The last time I was in an Apple Store, I’m pretty sure that the employees all had iPad terminals they carried, with integrated payment terminals. (I haven’t been in Apple stores much in the last two years, but I went in last summer for a Genius Bar appointment.)
Same here.
My local store in Dedham uses iPod touch sized devices with a card reader of some sort, certainly not iPad sized. Certainly for the last six years or so, I haven’t been in since January 2022.
My recollection is the same for the UK/French and other US stores I have visited, albeit not so recently.
fI love iPod touch and deeply resent its neglect. I use it as a general-purpose networked bedroom media consumption device and it means I don’t have to carry my phone from room to room while I’m not using it. It’s the true heir to iOS, IMO, in the sense that the hardware draws out the software’s general-purpose nature in such a small package without the bulk of GPS or cellular radios. You don’t need lots of power to web-browse, email, message and phone call (via continuity), bank online, catch up on news, etc. And, yes, there’s that lovely headphone jack. Even the lack of Touch ID is something I now find I’m not all bothered about–you can set the lock timeout to an hour, use a four-digit PIN, and still have a sensibly convenient yet moderately secure device.
I do hope Apple update it! If not then I’ll have to look at iPhone SE again, although as of now it maxes out at half the storage (128 GB to iPod’s 256 GB). Perhaps if iPhone SE is updated first, I’ll just get that. Depends on how it goes down–not long to wait.
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I replaced my iPod (5th Gen, late 2006) with what I call my “iPod 3GS” years ago. It is my ancient iPhone 3GS repurposed. When I replace my current iPhone 10, my back-up iPhone 6 will probably become my “iPod 6”. I don’t really need the latest and greatest hardware/iOS for a music device.
Apple is blasting through internal and external redesigns of the entire Mac line. iPad and iPhone refreshes are also more important. In these busy times, I think it’s fine for the iPod Touch to get a bit long in the tooth. Hopefully, the design teams have already started a new refresh.
My favorite use of the iPod Touch was App Camp for Girls. I believe all the participants used (and kept) this device for their app development. It’s a nice cheap device for that purpose. I’m guessing employees at Apple are proud of the iPod Touch for the many roles the little device can play in the world.
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Until the latest update, when I asked to open an app Siri would tell me that I would “need to unlock your iPod touch” first. Then it was “iPhone” and now it’s just “phone.” With the first change I thought it was just an oversight, but now I have to think it’s deliberate on Apple’s part, and doesn’t bode well for the touch’s future. Which is a shame — I use it for most small-scale tasks on the go, as I’m one of the four people remaining on the planet who doesn’t own a mobile phone 
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So Siri is now recognizing there are other phones than the iPhone? The word “phone” includes BOTH iPhones and Android phones.
Looks like the axe has fallen