I've had a 1270 forever and it's still giving me excellent service.
But I'm wondering as to it's status in the larger scheme of things?

Are many of them still being used?

Epson is still selling the 1280 as a new model in the U.S.
The outer plastic case has changed, but that's about it. If Epson were Canon
they would call it a "brand new" model because the outer plastic case has
changed.
Epson has no other ink-based printer announced so far of this quality that
can handle papers larger than 8.5 x12 inches.
For reasons I cannot explain I have both a 1280 and an 1800. While
theoretically the pigment based 1800 prints will last longer and have a
wider color gamut the latter claim, particularly with glossy papers, is a
matter of taste. In the limited side by side comparisons I have done there
is no clear "better" printer.
The only real improvement for the 1280 would be creating a carriage that
used individual color cartridges, but this might not actually be more
economical.