iPod image and what apple needs to do.

[Jwink3101]

I think Apple needs to clear up a few things for the "less informed" potential customers out there. They need to clear up the misconception that the iPod will only play music from the iTMS.

That statement is wrong. I was helping to advise someone on their digital music player purchase and when i suggested the iPod or iPod mini (and i said later, the iPod flash) they responded with a firm "NO." They told me they didn't want to pay a dollar for every song they wanted to put on their iPod.

Apple needs to make it more clear that the iPod will play most major types of digital music including MP3s and unprotected WMAs (with iTunes for WinXP) for FREE. They need to push that there is only a cost if they want to buy their music from Apple.

Now i know this is probably trivial and iPod has seemed to do really well regardless but i still think the image could be improved

[EmAn]

I know a lot of average people that have iPods and they all knew this right away. I think it's only a select few that don't realize that.

[Jwink3101]

While you may or may not be right, there are those who don't realize this fact. I am not at all saying apple launch an advertising campaign or something large-scale like that. Maybe just some type of message.

And then agian, maybe apple doesn't want customers so not "with the times." I know that is just my cynical view but it may be true

[salmonstk]

I agree. Many think you need to buy the music from iTunes.

They need a short commercial like the old 3 step set upo yoru iMac commercial.

It features a CD going in the computer. Hitting import. They plugging in iTunes.

Wolla!

And there should eb 2 versions. 1 is on a PC. but an HP of course....

[groverat]

A very intelligent person told me straight to my face that he thought my iPod was cool but he would never get one because, "I want anything I get like that to be able to play .mp3s."

- *blinks* "What?"

"mp3s. I have all mp3s, I don't have any of that Apple format."

- "I'm sorry, did you just say the iPod doesn't play .mp3s?"

"Yeah. It doesn't does it."

- "Of course it does. Who told you it didn't?"

"My brother-in-law."


:no:

[Jiminy C.]

That's what happened to me also. One of my friend thought that the iPod couldn't paly MP3's. I don't know where he heard it from.

[hmurchison]

I fear for our future when I read threads like this.

[ipodandimac]

Originally posted by Jwink3101
I think Apple needs to clear up a few things for the "less informed" potential customers out there. They need to clear up the misconception that the iPod will only play music from the iTMS.

That statement is wrong. I was helping to advise someone on their digital music player purchase and when i suggested the iPod or iPod mini (and i said later, the iPod flash) they responded with a firm "NO." They told me they didn't want to pay a dollar for every song they wanted to put on their iPod.

Apple needs to make it more clear that the iPod will play most major types of digital music including MP3s and unprotected WMAs (with iTunes for WinXP) for FREE. They need to push that there is only a cost if they want to buy their music from Apple.

Now i know this is probably trivial and iPod has seemed to do really well regardless but i still think the image could be improved
anyone who spends $250+ without finding out something so obvious as this regarding the iPod deserves to be "screwed."

[Jwink3101]

ipodandimac,

I think you are completely missing the point. I am not saying people are buying it then figuring it out rather they aren't even looking into it because of their misconceptions

[salmonstk]

Originally posted by Jwink3101
ipodandimac,

I think you are completely missing the point. I am not saying people are buying it then figuring it out rather they aren't even looking into it because of their misconceptions

One problem is people know its from Apple. They know that a Mac can't run windows so they assume the iPod can't run mp3.

So far the iPod is going toward early adopters and more tech type people. To keep things moving Apple really needs to explicitly say it plays mp3s.

[BRussell]

I wonder how much of this comes from intentional bad-mouthing by MS. Ever since Apple made iTunes for Windows, they've been saying (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3225737/) that "Windows is about choice" and "you can only use iPod with iTunes." Of course, it's true that you can only use iTunes-purchased songs with iPod, and not (at least not directly) with other players, it's intentionally misleading because it implies that the reverse is also true - that you can only play iTunes-purchased songs on the iPod.

[EmAn]

Originally posted by salmonstk


So far the iPod is going toward early adopters and more tech type people. To keep things moving Apple really needs to explicitly say it plays mp3s. I don't agree with that. From what I've seen, people that aren't early adopters and aren't tech type people are getting iPods too. Everyday people are buying them too, at least around here and everyone seems to realize that it can play MP3s also. Again, that's around here, I don't know about everywhere else.

[stupider...likeafox]

Originally posted by BRussell
I wonder how much of this comes from intentional bad-mouthing by MS. Ever since Apple made iTunes for Windows, they've been saying (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3225737/) that "Windows is about choice" and "you can only use iPod with iTunes."

I think this is a big part of it. I keep reading things written by actual paid journalists that give me the same WTF? feeling I'd get if someone told me the iPod couldn't play mp3 files.

e.g. it seems to be part of the MSFT / Real strategy to pretend that you can't rip physical CDs onto the iPod leading to bizarre claims like it costs £1,000 dollars to fill a iPod mini [which is true if you only bought 1,000 individual tracks from iTMS] and that therefore the most common format of music on the iPod is 'stolen' (you can tell that's a Ballmer quote, can't you).

I'm having flashbacks to the time last year when any mention of "iPod" was followed within five minutes with "don't the batteries fail after 3 months?" and "you can't replace them either" because of a wholly incorrect media blitz in the UK tabloids.

[salmonstk]

Originally posted by stupider...likeafox
I think this is a big part of it. I keep reading things written by actual paid journalists that give me the same WTF? feeling I'd get if someone told me the iPod couldn't play mp3 files.

e.g. it seems to be part of the MSFT / Real strategy to pretend that you can't rip physical CDs onto the iPod leading to bizarre claims like it costs £1,000 dollars to fill a iPod mini [which is true if you only bought 1,000 individual tracks from iTMS] and that therefore the most common format of music on the iPod is 'stolen' (you can tell that's a Ballmer quote, can't you).

I'm having flashbacks to the time last year when any mention of "iPod" was followed within five minutes with "don't the batteries fail after 3 months?" and "you can't replace them either" because of a wholly incorrect media blitz in the UK tabloids.

All it takes is one ad sans silouettes that shows that iTunes and iPod can be used for mp3s.

I relly think this will be key. They could even make it like the current ads.

Imagine a guy/gal in real video. They insert cd and rip it in iTunes. Then do something that shows them adding mp3's (what could that be) then they plug in iPod and it syncs. Then they unplug and start to leave. They turn the iPod on and insert ear phones. Then it transitions to the silouette and they start getting jiggy with it.

[blue2kdave]

my friend just bought a dell dj because his wife's IT guy said the iPod is firewire only.

idiots

[Splinemodel]

Originally posted by ipodandimac
anyone who spends $250+ without finding out something so obvious as this regarding the iPod deserves to be "screwed."

I agree. I don't mind if there are other companies, like Dell and Microsoft, that sell computers and electronics junk to morons. Let Apple take the intelligent, better educated crowd that's it a better position to appreciate the work they do.

[Mac Voyer]

I agree with the original poster. The only thing I remember from iPod ads from an informational standpoint is iPod + iTMS. Apple does not call it an MP3 player. From what you learn with the ads, the iPod could be a portable radio. It is not clear what it is or what it can do. The people in the know are already aware of these things. Apple is already selling to them. There is no reason a non-techy should know about anythings the iPod can do other than what Apple tells them. Don't blame uninformed consumers. They only know what Apple chooses to tell them.

[mattjohndrow]

back before my ipod broke, i was busy showing it off to everyone, and i had come across this misconception. i would say that it played AAC, which is awesome, and they'd say "so, it doesn't play mp3?" so i had to clear that up for them