DigiTimes vouches for multi-touch iPod with WiFi

[AppleInsider]

Apple's announcements on Wednesday will indeed include a next-generation iPod video with a touch-control interface, according to DigiTimes.

Citing sources at Taiwan-based contract manufacturers, the Far Eastern rumor publication reports that the "new iPod video will also come with a wide-screen panel, high storage capacity and Wi-Fi connectivity."

Instead of using traditional hard disk drives (HDD), DigiTimes reports inline with earlier AppleInsider reports that the new iPod will instead employ NAND flash-based storage.

Apple is reportedly outsourcing the production of the new iPod video to Taiwan-based Inventec Appliances, which is expected to start volume shipments by the end of this month or in early October.

Apple's new products will also include a new iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, according to DigiTimes, which also noted that sales of the new iPod series is expected to total 22-23 million units in the fourth quarter of this year.

Separately, a second report from vnunet.com claims that Apple's announcements this week will also include plans to bring digital radio to the iPod along with an option to buy music using the device.

Citing a source, the online publication said the "new iPods will be able to receive digital radio, and will include a 'buy-now' function to allow the user to download and buy tracks as they are being played."

AppleInsider has received similar reports that Apple may be gearing up to include "HD Radio" functionality on its next-generation media players, but has been unable to confirm those reports with any degree of certainty.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[JeffDM]

Even though they called a couple things this year, half-right on one or two things, their overall record is shaky at best. It probably doesn't matter either way, we'll probably know in a couple days. The main thing it might affect is their reputation in calling what's going to be released.

[Bacillus]

Wow...DigiTimes

Based on what they say, I make the following predications
1. The new iPod will be HDD based
2. There will not be a new shuffle
3. There will not be a new nano

[UcanMac]

We can wait and see; I for one will say that I believe the click wheel is still a viable way to interact with your media.

UcanMac

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple's announcements on Wednesday will indeed include a next-generation iPod video with a touch-control interface, according to DigiTimes.

So no worries about iPhone cannabilization?

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Citing sources at Taiwan-based contract manufacturers, the Far Eastern rumor publication reports that the "new iPod video will also come with a wide-screen panel, high storage capacity and Wi-Fi connectivity."


Instead of using traditional hard disk drives (HDD), DigiTimes reports inline with earlier AppleInsider reports that the new iPod will instead employ NAND flash-based storage.

I wonder how much NAND Flash-based high storage capacity it will have and is it the same as in the iPhone and if so, how soon will we see it in the iPhone 2.0?

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple is reportedly outsourcing the production of the new iPod video to Taiwan-based Inventec Appliances, which is expected to start volume shipments by the end of this month or in early October.

Apple's new products will also include a new iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, according to DigiTimes, which also noted that sales of the new iPod series is expected to total 22-23 million units in the fourth quarter of this year.

22-23 million, wow, wonder what the Zune estimates for the same time period would be? For comparison...

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Separately, a second report from vnunet.com claims that Apple's announcements this week will also include plans to bring digital radio to the iPod along with an option to buy music using the device.

Citing a source, the online publication said the "new iPods will be able to receive digital radio, and will include a 'buy-now' function to allow the user to download and buy tracks as they are being played."

AppleInsider has received similar reports that Apple may be gearing up to include "HD Radio" functionality on its next-generation media players, but has been unable to confirm those reports with any degree of certainty.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

A radio??? Didn't I use to read postings of people ridiculing those MP3 players that had a radio built in!! If true, why the change (apple) and to all those that belittled other players that had a radio built in, now that Apple might be including it in their player, does it now make it right?

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

A radio??? Didn't I use to hear postings of people ridiculing those MP3 players that had a radio built in!! If true, why the change (apple) and to all those that belittled other players that had a radio built in, now that Apple might be including it in their player, does it now make it right?

I think ridiculing was done of flash players too, but now that's a significant majority of what Apple sells, possibly 85% or more. The difference was the capacity, there were flash players with 64MB or less, and that was no fun. 1GB ends up being very comfortable, at least in my opinion.

Analog radio isn't any fun. Whether digital radio changes the game, I don't know. As it is, I really don't care for it, regardless of the content, because the ads are so insultingly lame. I don't think that would change with digital radio.

[astrosmash]

The biggest iPhone complaint is its price. So, take the iPhone, remove the cellular radio, and add 30 GB of storage (HD or otherwise). That would cost a fortune!

Not to mention that it would compete much more closely with the iPhone than would make sense to either Apple or AT&T. (Surely, AT&T negotiated some provision that prevents Apple releasing a competing product so soon).

As much as I'd like to see Apple create a whole new iPod/iPhone application platform based on OS X, it's just too soon for that to happen. And it's not in Apple's nature to turn iPod into a platform; Jobs has repeatedly said that AppleTV, iPod, and iPhone should remain closed to 3rd party development.

The touch-screen iPod is an easy prediction to make, given that the iPhone is out of the bag, but it just doesn't make sense.

[astrosmash]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

A radio??? Didn't I use to read postings of people ridiculing those MP3 players that had a radio built in!!

Digital wi-fi radio is a hell of a lot more compelling than an FM tuner, which, by the way, has been available on the iPod for years, as an option.

[ersatzplanet]

I hear a lot of talk about how a touch screen iPod video would steal sales from the iPhone - I just don't see it. The iPhone is a great phone but a lousy media device cause of the 8 Gig limit. iPod sales did not take a nosedive cause of the iPhone and I doubt the revers will happen either. I think they are for different markets. There will be a ton of them sold and there will still be a ton of iPhones sold. The big question for me is the storage size (it will have to be big to store movies - alot bigger than 8Gigs) and weather there will be a web browser to go with that wi-fi - full web enabled would be VERY sweet.

[ssc_applefan]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

A radio??? Didn't I use to read postings of people ridiculing those MP3 players that had a radio built in!! If true, why the change (apple) and to all those that belittled other players that had a radio built in, now that Apple might be including it in their player, does it now make it right?

Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

[dutch pear]

Originally Posted by astrosmash

Digital wi-fi radio is a hell of a lot more compelling than an FM tuner, which, by the way, has been available on the iPod for years, as an option.

Digital radio That must be some US-only thing because here in Europe nobody uses that, I don't think it even exists here. If they want to sell more iPods by including a built-in radio (which they will, btw) it better be FM for Europe!

[Sunbow]

Originally Posted by dutch pear

Digital radio That must be some US-only thing because here in Europe nobody uses that, I don't think it even exists here. If they want to sell more iPods by including a built-in radio (which they will, btw) it better be FM for Europe!

In the UK digital radio (DAB - Digital Audio Broadcasting) is big now with good coverage across the country. It is hugely better quality than FM. So now is indeed a great time to include DAB (if that's what is planned). The difficulty to date though with DAB is that it is very consuming of batteries but maybe there is some new low consumption chipset now available for Apple to use.

FM is better maintained as an option, as it's low quality (if built-in to an iPod) would drag down the reputation of the iPod and Apple and that is my understanding of why Apple have not added FM to iPods.

[JeffDM]

Never mind.

[1984]

Originally Posted by Sunbow

In the UK digital radio (DAB - Digital Audio Broadcasting) is big now with good coverage across the country. It is hugely better quality than FM. So now is indeed a great time to include DAB (if that's what is planned). The difficulty to date though with DAB is that it is very consuming of batteries but maybe there is some new low consumption chipset now available for Apple to use.

FM is better maintained as an option, as it's low quality (if built-in to an iPod) would drag down the reputation of the iPod and Apple and that is my understanding of why Apple have not added FM to iPods.

Well, it's the opposite here in the US where HD Radio (IBOC) has far worse quality than analog FM. It's not at all like DAB in the UK where they use decent bitrates. It tops out at 96 Kbps and just half that for stations that are multicasting with two channels. It gets even worse when they are muticasting more than that.

Of course digital radio could also mean satellite services like Sirius/XM or it could be digital radio stations being streamed via iTunes to the iPod with built-in wi-fi. We shall see.

[Sunbow]

Originally Posted by 1984

Well, it's the opposite here in the US where HD Radio (IBOC) has far worse quality than analog FM. It's not at all like DAB in the UK where they use decent bitrates. It tops out at 96 Kbps and just half that for stations that are multicasting with two channels. It gets even worse when they are muticasting more than that.

Of course digital radio could also mean satellite services like Sirius/XM or it could be digital radio stations being streamed via iTunes to the iPod with built-in wi-fi. We shall see.

That's an interesting contrast. As you suggest, DAB has decent bit rates; mostly 128 Kbps but some channels are higher still (e.g 'Classic' is 160 Kbps and 'BBC Radio 3' (also classical music) is 192 Kbps).

[Kolchak]

But what's the WiFi for? It's just a passing mention in the article. Sadly, I don't think Apple will let us have a web browser even though this will supposedly run a version of OS X just like the iPhone. And they sure as hell won't let us run Skype. Pity, since I have both SkypeIn and Skype Unlimited and would kill to use my account on a wireless device.

[minderbinder]

Originally Posted by UcanMac

We can wait and see; I for one will say that I believe the click wheel is still a viable way to interact with your media.

UcanMac

Sure, it's viable. Problem is it takes up valuable space that could otherwise be used to make the screen bigger or the device smaller.


The big question right now is, IF it has wifi, what is it for? I doubt it will allow internet access like the iPhone because that would severely cannibalize it. I guess it would just allow this "radio" and wireless syncing, but that seems like it would add lots of cost and drain battery life with little real benefit.

Not to mention that it gets all the apple fanboys hopes up that it will have wifi internet access, leading to a huge backlash when it's revealed it doesn't. I hope people don't get too worked into a frenzy before wednesday.

[johnhood]

Wi-Fi would be most compelling!

[drjjones]

Originally Posted by minderbinder

Sure, it's viable. Problem is it takes up valuable space that could otherwise be used to make the screen bigger or the device smaller.


The big question right now is, IF it has wifi, what is it for? I doubt it will allow internet access like the iPhone because that would severely cannibalize it. I guess it would just allow this "radio" and wireless syncing, but that seems like it would add lots of cost and drain battery life with little real benefit.

Not to mention that it gets all the apple fanboys hopes up that it will have wifi internet access, leading to a huge backlash when it's revealed it doesn't. I hope people don't get too worked into a frenzy before wednesday.

i hope they do get whipped into a frenzy and the stock goes to 180 lol .

[anantksundaram]

minderbender: ... it gets all the apple fanboys ........

ssc_applefan: Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

Quit it with this stupid, lazy, overused epithet...... surely there are more intelligent ways to insult, if that is your intention.

[palegolas]

Originally Posted by dutch pear

Digital radio That must be some US-only thing because here in Europe nobody uses that, I don't think it even exists here. If they want to sell more iPods by including a built-in radio (which they will, btw) it better be FM for Europe!

I think many radio stations are sending digital as well as analog... just that it hasn't really gotten any big among consumers for some reason.
I suppose, since it's digital, that the radio stations may send track information to be displayed on the radio display while songs are being played if they choose to, and this is probably the key to Apple's involvement. They just snatch the song title and artist, search in the iTunes store and offer the listener to buy it straight away. Probably teaming up with some US radio stations.

[pmjoe]

I'd be excited about a iPhone-like iPod: similar form-factor, drop the cellular radio, drop flash RAM and add a hard drive ... but based on the iPhone pricing, we'd probably be looking at $600-$700 for the cost. Unless Apple is planning to requiring you to buy some "digital radio" subscription to offset the cost, I don't see it happening.

That said, if Apple finds some way to do it for a reasonable cost, I might just have to get one.

[MacTel]

Apple's new products will also include a new iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, according to DigiTimes, which also noted that sales of the new iPod series is expected to total 22-23 million units in the fourth quarter of this year.

Yes! Hopefully a 3G Shuffle with a screen.

[Walter Slocombe]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

minderbender: ... it gets all the apple fanboys ........

ssc_applefan: Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

Quit it with this stupid, lazy, overused epithet...... surely there are more intelligent ways to insult, if that is your intention.

Seconded!!

[addabox]

Originally Posted by Walter Slocombe

Seconded!!

Thirded!

I've noticed that in the commentary of various tech sites people have started to begin any post that's remotely praising of Apple with "I'm no fanboy, but.....", just to preempt the inevitable storm of eye rolling and belittling that goes with the territory.

Really no need to replicate that here.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

minderbender: ... it gets all the apple fanboys ........
ssc_applefan: Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

Quit it with this stupid, lazy, overused epithet...... surely there are more intelligent ways to insult, if that is your intention.

I will repeat exactly what I posted in another thread: ...To these people (eg. a_greer, minderbender, ssc_applefan, wnurse): you are the perfect example of the "anti-Apple AppleZealot" that seems to be quite pervasive on these forums and many other forums nowadays. Your "breed" comes on with a lot of hate and (as a poster eloquently put it) vehemence for us "Apple fanboys" -- yet you all use (and probably like) Macs and iPods. Accept that you are leaving Windows and PCs behind, that this is in general a good thing [not the "only" thing] and you will hate us (and yourself and your "breed") less in the process. Sure, people with Macs have more money, but people with Lamborghinis and Ferraris have more... Your Mac was worth the money right? Otherwise you would have sold it by now...

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by addabox

Thirded!....I've noticed that in the commentary of various tech sites people have started to begin any post that's remotely praising of Apple with "I'm no fanboy, but.....", just to preempt the inevitable storm of eye rolling and belittling that goes with the territory...

Bingo! "Denial is the most predictable of human responses" - The Architect, Matrix Reloaded.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

minderbender: ... it gets all the apple fanboys ........

ssc_applefan: Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

Quit it with this stupid, lazy, overused epithet...... surely there are more intelligent ways to insult, if that is your intention.

A writer that posts to the front page came up with the word that means "choir girls".

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

Your Mac was worth the money right? Otherwise you would have sold it by now...

Touche.

[SpamSandwich]

I'll just wait to be impressed... haven't been exactly jumping for joy with the "safe" stuff coming out of Apple recently.

[ssc_applefan]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

I will repeat exactly what I posted in another thread: ...To these people (eg. a_greer, minderbender, ssc_applefan, wnurse): you are the perfect example of the "anti-Apple AppleZealot" that seems to be quite pervasive on these forums and many other forums nowadays. Your "breed" comes on with a lot of hate and (as a poster eloquently put it) vehemence for us "Apple fanboys" -- yet you all use (and probably like) Macs and iPods. Accept that you are leaving Windows and PCs behind, that this is in general a good thing [not the "only" thing] and you will hate us (and yourself and your "breed") less in the process. Sure, people with Macs have more money, but people with Lamborghinis and Ferraris have more... Your Mac was worth the money right? Otherwise you would have sold it by now...

nevermind... not even worth it.

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

minderbender: ... it gets all the apple fanboys ........

ssc_applefan: Apple fanboy excuses/"justifications" in 5...4...3...

Quit it with this stupid, lazy, overused epithet...... surely there are more intelligent ways to insult, if that is your intention.

If the shoe fits...

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

Bingo! "Denial is the most predictable of human responses" - The Architect, Matrix Reloaded.

^^^^^ Nerd ^^^^^

[nvidia2008]

Heh. brit_teeth... you go up on that list alongside a_greer and ssc_ etc etc. ...And the only thing bigger than denying you like Apple is denying you are a nerd. EMBRACE WHO YOU ARE, NERD-APPLE-ZEALOTS! There is NO TURNING BACK NOW! muah ah haha h ah aha ha ah h aha

[palegolas]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

...Sure, people with Macs have more money...

I'm gonna go out on thin ice here and take your challenge... sorry, I don't normally do that, but... what the....

I understand you don't like Macs or the pricing from Apple... so you being here kind of make things interesting. Why are you here? Are you hoping for a rumor that says "New Mac Pro 8 core, starting $799"? It won't happen, so you don't need to be here. You can safely go back to get WOW'ed aah'ed by your nvidia or whatever it is you do. You won't miss anything here.
My economical situation really sucks... but I wouldn't waste money on a Windows or Linux machine either way, because I don't like to waste money on stuff I dislike, don't trust, that out of the box needs third party anti virus software to get by etc. I just prefer Mac, and you know what, I'm ok with paying that little extra, because it's worth it.

PS. Don't think of a mac as a freaking Lamborghini that probably can't even drive over a road bump. This just shows us that you got sparse information on either Macs or cars...

Sorry for giving in and taking such nonsense challenges, lowering my level...

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by palegolas

I'm gonna go out on thin ice here and take your challenge... sorry, I don't normally do that, but... what the....

I understand you don't like Macs or the pricing from Apple... so you being here kind of make things interesting. Why are you here? Are you hoping for a rumor that says "New Mac Pro 8 core, starting $799"? It won't happen, so you don't need to be here. You can safely go back to get WOW'ed aah'ed by your nvidia or whatever it is you do. You won't miss anything here.
My economical situation really sucks... but I wouldn't waste money on a Windows or Linux machine either way, because I don't like to waste money on stuff I dislike, don't trust, that out of the box needs third party anti virus software to get by etc. I just prefer Mac, and you know what, I'm ok with paying that little extra, because it's worth it.

PS. Don't think of a mac as a freaking Lamborghini that probably can't even drive over a road bump. This just shows us that you got sparse information on either Macs or cars...

Sorry for giving in and taking such nonsense challenges, lowering my level...

Heh... Umm... I am on your side Palegolas... read all my posts above and my previous posting... And my signature. ...I know enough about Macs, but yeah my exotic car knowledge is poor. I was conceding a bit of ground in an attempt to negotiate with the "anti-Apple" people, by saying, "Sure people with Macs have more money". Maybe in hindsight I shouldn't have mentioned such a thing at all.

Check this comment out on tuaw.com... (not me commenting, this is the following poster named "Duscrom" or something like that)

"36. Ahh, another one of those Mac World, Vs. PC worlds things. Two corps complain about the other.. on the PC side, we all assume MS is in the wrong (ie. Activision charges $6 for 3 songs on Xbox live Marketplace... this is all MS's fault) and on the Mac side, We all assume Apple is in the right.

I have to wonder, because i don't have such blind fanboyism, when I have to pay at least $250 for a iPod that has video capabilities. I mean, what makes you assume that Lord Jobs is really giving that much to content providers? On top of that, you can ONLY play this stuff on iPods, which undercuts the rest of the market. Apple is easily as monopolistic as any other company would be.

So NBC/Universal makes a bad buiesness move right? That's assumeing THEY are making alot from iTunes sales. compared to DVD sales and Ad Revenue. I'd guess Apple is still making the bear's shae of profit themselves, instead of NBC/Universal.

Posted at 10:06PM on Sep 3rd 2007 by Duscrom"

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by palegolas

...You can safely go back to get WOW'ed aah'ed by your nvidia...

nVidia is nice, it is on the MacBookPros [80nm I believe] ... Though ATI beat them to 65nm and are hence in the new iMacs. Though let's not get into GPUs at this stage.

[murphyweb]

Originally Posted by Kolchak

But what's the WiFi for? It's just a passing mention in the article. Sadly, I don't think Apple will let us have a web browser even though this will supposedly run a version of OS X just like the iPhone. And they sure as hell won't let us run Skype. Pity, since I have both SkypeIn and Skype Unlimited and would kill to use my account on a wireless device.

A wi-fi ipod would be fandabydozy if it meant it could be synced over a wireless network, i.e. wake up in the morning and ipod already loaded with latest podcasts. That would be cool.

[MacGregor]

Originally Posted by palegolas

I think many radio stations are sending digital as well as analog... just that it hasn't really gotten any big among consumers for some reason.
I suppose, since it's digital, that the radio stations may send track information to be displayed on the radio display while songs are being played if they choose to, and this is probably the key to Apple's involvement. They just snatch the song title and artist, search in the iTunes store and offer the listener to buy it straight away. Probably teaming up with some US radio stations.

Can't high end car stereo's get that metadata from regular analog radio?

I wonder if this is part of what Apple and BMW might be working on.

[MacGregor]

Originally Posted by murphyweb

A wi-fi ipod would be fandabydozy if it meant it could be synced over a wireless network, i.e. wake up in the morning and ipod already loaded with latest podcasts. That would be cool.

EXACTLY. I actually use my iPod 80% of the time for podcasts and 20% for music.