Apple slashes iPod shuffle price, introduces 2GB model
Apple on Tuesday slashed the price of its 1GB clip-on iPod shuffle music player from $79 to $49 and introduced a new 2GB model for just $69.
The diminutive device is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce, features an aluminum design with a built-in clip and comes in five colors-silver, blue, green, purple and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition.
"At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle."
Apple's refresh of the shuffle comes amid analyst reports which place a large part of the blame for recent iPod demand softness on the aging shuffle line, which hadn't received a material update in nearly 18 months.
"While virtually 100 percent of the unit shortfall was in the low-end iPod Shuffle, allowing Apple to beat consensus iPod revenue despite the unit shortfall," Citigroup analyst Rich Gardner recently wrote in a research report covering Apple's fiscal first quarter results. "We believe the unit shortfall reflected the lack of a compelling update to the Shuffle product last Fall; the Shuffle simply was not the compelling 'stocking stuffer' this year that it was last year."
Pricing & Availability
The new 1GB iPod shuffle is available immediately for a suggested retail price of $49 through the Apple Store Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 2GB iPod shuffle will be available later this month for a suggested retail price of $69 through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod shuffle requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later and iTunes 7.4; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.4 or later.
The diminutive device is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce, features an aluminum design with a built-in clip and comes in five colors-silver, blue, green, purple and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition.
"At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle."
Apple's refresh of the shuffle comes amid analyst reports which place a large part of the blame for recent iPod demand softness on the aging shuffle line, which hadn't received a material update in nearly 18 months.
"While virtually 100 percent of the unit shortfall was in the low-end iPod Shuffle, allowing Apple to beat consensus iPod revenue despite the unit shortfall," Citigroup analyst Rich Gardner recently wrote in a research report covering Apple's fiscal first quarter results. "We believe the unit shortfall reflected the lack of a compelling update to the Shuffle product last Fall; the Shuffle simply was not the compelling 'stocking stuffer' this year that it was last year."
Pricing & Availability
The new 1GB iPod shuffle is available immediately for a suggested retail price of $49 through the Apple Store Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 2GB iPod shuffle will be available later this month for a suggested retail price of $69 through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod shuffle requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later and iTunes 7.4; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.4 or later.
Comments
Or 49 bucks?
This is gonna kill that average iPod price, but it's great!
Does this mean that Apple is going to consider dropping prices on other ipods?
Are we seeing the beginning of another wave of price slashes? Lower margins, maybe but I think it would be a nice response to the crapped-out economy.
I guess there is a better chance of that at a media event than a Tuesday morning update with a press release!
Ah well... Was interested to see whether they update the case with the new trackpads.
I guess there is a better chance of that at a media event than a Tuesday morning update with a press release!
Ouch, my hand would have a hard time with such a tiny trackpad.
I'm sure Apple is having a difficult time in designing a 3G shuffle. How much smaller can they get and still have it be functional? A small screen showing the album name, artist, track name, and duration would be a good addition. Heck, there are media players that play movies that are as small as the shuffle.
I'd bet the lowering of the price and the slight improvement (more memory) indicate we'll see a major update to the line at year's end.
Ouch, my hand would have a hard time with such a tiny trackpad.
If you look at the title of his post, I believe he was talking about the MBP trackpad.
I want to wait and see what the 2GB model looks like
Same form-factor, just more storage.
Just picked up a refurbished 8GB iPhone at the online store for $349. Haven't seen these available for a long time.
yep after long time they are available ... enjoy it
Two gigs on a clip.
Or 49 bucks?
This is gonna kill that average iPod price, but it's great!
It will also increase the unit sales.
The 1GB 2nd generation iPod Shuffle was released September 12, 2006, for $79. It has remained that price for 525 days with only some color additions. That is much longer than any other product in Apple's (post-mid-90's) product line.
Personally, I love my Shuffle and have no need to upgrade to a 2GB version. It's much better than my Nano for the gym.
I'm going to pick up a 1GB model for the gym as well. I don't need a 2GB shuffle because quite honestly once you get too large not having playlists sucks.
Sweet!
I'm going to pick up a 1GB model for the gym as well. I don't need a 2GB shuffle because quite honestly once you get too large not having playlists sucks.
240 songs (assuming you use 128kbps) is 14 hours of music at 3.5 minutes per song. Double the bitrate to 256kbps and you have 7 hours of audio. Even I were running the boston the marathon with cinder blocks dragging behind me a 1GB Shuffle would be plenty. Even using Apple Lossless that is over 1.5 hours of audio.
Unless we get Bluetooth capable sunglasses with integrated, in-lens displays, higher capacities in this device is going to become a hard sell.
Hot Diggity! I've been waiting a long time for this.
Does this mean that Apple is going to consider dropping prices on other ipods?
Are we seeing the beginning of another wave of price slashes? Lower margins, maybe but I think it would be a nice response to the crapped-out economy.
I don't know that it is really lower margins. Cost of chips has been steadily dropping, but apple hasn't lowered prices or bumped capacity for a long time. This probably just brings a margin way bigger than most apple product more into line with their average.
Still £49 on the UK apple store, no surprise there then
Macworld.co.uk is saying £32 and £45. Might want to wait to get all the facts before whining next time.
I don't know that it is really lower margins. Cost of chips has been steadily dropping, but apple hasn't lowered prices or bumped capacity for a long time. This probably just brings a margin way bigger than most apple product more into line with their average.
It's certainly a lower margin that yesterday, but you have a point, it may still be a higher margin than when the $79 2G 1GB Shuffle first appeared in Fall 2006. Especially since the only case change has been to its colour.
I don't know that it is really lower margins. Cost of chips has been steadily dropping, but apple hasn't lowered prices or bumped capacity for a long time. This probably just brings a margin way bigger than most apple product more into line with their average.
Macworld.co.uk is saying £32 and £45. Might want to wait to get all the facts before whining next time.
The facts are what it says on the Apple Store, not what a fan site says . The UK store was down as well but back up with the same £49. I've just spoken to a rep there and they have said they have no information on a price-drop... again...
I'm still waiting for ANY price drop on the Apple TV... you got the reduction & the Take-2 upgrade across the pond but we're still looking at the same £199 for the unit as we were last year.
Says a lot about the reps when they couldn't even tell me if the UK units have the new Take-2 software... anyone happen to know?