Iconic Apple accessory, the SuperDrive may have just been quietly discontinued, if recent reports are anything to go on.
As reported by 9to5Mac, the CD/DVD player that worked exclusively with Mac is sold out on the official Apple website and has been for some time. Given the device is over 16 years old, and likely not that popular still, it seems unlikely that new stock will come in anytime soon. Given there’s not much reason for Apple to start producing the device again, this could mean the end of the device.
However, it has been sold for some time now so you likely won’t have too much trouble finding it on sites like eBay if you’re in the mood to fire up some movies on your Mac. It is even available at Amazon right now, with next-day delivery for Prime members. If stock isn’t replenished soon, it’s not entirely clear how long it will stay on sale at Amazon.
A matter of time — iMore’s take
It’s important to take this information with a grain of salt as it could be an error in the system or some kind of technical fault. There’s a chance it will pop up again unceremoniously — available to buy once more. However, it has become a bit outdated, not specifically in regards to DVDs as dedicated collectors do still collect them. Instead, it’s the tech itself that feels outdated. It’s a USB-A device which means it doesn’t work on the best Macs without a dedicated adapter or one of the best USB-C hubs.
This is a device primarily designed for Macs built between 2008 and 2015 as previous Macs tended to have optical drives and those after started swapping to USB-C. However, with its pure silver look, the Apple SuperDrive is an iconic accessory and one we’ll be sad to see go.
