Big-box retailers offer hints at forthcoming iPod changes
This week there is new evidence to suggest that Apple Computer is slowly and quietly planning to spice up its most popular iPod offerings sometime in the near term.
Tipsters point out that Apple Authorized Reseller Amazon.com is now selling all of the company's iPod digital music players at costs below the company's suggested retail price. The retailer is offering 7 percent off fifth-generation video iPods and 5 percent off iPod nanos and iPod shuffles.
Meanwhile, on Friday Meijer, a discount chain in the Midwest, issued an ad offering a 10 percent discount on all the iPod models it stocks.
AppleInsider had previously reported that Apple in February notified its big-box retailers that the high-end 60GB iPod was "at risk" to changes through April.
Even more recently, an overseas publication close to Apple's manufacturing facilities reported that Quanta Computer had recently won a contract from Apple to manufacture new "video iPod devices."
The publication, which did not cite sources, said Quanta -- manufactures of laptops for Apple -- had been awarded certification for the "video iPod devices" and would begin delivering the devices next month.
While most of this recent information has pointed to new high-end iPods with video capabilities, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu recently said that the iPod nano is experiencing greatest seasonal decline of all iPod models.
Wu suggested that Apple may soon need to increase storage capacities and/or cut prices to re-generate interest. "Declining prices in NAND flash and additional capacity coming on board should help Apple facilitate these moves," he wrote in a research note to clients.
The analyst also reported that his priority checks suggest Apple is working to deliver a new widescreen iPod with Bluetooth capabilities as early as its next fiscal quarter, which begins in April.
Tipsters point out that Apple Authorized Reseller Amazon.com is now selling all of the company's iPod digital music players at costs below the company's suggested retail price. The retailer is offering 7 percent off fifth-generation video iPods and 5 percent off iPod nanos and iPod shuffles.
Meanwhile, on Friday Meijer, a discount chain in the Midwest, issued an ad offering a 10 percent discount on all the iPod models it stocks.
AppleInsider had previously reported that Apple in February notified its big-box retailers that the high-end 60GB iPod was "at risk" to changes through April.
Even more recently, an overseas publication close to Apple's manufacturing facilities reported that Quanta Computer had recently won a contract from Apple to manufacture new "video iPod devices."
The publication, which did not cite sources, said Quanta -- manufactures of laptops for Apple -- had been awarded certification for the "video iPod devices" and would begin delivering the devices next month.
While most of this recent information has pointed to new high-end iPods with video capabilities, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu recently said that the iPod nano is experiencing greatest seasonal decline of all iPod models.
Wu suggested that Apple may soon need to increase storage capacities and/or cut prices to re-generate interest. "Declining prices in NAND flash and additional capacity coming on board should help Apple facilitate these moves," he wrote in a research note to clients.
The analyst also reported that his priority checks suggest Apple is working to deliver a new widescreen iPod with Bluetooth capabilities as early as its next fiscal quarter, which begins in April.
Comments
Originally posted by furious_
10gb nano please or a least something around 10gb, 30 is to big and 4 is to small
I don't think capacity increases matter except to be percieved as getting a good value for the $250 because Apple generally doesn't drop prices. Even then, I doubt 10GB is realistic because flash prices didn't drop 60% in six months.
For lossy compression, 1GB is plenty for me, though I have a 4GB nano because I can't listen to 1GB worth of compressed audio in a single charge, and a synch on my system replaces tracks I've listened to with new tracks.
I'm guessing no change to the 1GB nano (still $149), 4GB for $199, and 8GB for $249, along with a 40GB ($299) and 80GB iPod ($399).
Hopefully, full/wide-screen higher-capacity iPods will also bring higher resolution for video, at least 480x360 at 4:3, or 640x360 at 16:9.
Originally posted by mark2005
Hopefully, full/wide-screen higher-capacity iPods will also bring higher resolution for video, at least 480x360 at 4:3, or 640x360 at 16:9.
Higher resolution would be nice. I can't see Apple releasing only minor changes in the iPod product line, not so soon after the disappointment when hifi was released. Much higher resolution iPod video is a must if Apple expects us to pay the same (or more) for iTMS video content as we would for the same content on DVD.
Originally posted by jdbartlett
Higher resolution would be nice. I can't see Apple releasing only minor changes in the iPod product line, not so soon after the disappointment when hifi was released. Much higher resolution iPod video is a must if Apple expects us to pay the same (or more) for iTMS video content as we would for the same content on DVD.
Actually, isn't the spring time usually when iPods and Macs get only slight changes, like the Rev B iPod Minis at about the same time last year, as well as the iPod photos dissapearance and the introduction of all iPods coming standard with Photo capabilities. My guess is that we'll see this new, nice video iPod in the early fall, when Apple is gearing up for its Holiday Sales.
And for now expect minor changes to the iPod lines.
More of this!
I suppose statistically someone has to be right in the end.
The sooner the better cause I want an apple phone!
Originally posted by ThinkDifferent
Actually, isn't the spring time usually when iPods and Macs get only slight changes, like the Rev B iPod Minis at about the same time last year, as well as the iPod photos dissapearance and the introduction of all iPods coming standard with Photo capabilities. My guess is that we'll see this new, nice video iPod in the early fall, when Apple is gearing up for its Holiday Sales.
And for now expect minor changes to the iPod lines.
Jobs wouldn't dare introduce "minor" annything on the Company's big birthday.
Originally posted by mark2005
Hopefully, full/wide-screen higher-capacity iPods will also bring higher resolution for video, at least 480x360 at 4:3, or 640x360 at 16:9.
Do you mean support in the video codec (the h.264 implementation in 5G iPods only goes to the pixel equivalents of 320x240, and the lesser MPEG-4 implementation 480x480) or an actual screen resolution of that size?
Something to keep in mind is that the Sony PSP's screen is 4.1" at 16:9 and is 480x272. It a very good screen. The eye would have trouble seeing many more pixels packed into a 4" space.
Now the new video iPod's screen CAN'T be physically larger than 4" without making a non-standard footprint iPod, which they're unlikely to do given all the dock connector accessories, car connection kits, etc, on the market.
So... my prediction is a 480x272 screen, in a 16:9 aspect ratio, measuring between 3.5" and 4" diagonally (as many of the fake mockups have guessed).
Existing 320x240 videos will zoom nicely to fill the extra resolution (just as they do on my PSP) so compatibility with existing iTunes store videos and video podcasts will be maintained.