Upcoming iPods - Sep 2007 - Educated Guess
hello everyone
my first post to appleinsider
we are a small time seller of apple ipods frm india . from what we hear say , it seems apple is getting ready for a new range of ipods - ideally by Sept 2007
iPod Shuffle will stay the same just high capacity -2GB
iPod Nano will stay the same but slightly larger screen 2.2" or 2.5" , slightly different width but same brushed aluminum body . Slightly bigger is size to accomodate bigger battery
Biggest Suprise Nano will playback Video
(just as in iphone , it seems "nand" is now fast enought to handle video playback, further apple can leverage their video properties to all its models)
iPod Video 6G - Higher Capacity and better battery life , more nand memory so HDD use is minimal .... ( might be 3" screen but i doubt it , rather to reduce costs apple might come up with a very bright 2.5" screen with LED backlight on all the iPods NANO or VIDEO)
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APPLE IPOD RANGE FOR 2008 - guessing
iPod Shuffle 2GB -pricing almost similar to 1GB - US$79
iPod nano 2GB - discontinued
iPod nano 4GB - US$ 149
iPod nano 8GB - US$ 199
iPod nano 16GB - US$ 249
iPod Video 40GB - US $ 249
iPod Video 120GB - US $ 349
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It might well be that iPod discontinues the "NANO" RANGE ... calling all their range from 4GB to 120GB as the 6G ipod . entry level using NAND and Higher Capacity STILL using HDD
What Say
Kartik Mehta
my first post to appleinsider
we are a small time seller of apple ipods frm india . from what we hear say , it seems apple is getting ready for a new range of ipods - ideally by Sept 2007
iPod Shuffle will stay the same just high capacity -2GB
iPod Nano will stay the same but slightly larger screen 2.2" or 2.5" , slightly different width but same brushed aluminum body . Slightly bigger is size to accomodate bigger battery
Biggest Suprise Nano will playback Video
(just as in iphone , it seems "nand" is now fast enought to handle video playback, further apple can leverage their video properties to all its models)
iPod Video 6G - Higher Capacity and better battery life , more nand memory so HDD use is minimal .... ( might be 3" screen but i doubt it , rather to reduce costs apple might come up with a very bright 2.5" screen with LED backlight on all the iPods NANO or VIDEO)
===========
APPLE IPOD RANGE FOR 2008 - guessing
iPod Shuffle 2GB -pricing almost similar to 1GB - US$79
iPod nano 2GB - discontinued
iPod nano 4GB - US$ 149
iPod nano 8GB - US$ 199
iPod nano 16GB - US$ 249
iPod Video 40GB - US $ 249
iPod Video 120GB - US $ 349
==
It might well be that iPod discontinues the "NANO" RANGE ... calling all their range from 4GB to 120GB as the 6G ipod . entry level using NAND and Higher Capacity STILL using HDD
What Say
Kartik Mehta
Comments
All sounds feasible to me.
However, wouldn't the video displays be OLED instead (i.e. no backlight?)
iPod 6G is touch screen or we start breaking legs - agreed?
agreed!
Use a 3.5" touchscreen on the 6G iPod "or we start breaking legs."
Sept/Oct timeframe.
Let the new nano have the 2.5" display from the old 5G iPod or use OLED. Keep the aluminum look and let it be as thin as a nano. How about a shuffle that isn't a shuffle because it has a small screen?
Use a 3.5" touchscreen on the 6G iPod "or we start breaking legs."
Sept/Oct timeframe.
After a lot of thinking , I doubt they will come with a 3.5" touch screen , it will harm the iphone business more .... also of late i have seen apple being more conservative with their upgrade models... i mean from ipod mini to ipod nano 2gb gen they have not done anything radical in terms of design or usability .
Once they have made a great design - touch wheel , they might not change it . Also in business terms , what will happen to so many ipods in the stock with apple resellers and retailers
Kartik
i'm still wondering whether to replace my broken 5g hard drive or wait for new models....
Wait. Only a matter of a few weeks or a couple of months until an update, most people think.
apple might come up with a very bright 2.5" screen with LED backlight on all the iPods NANO or VIDEO
All iPods with screens already use L.E.D. backlighting. (verified in Steve's "a greener apple" open letter published a couple of months ago)
Let the new nano have the 2.5" display from the old 5G iPod or use OLED. Keep the aluminum look and let it be as thin as a nano. How about a shuffle that isn't a shuffle because it has a small screen?
Use a 3.5" touchscreen on the 6G iPod "or we start breaking legs."
Sept/Oct timeframe.
A 2.5 screen would kill the Nano. The whole point of the Nano is for it to be narrow, compact and small to be carried in the pocket. Giving it a big 2.5 screen would destroy it's purpose.
After a lot of thinking , I doubt they will come with a 3.5" touch screen , it will harm the iphone business more .... also of late i have seen apple being more conservative with their upgrade models... i mean from ipod mini to ipod nano 2gb gen they have not done anything radical in terms of design or usability .
Once they have made a great design - touch wheel , they might not change it . Also in business terms , what will happen to so many ipods in the stock with apple resellers and retailers
Kartik
Considering the iPhone and the iPod are both made be apple (who would have thunk) I don't think that Apple will hold back on screen size on an iPod just so iPhone sales thrive. The iPhone isn't making money just because of a 3.5" screen so what you're saying isn't very accurate. Also, I believe there are not radical upgrades because the iPod is such a hit, the upgrades are subtle and accommodate consumer needs but are not risky to ruin the product. I think the new iPod will be touch screen with the same scroll wheel idea (somehow) and possibly have a refined iPod interface instead of switching to the iPhones version of OS X. Nevertheless it is pretty assured that this update will be a big one - not just a HD size increase.
A 2.5 screen would kill the Nano. The whole point of the Nano is for it to be narrow, compact and small to be carried in the pocket. Giving it a big 2.5 screen would destroy it's purpose.
agreed.
iPod Shuffle
Fundamentally unchanged. Maybe a slight increase in storage or reduction in price.
iPod Nano
Similar form-factor to today's nano, possibly slightly lower price or more capacity, but the signature changes are:
1) Flashy new user-interface (that is shared with the regular iPod).
2) Ability to utilize all of the media that was previously restricted to the iPod video (videos, games, etc.). Touted as all the power and features of the iPod video, now available at nano prices. Although the viewing experience on a device this small might leave something to be desired, it would do in a pinch, and would significantly expand the potential market for iTunes video-related content and games.
iPod
The 6G version of the standard iPod. Still hard drive based with click wheel. The main mission here is to spank the dickens out of the HD-based Zune and undercut whatever they might come up with for version 2.
1) Significantly flashier new user-interface (shared with the Nano). Say what you want about the Zune, on the surface at least, its UI makes the iPod's look kind of out-dated.
2) Same size screen as current version, but iPod reduced in overall physical size. Apple thrives on making things smaller and bragging about it.
3) They'll accept a thin margin on this to keep prices as low as possible and difficult for others to compete with. When Apple talked about thinner margins this quarter due to product transitions, I think this was a key component.
4) No WiFi or other significant bells and whistles borrowed from the iPhone. This is for those who want a high-capacity music player at a knock-out price. Video will still play but be de-emphasized; video is now a focus of iPod #4 below.
iPod Touch
iPhone without the phone. New top line of iPods. High capacity and hard drive based. Includes WiFi, camera, etc., just no Edge or phone. This is an important cog in Apple's grand scheme to quickly grow Safari marketshare. Shared platform with iPhone, including upcoming software additions, widgets, features, etc. that come to iPhone. Expensive with generous margin built-in. iPods have been introduced as high as $599, and I could see this selling in that range. I don't buy the arguments that this would need to be priced below the iPhone, nor do I believe that it would "cannibalize" the iPhone. The phone contract is a HUGE differentiator; that is a clear separator in the potential audiences for these devices. (I'll take two of these, please.)
Ben
My guess (wishful thinking...) for how the iPod line will look this holiday season, based upon a mish-mash of the rumors I have seen float by.
Hello Ben. Welcome to AI
I've always liked the idea of the Touch Screen iPod (iPhone minus the phone) being an extra tier at the top of the iPod line-up rather than a replacement for the current HDD iPod. I think the line-up you suggest would be perfect.
iPod Shuffle
Fundamentally unchanged. Maybe a slight increase in storage or reduction in price.
Agreed
iPod Nano
Similar form-factor to today's nano, possibly slightly lower price or more capacity, but the signature changes are:
1) Flashy new user-interface (that is shared with the regular iPod).
2) Ability to utilize all of the media that was previously restricted to the iPod video (videos, games, etc.). Touted as all the power and features of the iPod video, now available at nano prices. Although the viewing experience on a device this small might leave something to be desired, it would do in a pinch, and would significantly expand the potential market for iTunes video-related content and games.
I can't see the Nano changing this much. More likely improved storage and battery capacity.
iPod
The 6G version of the standard iPod. Still hard drive based with click wheel. The main mission here is to spank the dickens out of the HD-based Zune and undercut whatever they might come up with for version 2.
1) Significantly flashier new user-interface (shared with the Nano). Say what you want about the Zune, on the surface at least, its UI makes the iPod's look kind of out-dated.
2) Same size screen as current version, but iPod reduced in overall physical size. Apple thrives on making things smaller and bragging about it.
3) They'll accept a thin margin on this to keep prices as low as possible and difficult for others to compete with. When Apple talked about thinner margins this quarter due to product transitions, I think this was a key component.
4) No WiFi or other significant bells and whistles borrowed from the iPhone. This is for those who want a high-capacity music player at a knock-out price. Video will still play but be de-emphasized; video is now a focus of iPod #4 below.
Possibly new UI - something close to Front Row I'd imagine. Possibly smaller, better storage and battery capacity. Possibly WiFi but more likely bluetooth.
Hopefully widescreen touch interface instead of clickwheel.
In other words, somewhere in between your suggestions for 6G iPod and iPod touch.
iPod Touch
iPhone without the phone. New top line of iPods. High capacity and hard drive based. Includes WiFi, camera, etc., just no Edge or phone. This is an important cog in Apple's grand scheme to quickly grow Safari marketshare. Shared platform with iPhone, including upcoming software additions, widgets, features, etc. that come to iPhone. Expensive with generous margin built-in. iPods have been introduced as high as $599, and I could see this selling in that range. I don't buy the arguments that this would need to be priced below the iPhone, nor do I believe that it would "cannibalize" the iPhone. The phone contract is a HUGE differentiator; that is a clear separator in the potential audiences for these devices. (I'll take two of these, please.)
Ben
they can make the 2.5" screen in portrait mode , so for movie playback you might need to turn the nano sideways.
touch screen still seems highly unlikely .... cause it will become a all together new interface ... also add to the cost .
rather i think apple will use its market position and bargaining power to squeeze NAND makers to give best possible prices , thus making all competitors MP3 Players look expensive.
many of whom i spoke too say , they would love to see a VIDEO iPOD with much less scratches .... and maybe that might be it ... some new materials to make the ipod look slightly different , little more cool ....
its not possible for the nano to have a small display and still have video playback.
Not quite. It's possible, but it is somewhat (IMHO) pointless. There are competitors out there with smaller screens that also play video.
touch screen still seems highly unlikely .... cause it will become a all together new interface ... also add to the cost .
this is VERY unrealistic, rethink what you just said. the iPod has gone through several major changes, both physical and through it's interface, cost isn't an issue as long as it's reasonable. if the iPod will go to widescreen video playback (should) wouldn't the interface have to go through somewhat of a dramatic change already? it can still stay the same recognizable iPod UI but be touchscreen.