Unannounced 4GB fourth-gen iPod nanos on sale in Europe

[AppleInsider]

Apple last week introduced its fourth generation iPod nano with storage capacities of 8GB and 16GB, making no mention of a 4GB model that is now widely available through several overseas outlets.

European blog OneMoreThing posted several photos of the mysterious offering earlier this morning, noting that they were spotted on the shelves of Dutch Apple premium reseller HTR for €119 (or $168) and appear to be the real deal.

Separately, AppleInsider has been pointed to similar listing on the German version of Amazon.com, which lists the 4GB model as being available in all nine colors for €129, and Austrian reseller Geizhals, where they're listed for €130.

Another Dutch reseller, A-Mac, also has the 4GB players up for sale at €119.

The photos published by OneMoreThing, as well as a higher resolution snap on display at Engadget, suggests the players are an official, but unannounced, offering.

Update: German blog Cyberbloc suggests that the 4GB fourth-gen nanos may be the result of a production fault, where Apple initially began manufacturing 4GB and 8GB models but made a near last-minute decision to market 8GB and 16GB models instead. As such, it's suggested that the 4GB models were a limited production that will be sold in Europe while supplies last.

Update 2:Apple Canada is also advising local resellers that they will have access to 4GB nano's next week which will retail for $139 Canadian. Quantities will be limited.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Alonso Perez]

Takes care of the middle tier in markets where consumer goods are taxed (VAT), import duties are high, or purchasing power is low. Apple wants to be premium, but not a luxury.

[G_Warren]

How strange. Maybe this explains why the UK back to school promo gives £95 off a nano when the 8Gb nano is £109 - maybe a 4GB nano is to be introduced at £95?

I'm not convinced though. Perhaps it is only to be produced for a short period through certain retailers to clear 4Gb chip inventory.

Either way, it is a very un-Apple move!

[amac4me]

Things that make you go hmmmm

[Zandros]

Strange. But I imagine the resellers are delighted to have another nine SKUs to stock!

[adf32]

According to this site, it's a minor fault production line (sorry for my english...)

http://www.cyberbloc.de/index.php?/site/v3_comments/produktionsfehlplanung_bei_cyberport_erhaeltlich/


translated

[chwilliam]

It still amazes me that Apple is managing a total of 18 nano combinations, let alone another set for the 4gb

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple last week introduced its fourth generation iPod nano with storage capacities of 8GB and 16GB, making no mention of a 4GB model that is now widely available through several overseas outlets.

In most markets we still don't have a proper content offering on music and TV shows - I guess that is why Apple is flogging them over here - deeming that we can live with less space. Little do they know that some countries like The Netherlands are amongst the mostly populated countries on earth on a inhabitants per sq kilometer

[ecking]

It's too bad they don't have them here, even if it's for a limited time. With all the ipods I have I don't need more than this for the gym.

[shanmugam]

4Gb for $99 would be cool...

now 1st Gen iPod touch on clearance section of apple store ...

[nav180]

On Apple Portugal Store, we have two options:

8GB - 139€
8GB - 189€

I prefer the cheapest onde

Visit the store at
http://store.apple.com/pt

Nav180

[iVlad]

Hmm i wonder if Apple made that decision because Zune made 8 and 16. I love competition. Zune is now pushing Apple. =) A little

[ecking]

There we go, I got what I wanted. Thanks apple canada!

[Johnny Mozzarella]

I was at my local Apple Store the other day when I noticed the Which iPod are you? chart they had in the store listed a 4GB iPod nano. I asked the sales person about it. The employees all seemed puzzled. After one went and inquired with a manger, they informed me that it was a typo and removed the chart from the sales floor. I didn't think anything of it at the time and believed it was a typo.

Now in hindsight, I doubt it was a typo. They don't print hundreds of posters and ship them all around the country without someone noticing a major typo.
My guess is they are going to announce them shortly and this particular store just didn't get the memo.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

Now in hindsight, I doubt it was a typo. They don't print hundreds of posters and ship them all around the country without someone noticing a major typo.
My guess is they are going to announce them shortly and this particular store just didn't get the memo.

You have no idea how many typos slip past layer after layer of so-called "quality control". It's a toss up.

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

You have no idea how many typos slip past layer after layer of so-called "quality control". It's a toss up.

Actually, it looks like Apple originally planned to ship 4 and 8 GB nanos.
At the last moment they decided to change it to 8 and 16 GB nanos(because of the zune).
This is why the 16GB models weren't available right away.
Some 4GB models were already produced and now they are clearing them out in Europe.

I wish they made them available here in the US for $99.
I would get one just to use with the Nike+.

[bslaght]

Originally Posted by ecking

There we go, I got what I wanted. Thanks apple canada!

Are you saying you got a 4GB one from Apple CANADA? If so how?

[DimMok]

Sounds like the 4GB will be pretty valuable on its limited production run.....

Perhaps....

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by bslaght

Are you saying you got a 4GB one from Apple CANADA? If so how?

Yes. do tell!

[Marktrek]

Probably Apple changing production. Maybe they originally though of having an inexpensive 4GB and a premium 16GB, but then changed their minds after production had started. There is no other explanation for a posted sign. Everybody makes mistakes, but Apple surely knows what products they are making.

Mahalo, Mark

web.mac.com/marktrek/Apple/Royal_Hawaiian_Center.html

[satchmo]

Is that nano red and gold?

Or is it just really bad lighting?

[MsNly]

My black 16GB just showed up.

All I can say is... Very nice

[trevorlsciact]

hmmm well thats weird *shrugs*

[probably]

Originally Posted by chwilliam

It still amazes me that Apple is managing a total of 18 nano combinations, let alone another set for the 4gb

I like that they effortlessly go back and forth between having multiple color-SKUs, two-choice or single-choice.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by probably

I like that they effortlessly go back and forth between having multiple color-SKUs, two-choice or single-choice.

I'm amazed they offered so many color choices. That's a lot for a company that strives so hard to minimize model variations.

[Richmeister]

Big W in Australia has 4GB 4G Nanos as well for $167.

[lamewing]

Originally Posted by Marktrek

Probably Apple changing production. Maybe they originally though of having an inexpensive 4GB and a premium 16GB, but then changed their minds after production had started. There is no other explanation for a posted sign. Everybody makes mistakes, but Apple surely knows what products they are making.

Mahalo, Mark

web.mac.com/marktrek/Apple/Royal_Hawaiian_Center.html

THe current news is that Apple originally was producting 4 and 8 GB units at the same price point as the 3rd gen models and was taken by surprise that MS brought out the Zune 8 and 16 GB models at 149/199. Apple immediately pulled literature from the stores and started producing 16GB models while shuffling (excuse the pun) the 4GB models overseas to "disappear" from the US market.

This doesn't surprise me at all because all the local big boxes only had 8GB models at first. My very own 16GB nano was shipped directly from China and arrived a week after they showed up in the stores.

It appears that Apple was stung on this one, but was able to turn it around at the last moment. It could have been worse if MS had kept their pricing and storage offerings truly secret. Had I known that Apple was planning on charging that much for the lower storage amounts, I wouldn't have ordered in the first place.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by lamewing

It appears that Apple was stung on this one, but was able to turn it around at the last moment. It could have been worse if MS had kept their pricing and storage offerings truly secret. Had I known that Apple was planning on charging that much for the lower storage amounts, I wouldn't have ordered in the first place.

This could be an unseen hit to their profits for the holiday quarter.

[FuturePastNow]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I'm amazed they offered so many color choices. That's a lot for a company that strives so hard to minimize model variations.

I bet they've got a lot of sales data from the 2nd and 3rd gen nanos showing them how many of each color to make.

[Mark]

FYI: The 4GB model is available at bestbuy.ca for $139 (CDN.)

You can even get a red one. I wonder if they have the 'Product RED' logo on them.