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iPod continues to dominate dying portable media player market

With smartphones capable of carrying thousands of songs as well as TV episodes, movies and even books, many of us have long since abandoned the idea of having a dedicated media player in our pockets. But for those who remain committed to such devices, the iPod line is still the dominant force in the industry, with 72 percent of market in-hand, NPD analyst Benjamin Arnold revealed to AppleInsider.

So who is buying iPods? Fitness buffs, for one, with the smaller and lighter iPod offerings being ideal workout companions. NPD also suggests that as lossless audio -- which takes up considerably more room than lower-quality options -- continues its march towards becoming the standard, the classic iPods with massive storage capacities could also see a rebirth of sorts. Though with the overall market shrinking a full one-third in 2013 alone, we'll obviously never see Apple's standalone media players reach their former glory.