So I look at iPhone and I have to believe that we are essentially looking at a souped up version of the next iPod. Can we expect that iPod 6G will look just like iPhone, just without the phone part?
So I look at iPhone and I have to believe that we are essentially looking at a souped up version of the next iPod. Can we expect that iPod 6G will look just like iPhone, just without the phone part?
Looks like the clickwheel is gone even in a virtual form. I like the new iPod interface.
So I look at iPhone and I have to believe that we are essentially looking at a souped up version of the next iPod. Can we expect that iPod 6G will look just like iPhone, just without the phone part?
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
I think you're right and that's possibly why there were no Mac updates at Macword either. They'll need to have several new hardware announcements between now and then.
Watching the video of iPod functionality at the Apple site makes me wonder why we all thought that a touch screen would be a reason to deploy a virtual scroll wheel.
Context sensitive control surfaces and gestural touch input make the scroll wheel completely unnecessary. It also addresses pretty much all of the complaints about navigation on the current iPods-- volume is always immediately accessible, you don't have to step through hierarchies to get to the list you want, etc.
Throw in coverflow for album browsing and widescreen for video, and it looks like just about the time the competition is figuring out how to replicate the old iPod Apple will leapfrog them again.
If they don't bring out a high end iPod with exactly the same functionality as the "iPod" part of the iPhone within a few months at around $300 I'll be very surprised. And suddenly the Zune looks like a quaint brick from ye olden days.
The amazing thing is eventually -- eventually -- all iPods with screens will be running OS X. A somewhat tweaked, slimmed version of OS X, sure, but OS X.
It does inevitable that 6G iPod will be a widescreen model running OS X (just like the iPhone), plus internet features (usable via WiFi), and minus the phone capabilities. But running OS X is surely takes more horsepower than the current iPods, so it may well be introduced first as high-end model (say, fall '07) supplementing rather than replacing the 5.5G models, in the $299-$399 range. It'll be interesting to see.
and that my friend really pisses me off..................... Its a money move from apple and I hate every part of it!
meh... what can you do? If people buy a product that they need there is very little chance of buyer's remorse. If one buys a product that is much more than they ever wanted just because it's looks cool, then they get what they deserve.
If you don't want the phone/browser part of the iPhone, just wait until the inevidable update to the iPod. Your current iPod will do you just fine until then; in fact, I would submit that your current iPod will likely do you just fine until the 7Gen iPod rolls out -- I'm still using a 1Gen Mini and 1Gen Shuffle quite happily (though I think it's about time to upgrade the battery on my Mini).
somehow, i just don't see the "iPhone OSX" running off of an iPod harddrive. it would be very unresponsive (lot's of lag) and batterylife ... oh, i don't know, you probably couldn't use the word "life" for such a short time span anymore.
Watching the video of iPod functionality at the Apple site makes me wonder why we all thought that a touch screen would be a reason to deploy a virtual scroll wheel.
Assuming the basic iPhone interface is coming soon to an iPod near you (and I do assume that) I'd still like a virtual click wheel.
The touch screen interface would make the iPod a two-handed device, and the fact that my current (3G) iPod only requires one hand is one of the things I like best about it.
Heck, if they can do the whole pinch zoom thing, it seems like they could make it figure out when you're making a circular motion with your thumb. (that's what i'd want most, not the whole click wheel interface, just scrolling with my thumb).
I am suddenly not so sure about the virtual click wheel. I think I might prefer the "flick" that seems possible on the keynote video. What I hope is that the next gen iPods are essentially iPhones without the phone. Give me the internet connectivity and the orientation sensitive screen with coverflow and I will be one happy guy. They wouldn't have to worrry about canabalizing regular iPod sales because without the Cingular subsidy, I think such an iPod would still cost around $499. I would probably pay this for an internet device/iPod without phone.
Apple could redesign the 6G iPod along the lines of the iPhone and include 1GB of flash memory for the OS. No need to rely on the HD for the OS to operate. I wonder what processor would be used. The iPhone doesn't use an Intel chip yet runs a variant of OS X.
BTW, the iPhone is almost identical in size to the 30GB iPod, just a bit taller. The weight is the same.
Good point about click wheel one-handedness. I think Apple could pretty easily write a virtual click-wheel as a software update, and add it as a view option.
Still, I could imagine acquiring the muscle memory to go one handed-- thumb reaches over to toggle list few, thumb flicks up and down, thumb selects item. We'll just have to wait and see how natural that feels. I think if someone had described the operation of a click wheel before you held one it might have sounded pretty awkward.
i think it's strange how un-appleish the new phone looks. it looks weird, like a mobile phone company taking a page out of apple's book, but not quite getting the design perfect.. is it like this to seperate it from the actual ipod?
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that . I will not be surprise if they release it around April or May because they need to maintain their domination of the mp3 player market . And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone ( or whatever the phone would be called upon it's release date ) . It's imperative for Apple to release their new iPod soon to stymie other mp3 players from catching up.
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that. And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone
I tend to agree... it will teach a new generation of iPod users how to use the iPhone before they even buy the iPhone.
Plus, it would put more OS X systems into people hands and consciousness, continuing to build the brand.
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that . I will not be surprise if they release it around April or May because they need to maintain their domination of the mp3 player market . And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone ( or whatever the phone would be called upon it's release date ) . It's imperative for Apple to release their new iPod soon to stymie other mp3 players from catching up.
That will depend a lot on how much Apple believes that the 6Gen iPod will bleed sales from their iPhone in June. If the 6Gen iPod resembles the iPhone, I don't think that they will risk the loss in sales of a new product line, simply to introduce another iPod.
Just think about it: the iPod is already selling well, and will continue to do so for the next year even if Apple doesn't update it. One look at the iPhone and you know that Apple has a potential winner up their sleeves if they introduce it as an iPod.
But what happens if they introduce an iPod that is like the iPhone, only without the smartphone features? Will everyone and their dog just snap up that device immediately because, well, they don't really need the smart phone. In this case, June rolls around, and the people who had the patience to wait for the iPhone are rewarded, but the sales for that device are lower than they could have been because half of the potential customers decided that they didn't want to wait, or decided that they actually didn't need a smart phone. Then Cingular is pissed off because their margins are lower than expected, and they become less willing to work with Apple to make 2Gen iPhone a real knock-out punch!
If you think Apple is this stupid, well... This is why I say that, unless the 6Gen iPod is nothing like the iPhone, we will not see it until iPhone has had a few months to establish itself. There have been updates to iPods in late September / early October each of the last two years. This seems like a good time to introduce the 6Gen iPod.
I am an Apple VAR and do not think them stupid at all.
But the Zune is out for better or (mostly) worse, and more importantly the genie is out of the bottle in terms of a Widescreen touch-controlled iPod experience, leveraging the current iTunes UI. Now the 5G looks anemic by comparison.
We were told by this and other rumor sites that the delay in Apple's 6G widescreen video iPod was the availability of widescreen content (movies) on iTMS. The deals SJ was hoping to negotiate ($9.99 per title, liberal DRM, all major studios) didn't work out quite as planned, and the iPhone was in the announcement horizon, so it was delayed for multiple reasons.
Speaking of anemic, 4 and 8GB is positively PUNY for serious audio and video libraries, especially movie-based ones. If SJ is going to attract more big studios to offer their movie catalogs on iTMS, there sure as well better be some players out there that can handle it.
Plus, there are lots of us with Treos and Blackberries and Razrs and the like, and Verizon and T-Mobile subscribers that are not ready to switch phones/carriers, but want the other features of the iPod aspect of the iPhone. Is Apple going to wait until the Fall or Winter to sell us something new?
Each new version of the iPod was designed to both stay ahead of the competition (raise the bar and grab more market share) and make previous gen iPod owners unhappy with what they had in order to upgrade (increase revenue from existing user base).
I dont think there will be that much overlap between a 100GB w/s viPod & an 8 GB iPhone.
Personally, I will get both if available.
Will the sales of the 80GB viPod decrease now - I was going to buy one post keynote if there wasn't a new iPod released, but after seeing the iPhone, I am going to continue to wait for the 6G version as it should be a significant improvement on the 5.5G version
That will depend a lot on how much Apple believes that the 6Gen iPod will bleed sales from their iPhone in June. If the 6Gen iPod resembles the iPhone, I don't think that they will risk the loss in sales of a new product line, simply to introduce another iPod.
Just think about it: the iPod is already selling well, and will continue to do so for the next year even if Apple doesn't update it. One look at the iPhone and you know that Apple has a potential winner up their sleeves if they introduce it as an iPod.
But what happens if they introduce an iPod that is like the iPhone, only without the smartphone features? Will everyone and their dog just snap up that device immediately because, well, they don't really need the smart phone. In this case, June rolls around, and the people who had the patience to wait for the iPhone are rewarded, but the sales for that device are lower than they could have been because half of the potential customers decided that they didn't want to wait, or decided that they actually didn't need a smart phone. Then Cingular is pissed off because their margins are lower than expected, and they become less willing to work with Apple to make 2Gen iPhone a real knock-out punch!
If you think Apple is this stupid, well... This is why I say that, unless the 6Gen iPod is nothing like the iPhone, we will not see it until iPhone has had a few months to establish itself. There have been updates to iPods in late September / early October each of the last two years. This seems like a good time to introduce the 6Gen iPod.
If Microsoft is not in the picture , then you may have a point . But Microsoft won't wait for Apple to release it's 6th gen iPod nor would any other iPod competitor . Apple will make more money in releasing it's 6th generation iPod because there are multitudes of iPod users and customers who wanted only a music/movie player and are loathe to give up their cell phones and cellular services just because the iPhone is available and awesome to use. The iPhone will sell , but Apple is foolish if it follows your suggestion in regards to waiting for the end of summer ,early fall to release it's new iPod, the opportunity for Apple to really own the mp3 player industry is now , waiting for iPhones to sell gives it's competitors especially Microsoft to gain a significant foothold on the industry. Let iPhone succeed on it's own merits on the Smart cellphone market , but let the iPod win it all now on it's own market.
Comments
So I look at iPhone and I have to believe that we are essentially looking at a souped up version of the next iPod. Can we expect that iPod 6G will look just like iPhone, just without the phone part?
Looks like the clickwheel is gone even in a virtual form. I like the new iPod interface.
So I look at iPhone and I have to believe that we are essentially looking at a souped up version of the next iPod. Can we expect that iPod 6G will look just like iPhone, just without the phone part?
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
and that my friend really pisses me off..................... Its a money move from apple and I hate every part of it!
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
I think you're right and that's possibly why there were no Mac updates at Macword either. They'll need to have several new hardware announcements between now and then.
Context sensitive control surfaces and gestural touch input make the scroll wheel completely unnecessary. It also addresses pretty much all of the complaints about navigation on the current iPods-- volume is always immediately accessible, you don't have to step through hierarchies to get to the list you want, etc.
Throw in coverflow for album browsing and widescreen for video, and it looks like just about the time the competition is figuring out how to replicate the old iPod Apple will leapfrog them again.
If they don't bring out a high end iPod with exactly the same functionality as the "iPod" part of the iPhone within a few months at around $300 I'll be very surprised. And suddenly the Zune looks like a quaint brick from ye olden days.
It does inevitable that 6G iPod will be a widescreen model running OS X (just like the iPhone), plus internet features (usable via WiFi), and minus the phone capabilities. But running OS X is surely takes more horsepower than the current iPods, so it may well be introduced first as high-end model (say, fall '07) supplementing rather than replacing the 5.5G models, in the $299-$399 range. It'll be interesting to see.
and that my friend really pisses me off..................... Its a money move from apple and I hate every part of it!
meh... what can you do? If people buy a product that they need there is very little chance of buyer's remorse. If one buys a product that is much more than they ever wanted just because it's looks cool, then they get what they deserve.
If you don't want the phone/browser part of the iPhone, just wait until the inevidable update to the iPod. Your current iPod will do you just fine until then; in fact, I would submit that your current iPod will likely do you just fine until the 7Gen iPod rolls out -- I'm still using a 1Gen Mini and 1Gen Shuffle quite happily (though I think it's about time to upgrade the battery on my Mini).
Watching the video of iPod functionality at the Apple site makes me wonder why we all thought that a touch screen would be a reason to deploy a virtual scroll wheel.
Assuming the basic iPhone interface is coming soon to an iPod near you (and I do assume that) I'd still like a virtual click wheel.
The touch screen interface would make the iPod a two-handed device, and the fact that my current (3G) iPod only requires one hand is one of the things I like best about it.
Heck, if they can do the whole pinch zoom thing, it seems like they could make it figure out when you're making a circular motion with your thumb. (that's what i'd want most, not the whole click wheel interface, just scrolling with my thumb).
BTW, the iPhone is almost identical in size to the 30GB iPod, just a bit taller. The weight is the same.
Still, I could imagine acquiring the muscle memory to go one handed-- thumb reaches over to toggle list few, thumb flicks up and down, thumb selects item. We'll just have to wait and see how natural that feels. I think if someone had described the operation of a click wheel before you held one it might have sounded pretty awkward.
I would guess yes, but that we won't see the new iPod until the fall (to give people a chance to buy the iPhone first).
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that . I will not be surprise if they release it around April or May because they need to maintain their domination of the mp3 player market . And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone ( or whatever the phone would be called upon it's release date ) . It's imperative for Apple to release their new iPod soon to stymie other mp3 players from catching up.
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that. And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone
I tend to agree... it will teach a new generation of iPod users how to use the iPhone before they even buy the iPhone.
Plus, it would put more OS X systems into people hands and consciousness, continuing to build the brand.
My guess would be that Apple would release it's 6th generation iPod sooner than that . I will not be surprise if they release it around April or May because they need to maintain their domination of the mp3 player market . And besides, it's the best marketing tool they will ever have in getting gadget lovers people to buy an iPhone ( or whatever the phone would be called upon it's release date ) . It's imperative for Apple to release their new iPod soon to stymie other mp3 players from catching up.
That will depend a lot on how much Apple believes that the 6Gen iPod will bleed sales from their iPhone in June. If the 6Gen iPod resembles the iPhone, I don't think that they will risk the loss in sales of a new product line, simply to introduce another iPod.
Just think about it: the iPod is already selling well, and will continue to do so for the next year even if Apple doesn't update it. One look at the iPhone and you know that Apple has a potential winner up their sleeves if they introduce it as an iPod.
But what happens if they introduce an iPod that is like the iPhone, only without the smartphone features? Will everyone and their dog just snap up that device immediately because, well, they don't really need the smart phone. In this case, June rolls around, and the people who had the patience to wait for the iPhone are rewarded, but the sales for that device are lower than they could have been because half of the potential customers decided that they didn't want to wait, or decided that they actually didn't need a smart phone. Then Cingular is pissed off because their margins are lower than expected, and they become less willing to work with Apple to make 2Gen iPhone a real knock-out punch!
If you think Apple is this stupid, well... This is why I say that, unless the 6Gen iPod is nothing like the iPhone, we will not see it until iPhone has had a few months to establish itself. There have been updates to iPods in late September / early October each of the last two years. This seems like a good time to introduce the 6Gen iPod.
If you think Apple is this stupid, well....
I am an Apple VAR and do not think them stupid at all.
But the Zune is out for better or (mostly) worse, and more importantly the genie is out of the bottle in terms of a Widescreen touch-controlled iPod experience, leveraging the current iTunes UI. Now the 5G looks anemic by comparison.
We were told by this and other rumor sites that the delay in Apple's 6G widescreen video iPod was the availability of widescreen content (movies) on iTMS. The deals SJ was hoping to negotiate ($9.99 per title, liberal DRM, all major studios) didn't work out quite as planned, and the iPhone was in the announcement horizon, so it was delayed for multiple reasons.
Speaking of anemic, 4 and 8GB is positively PUNY for serious audio and video libraries, especially movie-based ones. If SJ is going to attract more big studios to offer their movie catalogs on iTMS, there sure as well better be some players out there that can handle it.
Plus, there are lots of us with Treos and Blackberries and Razrs and the like, and Verizon and T-Mobile subscribers that are not ready to switch phones/carriers, but want the other features of the iPod aspect of the iPhone. Is Apple going to wait until the Fall or Winter to sell us something new?
Each new version of the iPod was designed to both stay ahead of the competition (raise the bar and grab more market share) and make previous gen iPod owners unhappy with what they had in order to upgrade (increase revenue from existing user base).
Time will tell.
-g
I dont think there will be that much overlap between a 100GB w/s viPod & an 8 GB iPhone.
Personally, I will get both if available.
Will the sales of the 80GB viPod decrease now - I was going to buy one post keynote if there wasn't a new iPod released, but after seeing the iPhone, I am going to continue to wait for the 6G version as it should be a significant improvement on the 5.5G version
That will depend a lot on how much Apple believes that the 6Gen iPod will bleed sales from their iPhone in June. If the 6Gen iPod resembles the iPhone, I don't think that they will risk the loss in sales of a new product line, simply to introduce another iPod.
Just think about it: the iPod is already selling well, and will continue to do so for the next year even if Apple doesn't update it. One look at the iPhone and you know that Apple has a potential winner up their sleeves if they introduce it as an iPod.
But what happens if they introduce an iPod that is like the iPhone, only without the smartphone features? Will everyone and their dog just snap up that device immediately because, well, they don't really need the smart phone. In this case, June rolls around, and the people who had the patience to wait for the iPhone are rewarded, but the sales for that device are lower than they could have been because half of the potential customers decided that they didn't want to wait, or decided that they actually didn't need a smart phone. Then Cingular is pissed off because their margins are lower than expected, and they become less willing to work with Apple to make 2Gen iPhone a real knock-out punch!
If you think Apple is this stupid, well... This is why I say that, unless the 6Gen iPod is nothing like the iPhone, we will not see it until iPhone has had a few months to establish itself. There have been updates to iPods in late September / early October each of the last two years. This seems like a good time to introduce the 6Gen iPod.
If Microsoft is not in the picture , then you may have a point . But Microsoft won't wait for Apple to release it's 6th gen iPod nor would any other iPod competitor . Apple will make more money in releasing it's 6th generation iPod because there are multitudes of iPod users and customers who wanted only a music/movie player and are loathe to give up their cell phones and cellular services just because the iPhone is available and awesome to use. The iPhone will sell , but Apple is foolish if it follows your suggestion in regards to waiting for the end of summer ,early fall to release it's new iPod, the opportunity for Apple to really own the mp3 player industry is now , waiting for iPhones to sell gives it's competitors especially Microsoft to gain a significant foothold on the industry. Let iPhone succeed on it's own merits on the Smart cellphone market , but let the iPod win it all now on it's own market.