Next-gen video iPod to employ 16GB of NAND flash - report
Apple Inc. is gearing up to unveil a NAND flash-based video iPod in late September, which may aggravate the currently observed NAND flash shortages, according to DigiTimes.
Citing "sources at Taiwan-based component makers," the Far Eastern rumor publication claims the "new iPod video" will use NAND flash as the "major storage media," offering twice as much capacity as Apple's high-end iPhone handset.
"With the launch of the new iPod imminent, together with the recently reported power outage experienced by Samsung Electronics at its fabs, component makers are concerned that overall NAND flash supply may be impacted," the report states.
Apple's current line of video iPods employ bulky 1.8-inch hard disk drives (HDDs), but are the last of the firm's consumer electronics gadgets to do so. Since introducing the iPod nano in 2005, the company has slowly shifted all of its other handheld devices to the more reliable solid-state NAND flash memory.
Analysts have argued that it only makes sense for Apple to progress its video iPod players in the same fashion, as flash storage -- which is more compact and lacks the movable parts of HDDs -- would pave the way for smaller form factor players, as well as improvements to both battery life and durability.
"We believe that the video iPod transition from 1.8-inch hard disk drives to NAND flash memory may occur as soon as late 2007," Prudential Equity Group analyst Jesse Tortora wrote in a February report. "Our checks indicate that Apple is considering canceling its next generation HDD-based iPod design, with the form factor refresh involving a move to NAND flash memory."
DigiTimes, which makes no mention in its report whether the 16GB video iPod model would include a touch-screen interface akin to the iPhone, has been hit or miss on the subject of Apple rumors over the course of time. However, the publication's most recent round of "hits" have outweighed its misses.
Still, it should be noted that DigiTimes as recently as last month reported that a multi-touch video iPod would arrive in August, as opposed to its most recent claims of late September.
Citing "sources at Taiwan-based component makers," the Far Eastern rumor publication claims the "new iPod video" will use NAND flash as the "major storage media," offering twice as much capacity as Apple's high-end iPhone handset.
"With the launch of the new iPod imminent, together with the recently reported power outage experienced by Samsung Electronics at its fabs, component makers are concerned that overall NAND flash supply may be impacted," the report states.
Apple's current line of video iPods employ bulky 1.8-inch hard disk drives (HDDs), but are the last of the firm's consumer electronics gadgets to do so. Since introducing the iPod nano in 2005, the company has slowly shifted all of its other handheld devices to the more reliable solid-state NAND flash memory.
Analysts have argued that it only makes sense for Apple to progress its video iPod players in the same fashion, as flash storage -- which is more compact and lacks the movable parts of HDDs -- would pave the way for smaller form factor players, as well as improvements to both battery life and durability.
"We believe that the video iPod transition from 1.8-inch hard disk drives to NAND flash memory may occur as soon as late 2007," Prudential Equity Group analyst Jesse Tortora wrote in a February report. "Our checks indicate that Apple is considering canceling its next generation HDD-based iPod design, with the form factor refresh involving a move to NAND flash memory."
DigiTimes, which makes no mention in its report whether the 16GB video iPod model would include a touch-screen interface akin to the iPhone, has been hit or miss on the subject of Apple rumors over the course of time. However, the publication's most recent round of "hits" have outweighed its misses.
Still, it should be noted that DigiTimes as recently as last month reported that a multi-touch video iPod would arrive in August, as opposed to its most recent claims of late September.
Comments
Isn't 16 gig a bit small for video? What could they put in the iPhone case if they throw out all the phone stuff? Still WiFi/bluetooth?
They would just stuff 2x or 4x the chips in the device to give you 32Gb or 64Gb of RAM.
Isn't 16 gig a bit small for video? What could they put in the iPhone case if they throw out all the phone stuff? Still WiFi/bluetooth?
I was thinking the same. I'm hoping maybe some sort of hybrid flash+hard drive version. I would hate dropping from my 60GB iPod to a new "top-of-the-line" iPod with a mere 16GB of storage. That wouldn't even hold half of my music let alone the vast majority of video. Flash storage to intelligently cache contents so it can idle down the hard drive except when absolutely necessary.
And then there's the flaw of a smaller form factor. Smaller form factor and video player don't really go too well together. You need a decent sized screen to reasonably enjoy watching video. Otherwise you get to listen to a video and watch a couple of pixels move about on screen.
What I'm hoping for is an iPod video with a true 16x9 screen (not the iPhone's almost 16x9 screen) capable of displaying 720p content (to match the AppleTV's highest resolution). It doesn't need to actually fully display 720p, just downconvert 720p content to its screen. Then toss in an update to the iPhone to allow it to display 720p content and announce the arrival of 720p content on iTunes (yeah, I wouldn't buy any movies that way having already jumped to Blu-Ray, but TV shows would be nice).
They would just stuff 2x or 4x the chips in the device to give you 32Gb or 64Gb of RAM.
Possibly using multiples of 8GB would be cheaper if 8GB is less than half the price of a 16GB. I wonder if this would be where ZFS would come in handy with pooled storage. It would be a great way to test out the filesystem in a Mac-related but non-critical way.
Maybe they could get away with adding an SD slot and then that allows the storage to be increased quite easily when future flash developments come about.
Then again, 16 GB on a Nano is a different story....
And would you idiots all please think and listen to MacTel? 16GB supply does not equal 16GB iPod.
-=|Mgkwho
then again, 16 GB on a Nano is a different story....
That would make sense. 3rd Gen Nano, now with 16GB of storage, and it can play video. That's a toy that has a built-in market. It doesn't even come close to replacing the HDD models though.
The "buy a Mac, get a free iPod Nano" promotion at the Apple Store for Education ends September 16. We won't see new Nanos until at least September 18.
Not necessarily. I think they have released new iPods before the mac + iPod promos have expired before. The new iPods just weren't eligible for the promotion.
But coming out with a 16GB video iPod doesn't mean that they will discontinue higher capacity HHD players. This could be an addition.
A 16GB model would probably cost as much as a 30 GB HHD model, so there could be more than one model in the line-up.
I can see plenty of people lining up for a 16GB SST model if it also offers a decent improvement in battery life.
Not everyone needs 30 or more GB's of storage.
Look at what was said when Apple came out with the Nano with half the storage of the older Mini's. It was thought that they wouldn't sell as well because of it, and yet, they broke all sales records.
The same thing will happen hers. People on line will howl, but the public will stand on line to get them, and Apple will set more sales records.
Then, next year, Apple will increase the memory size again.
The question is, will the iPod Nano get a touchscreen etc? Maybe that'll just be reserved for the iPods...
I am in the process of archiving my entire TV on DVD collection as well as DVD collection (well over 500 DVDs total) and if they come out with some 16 GB version then I would not be able to even fit a quarter of my collection on one of these. Let alone any music or podcasts or even games for that matter.
It would be a joke and no one would buy one....let's see, bigger screen, running OS X or, same size screen and more space....hmmm which one is more important?
I'm thinking 40GB 4" touch-screen for $299 and 100GB 4" touch-screen for $399. Both with some kind of flash-assisted 1.8" moving hard drive.
......I would hate dropping from my 60GB iPod to a new "top-of-the-line" iPod with a mere 16GB of storage....
But....you wouldn't have to. It isn't compulsory that you buy each new release, and your existing iPod will be unaffected....
I require at least 25 TBs of data. It should also be able to play movies at 7,680 × 4,320. The main problem with the whole plan is that 25 terrabyes is only enough for one uncompressed video at 7,680 × 4,320.
Why don't they put a DVB-T receiver (digital live tv) in the new iPod 16:9 touch screen model with 32 gig's? That way they would be ahead of the market in US and EU and have a foot in Japan.
SD slot? NEVER! It wouldn't be elegant enough...
Current video iPod sadly proves that people will watch video on a very small screen... but with those nice Archos coming out this won't be the future. No money on any Ipod Nano video bets for me!
But....you wouldn't have to. It isn't compulsory that you buy each new release, and your existing iPod will be unaffected....
I know I don't have to replace my iPod with every new release (my current iPod is in fact the first and only one I've owned). But say it dropped dead tomorrow and Apple announced new video iPods with a "whopping" 16GB of flash RAM storage along with the simultaneous discontinuation of the current 5G video iPod line. I would hate for this 16GB iPod to be my only option for a new video iPod. To my mind, an upgrade should well actually be upgrade. Don't know how dropping from 30GB or 80GB all the way down to 16GB could qualify as an upgrade regardless of any other enhancements it has.