I agree. They'll just give it a storage bump. It still sells to folks with a ton of files and a need for the small form factor. It would be foolish to discontinue the classic.
It all depends upon sales. If it's profitable, Apple would likely upgrade it. If it's reaching the point where sales are just too low to justify its continuance, I would expect them to drop it.
This is exactly the controlling factor on whether or not it will be discontinued!
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Not everything does. You have volume controls on the touch, you can shake to shuffle music, you have voice controls to select an artist, you have headset controls that will stop, play, skip songs and change the volume. The touch is not completely dependent on touch and sight. Plus, being able to shuffle a playlist is amazing and something I truly miss when I use my old iPod.
I've held off on an iPad or a new iPod purchase until they come out with 128+GB of memory, so I can store my whole music collection in Lossless. (~90GB)
I wish Apple would support FLAC files. From what I've read, there's a hack/dual-boot OS that you can load on iPod Classics that will allow you to play FLAC files, though.
There are apps in the App Store that can play FLAC files.
The real scare from this story is that Apple might no longer make a click wheel iPod. That would be truly sad, since the click wheel is by far the best interface for a music player.
They could easily emulate that on a touchscreen display if they really wanted to.
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Wasn't that what those 3 button headphones were made for?
My guess? This September they will announce a new iPod Touch with twice as much memory on all lines, making the largest a 128GB model, and at that point they will discontinue the Classic.
I guess having enough sales will guarantee anything continuing to be sold ? after all everything has a price. But my concern is that Apple (and I guess most companies) will quit not always sell something even if it is individually profitable if it does not sit into their vision of where they want their product line to be going.
For example, I have a 2 platter 160 gig iPod Classic that was purchased in 2007 -- It is quite unbelievable that the max capacity for an iPod Classic has not increased for over three years! Sure I know that the current 160 gig ipod is only one platter, and much thinner than my old beast, but if Apple had wanted to grow the 2 platter iPod Classic, it could be 400GB.
I think the real issue is that the RAM-based iPods have been chasing the hard drive based iPods for years, and Apple is getting tired of the iPod Classic 'raising the bar' all the time for the RAM-based iPods to match. While I would love to buy a larger iPod Classic* (and we have 2 Classics, 2 Shuffles, and 2 Touches in the house already) I do not think I will be given the opportunity to buy a larger one. I wonder if there are any third party upgrades?
*Why would I like a larger one? Well, I do have a ton of movies and videos on it. I have all my music library on the Classic. My Classic is rarely used with headphones attached to it, it is usually my media library device that is attached to a) a home stereo, b) a car stereo, or c) a TV. In one of my cars I need to plug the ipod in through the Aux plug, which means I am changing volume, scrolling through music, etc, using the control wheel. While I love the ipod Touch, I find the control wheel (especially when the iPod is in a case that puts a ridge around it) is easier to use without looking at it than the Touch interface.
I tried a touch screen iPod nano at the Apple Store one day and walked away laughing. Touch screens are fine for games, internet and such.
I had an old one and I liked the click wheel, but with a large selection of music there is no way that the click wheel works better than the spotlight function. Looking for a certain song or artist or album has to be literally 5x faster with search.
I guess having enough sales will guarantee anything continuing to be sold ? after all everything has a price. But my concern is that Apple (and I guess most companies) will quit not always sell something even if it is individually profitable if it does not sit into their vision of where they want their product line to be going.
For example, I have a 2 platter 160 gig iPod Classic that was purchased in 2007 -- It is quite unbelievable that the max capacity for an iPod Classic has not increased for over three years! Sure I know that the current 160 gig ipod is only one platter, and much thinner than my old beast, but if Apple had wanted to grow the 2 platter iPod Classic, it could be 400GB.
I think the real issue is that the RAM-based iPods have been chasing the hard drive based iPods for years, and Apple is getting tired of the iPod Classic 'raising the bar' all the time for the RAM-based iPods to match. While I would love to buy a larger iPod Classic* (and we have 2 Classics, 2 Shuffles, and 2 Touches in the house already) I do not think I will be given the opportunity to buy a larger one. I wonder if there are any third party upgrades?
*Why would I like a larger one? Well, I do have a ton of movies and videos on it. I have all my music library on the Classic. My Classic is rarely used with headphones attached to it, it is usually my media library device that is attached to a) a home stereo, b) a car stereo, or c) a TV. In one of my cars I need to plug the ipod in through the Aux plug, which means I am changing volume, scrolling through music, etc, using the control wheel. While I love the ipod Touch, I find the control wheel (especially when the iPod is in a case that puts a ridge around it) is easier to use without looking at it than the Touch interface.
I believe a Toshiba 320GB drive is the biggest 1.8" drive available. So, 400GB isn't possible.
I had an old one and I liked the click wheel, but with a large selection of music there is no way that the click wheel works better than the spotlight function. Looking for a certain song or artist or album has to be literally 5x faster with search.
I don't doubt that. The main function controls I use on my iPod are skip, pause, play and volume. Nothing else much matters when I'm listening on shuffle-play (95% of the time). Those functions are more difficult with a touch than they are a click wheel. (You have to look at it first, can't do it with gloves on, etc.) In any case, I hope Apple rethinks the use of the click wheel and doesn't abandon it.
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Oh, you're one of THOSE types that holds their iPhone in one palm while gesturing with the other hand jk
Physical controls are good for reaching into your pocket without looking. But on the other hand, the iPod Touch/iPhone can:
-accept Voice Control commands
-accept headphone microphone clicks for pause, play, skip, fast-forward/rewind, and volume
-type on the on-screen keyboard (much better than scrolling through letters)
The 10th anniversary iPod Classic in 2011 think about it. I strongly believe it will stick around one more year. There are plenty of audiophile's that I'm sure want to rip their music at full CD quality and store it on an iPod Classic.
There is certainly a market for SOME kind of pod with a capacity greater than 64 GB, especially in the age of huge vid files, etc.
However our social infatuation with thin pocket-size devices and the prices of solid state mem has led us backward on the curve of available memory to 8-16-32 and currently 64 in solid state, so that it's gonna be awhile before we get affordable 128, 256, etc.
To me that indicates the inflection point (assuming Classics are still selling profitably) at which the HDD line dies is likely the point at which falling flash prices enable Apple to make a 128 GB solid state Touch which can be sold somewhere in the price range of the current Classic.
Compacts the parts bins, simplifies/rationalizes the SKU's, brings full iOS functionality to the largest pod, etc.
One question though: a secondary but important use of classic ipods has been by photographers and others who enjoy having a media player they can also use as auxiliary storage in the field. Can the current Touches be used to store data files of all types as the classics always have been? My assumption has been this capability has been a casualty to the adoption of iOS, but I'd like to be proven wrong.
Honestly I had completely forgotten about the classic. I don't really understand the point of it except maybe in other markets. The other thing is the capacity of an idevice is really hit hardest when you add Apps, photos, recorded videos and large games.
I could fit plenty of music on a 32GB iWhatever, but if I want to add video, GPS maps and 1GB games that's where the memory really gets eaten up. Point is, it's really the SSD iDevices that need the boost. The classic EOL. Does it really need more capacity? Not really, because it's intended use (mainly music) wouldn't really benefit much from a capacity boost unless apple wanted to add a larger screen, a camera and video recording. (oh wait!)
Comments
It's not going anywhere.
I agree. They'll just give it a storage bump. It still sells to folks with a ton of files and a need for the small form factor. It would be foolish to discontinue the classic.
It's not going anywhere.
It will join the Sony Walkman in the design heap of technology.
Spinning mini hard drives are like the multi-generational offspring of spinning casstte tapes recording PCM.
It all depends upon sales. If it's profitable, Apple would likely upgrade it. If it's reaching the point where sales are just too low to justify its continuance, I would expect them to drop it.
This is exactly the controlling factor on whether or not it will be discontinued!
Best
This is exactly the controlling factor on whether or not it will be discontinued!
Best
Well then I'm sure someone ,somewhere out there still wants to buy a fresh Betamax tape too.
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Not everything does. You have volume controls on the touch, you can shake to shuffle music, you have voice controls to select an artist, you have headset controls that will stop, play, skip songs and change the volume. The touch is not completely dependent on touch and sight. Plus, being able to shuffle a playlist is amazing and something I truly miss when I use my old iPod.
To the Smithsonian it goes....
I've held off on an iPad or a new iPod purchase until they come out with 128+GB of memory, so I can store my whole music collection in Lossless. (~90GB)
I wish Apple would support FLAC files. From what I've read, there's a hack/dual-boot OS that you can load on iPod Classics that will allow you to play FLAC files, though.
There are apps in the App Store that can play FLAC files.
The real scare from this story is that Apple might no longer make a click wheel iPod. That would be truly sad, since the click wheel is by far the best interface for a music player.
They could easily emulate that on a touchscreen display if they really wanted to.
Well then I'm sure someone ,somewhere out there still wants to buy a fresh Betamax tape too.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Betamax-L.../dp/B000928L7S
Someone must buy them.
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Wasn't that what those 3 button headphones were made for?
My guess? This September they will announce a new iPod Touch with twice as much memory on all lines, making the largest a 128GB model, and at that point they will discontinue the Classic.
Fixed, but probably.
For example, I have a 2 platter 160 gig iPod Classic that was purchased in 2007 -- It is quite unbelievable that the max capacity for an iPod Classic has not increased for over three years! Sure I know that the current 160 gig ipod is only one platter, and much thinner than my old beast, but if Apple had wanted to grow the 2 platter iPod Classic, it could be 400GB.
I think the real issue is that the RAM-based iPods have been chasing the hard drive based iPods for years, and Apple is getting tired of the iPod Classic 'raising the bar' all the time for the RAM-based iPods to match. While I would love to buy a larger iPod Classic* (and we have 2 Classics, 2 Shuffles, and 2 Touches in the house already) I do not think I will be given the opportunity to buy a larger one. I wonder if there are any third party upgrades?
*Why would I like a larger one? Well, I do have a ton of movies and videos on it. I have all my music library on the Classic. My Classic is rarely used with headphones attached to it, it is usually my media library device that is attached to a) a home stereo, b) a car stereo, or c) a TV. In one of my cars I need to plug the ipod in through the Aux plug, which means I am changing volume, scrolling through music, etc, using the control wheel. While I love the ipod Touch, I find the control wheel (especially when the iPod is in a case that puts a ridge around it) is easier to use without looking at it than the Touch interface.
They could easily emulate that on a touchscreen display if they really wanted to.
Sorry, I don't understand how that would work.
I tried a touch screen iPod nano at the Apple Store one day and walked away laughing. Touch screens are fine for games, internet and such.
Well then I'm sure someone ,somewhere out there still wants to buy a fresh Betamax tape too.
Stop trolling please.
Sorry, I don't understand how that would work.
I tried a touch screen iPod nano at the Apple Store one day and walked away laughing. Touch screens are fine for games, internet and such.
I had an old one and I liked the click wheel, but with a large selection of music there is no way that the click wheel works better than the spotlight function. Looking for a certain song or artist or album has to be literally 5x faster with search.
I guess having enough sales will guarantee anything continuing to be sold ? after all everything has a price. But my concern is that Apple (and I guess most companies) will quit not always sell something even if it is individually profitable if it does not sit into their vision of where they want their product line to be going.
For example, I have a 2 platter 160 gig iPod Classic that was purchased in 2007 -- It is quite unbelievable that the max capacity for an iPod Classic has not increased for over three years! Sure I know that the current 160 gig ipod is only one platter, and much thinner than my old beast, but if Apple had wanted to grow the 2 platter iPod Classic, it could be 400GB.
I think the real issue is that the RAM-based iPods have been chasing the hard drive based iPods for years, and Apple is getting tired of the iPod Classic 'raising the bar' all the time for the RAM-based iPods to match. While I would love to buy a larger iPod Classic* (and we have 2 Classics, 2 Shuffles, and 2 Touches in the house already) I do not think I will be given the opportunity to buy a larger one. I wonder if there are any third party upgrades?
*Why would I like a larger one? Well, I do have a ton of movies and videos on it. I have all my music library on the Classic. My Classic is rarely used with headphones attached to it, it is usually my media library device that is attached to a) a home stereo, b) a car stereo, or c) a TV. In one of my cars I need to plug the ipod in through the Aux plug, which means I am changing volume, scrolling through music, etc, using the control wheel. While I love the ipod Touch, I find the control wheel (especially when the iPod is in a case that puts a ridge around it) is easier to use without looking at it than the Touch interface.
I believe a Toshiba 320GB drive is the biggest 1.8" drive available. So, 400GB isn't possible.
I had an old one and I liked the click wheel, but with a large selection of music there is no way that the click wheel works better than the spotlight function. Looking for a certain song or artist or album has to be literally 5x faster with search.
I don't doubt that. The main function controls I use on my iPod are skip, pause, play and volume. Nothing else much matters when I'm listening on shuffle-play (95% of the time). Those functions are more difficult with a touch than they are a click wheel. (You have to look at it first, can't do it with gloves on, etc.) In any case, I hope Apple rethinks the use of the click wheel and doesn't abandon it.
Just because touch is cooler and more "gee whiz" doesn't make it better. In the case of a music player, the click wheel is far superior. You can easily skip or change volume with one hand and no eyes. A touch device (as cool as they are... I LOVE my iPad) requires TWO hands and your eyes... you have to look at the screen in order to do anything.
Oh, you're one of THOSE types that holds their iPhone in one palm while gesturing with the other hand
Physical controls are good for reaching into your pocket without looking. But on the other hand, the iPod Touch/iPhone can:
-accept Voice Control commands
-accept headphone microphone clicks for pause, play, skip, fast-forward/rewind, and volume
-type on the on-screen keyboard (much better than scrolling through letters)
To each his own.
It's not going anywhere.
The 10th anniversary iPod Classic in 2011 think about it. I strongly believe it will stick around one more year. There are plenty of audiophile's that I'm sure want to rip their music at full CD quality and store it on an iPod Classic.
There is certainly a market for SOME kind of pod with a capacity greater than 64 GB, especially in the age of huge vid files, etc.
However our social infatuation with thin pocket-size devices and the prices of solid state mem has led us backward on the curve of available memory to 8-16-32 and currently 64 in solid state, so that it's gonna be awhile before we get affordable 128, 256, etc.
To me that indicates the inflection point (assuming Classics are still selling profitably) at which the HDD line dies is likely the point at which falling flash prices enable Apple to make a 128 GB solid state Touch which can be sold somewhere in the price range of the current Classic.
Compacts the parts bins, simplifies/rationalizes the SKU's, brings full iOS functionality to the largest pod, etc.
One question though: a secondary but important use of classic ipods has been by photographers and others who enjoy having a media player they can also use as auxiliary storage in the field. Can the current Touches be used to store data files of all types as the classics always have been? My assumption has been this capability has been a casualty to the adoption of iOS, but I'd like to be proven wrong.
I could fit plenty of music on a 32GB iWhatever, but if I want to add video, GPS maps and 1GB games that's where the memory really gets eaten up. Point is, it's really the SSD iDevices that need the boost. The classic EOL. Does it really need more capacity? Not really, because it's intended use (mainly music) wouldn't really benefit much from a capacity boost unless apple wanted to add a larger screen, a camera and video recording. (oh wait!)
Bring on the 128GB SSD's and be done with it.