's worst products. I can't believe that garbage even passed preliminary quality testing.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Doomtomb Avatar
9 months ago
I'm not encouraging that they bring back the SuperDrive but I knew this day would come. HOLD ON TO YOURS.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dr McKay Avatar
9 months ago
I found a heavily discounted FineWoven case for my 15 Pro, bought it out of curiosity to see how truly terrible it is. After 2 days use there was already a circle on the back from charging it via magsafe that doesn’t seem to go away, and after 2 weeks the edge of the fabric where it meets the sides is a slightly darker colour than the rest of the back.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
9 months ago
I wish they had updated the SuperDrive in its later years. Yes, you can buy cheap drives on Amazon but you tend to get what you pay for.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marzzz Avatar
9 months ago
My Superdrive still works, but I gotta admit i don't use it much anymore.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
9 months ago

by far one of Apple's worst products. I can't believe that garbage even passed preliminary quality testing.
Now all they sell are $50 plastic cases…. You know those are so much better for the environment than leather ?

Unfortunately after them making so much hoopla about discontinuing leather I don’t see Apple making any quality cases in the future
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)