Thoughts on the New iPods
I've been thinking about the iPod announcements today. Here are my thoughts
1) New iPod Nano: Don't like it. It just looks fat and unappealing to me. I really hoped Apple would truncate the iPod lineup into models with clickwheels and small screens for audio use and touch screen models for audio and video capabilities. Oh well, I think this is where Apple is heading, they just taking their time getting there.
2) iPhone price cut: I think this is a sign of weaker than anticipated sales. By my calculations (300,00 per month) Apple won't make their sales goal of 10 million by the end of 08. It could also be a move by Apple to get rid of this model so that new ones can be released later.
But I don't think so.
3) Because of item #2, Apple really need to begin sales of iPhones in other countries.
3) iPod touchscreen: Looks like the real star of the show to me. Very nice. I think it will sell well.
What do others think? Besides the whining over how unfair it is to previous iPhone buyers for Apple to cut the iPhone price so aggressively. That's been beat to death.
1) New iPod Nano: Don't like it. It just looks fat and unappealing to me. I really hoped Apple would truncate the iPod lineup into models with clickwheels and small screens for audio use and touch screen models for audio and video capabilities. Oh well, I think this is where Apple is heading, they just taking their time getting there.
2) iPhone price cut: I think this is a sign of weaker than anticipated sales. By my calculations (300,00 per month) Apple won't make their sales goal of 10 million by the end of 08. It could also be a move by Apple to get rid of this model so that new ones can be released later.
But I don't think so.3) Because of item #2, Apple really need to begin sales of iPhones in other countries.
3) iPod touchscreen: Looks like the real star of the show to me. Very nice. I think it will sell well.
What do others think? Besides the whining over how unfair it is to previous iPhone buyers for Apple to cut the iPhone price so aggressively. That's been beat to death.
Comments
I'm guessing some sort of contract agreement with AT&T or they are trying to force people like me to buy an iPhone and get an AT&T contract I don't want.
I'm wondering why Apple left the email client off of the iPod Touch. The software is there on the iPhone .... why not install it.
I'm guessing some sort of contract agreement with AT&T or they are trying to force people like me to buy an iPhone and get an AT&T contract I don't want.
Hadn't considered that but an excellent point.
iPhone price slash: I think Apple simply priced the iPhone very pessimistically at first. They weren't sure how well it would take. And if the margins are as good iSuppli said, Apple has a bit of room to breathe. I could be wrong, but I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt when Jobs says they're on track to 1M iPhones by October.
iPod touch: I'm not so sure it'll sell well in areas where the iPhone is on sale.
As for the lack of a mail app, it's easy: the iPod is an entertainment device. E-mail and the app consume space that could be used for music, distract from the focus, and (of course) would cannibalize iPhone sales. I'm not bugged by the loss.
disapointed in how bulky the classic looks...
16gb touch for me
looking forward to hacks to make the touch run third party apps!
disapointed in how bulky the classic looks...
16gb touch for me
I'm curious why you think the Classic looks "bulky", since it's actually thinner than the model it replaces. Is it that you associate the rounded edges with mass?
New nano: I love it. I'd get one if I didn't already have a 30GB iPod video and an iPod shuffle.
iPhone price slash: I think Apple simply priced the iPhone very pessimistically at first. They weren't sure how well it would take. And if the margins are as good iSuppli said, Apple has a bit of room to breathe. I could be wrong, but I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt when Jobs says they're on track to 1M iPhones by October.
iPod touch: I'm not so sure it'll sell well in areas where the iPhone is on sale.
As for the lack of a mail app, it's easy: the iPod is an entertainment device. E-mail and the app consume space that could be used for music, distract from the focus, and (of course) would cannibalize iPhone sales. I'm not bugged by the loss.
Safari supports web-based email, btw.
It's interesting because my first impressions of the iPods (the mugshots on Apple's website) were that they were bulky. But after I saw more and more angles, I started to like the design more and more.
Safari supports web-based email, btw.
Not well. Better hope you don't need Java for that.
Not well. Better hope you don't need Java for that.
Why worry about Java when doing web-based email?
The Nano looks cool.
The Touch looks good, but will likely get better in the future. Steve didn't talk much at all about it's internet capabilities. I wonder why.....
New nano: I love it. I'd get one if I didn't already have a 30GB iPod video and an iPod shuffle.
iPhone price slash: I think Apple simply priced the iPhone very pessimistically at first. They weren't sure how well it would take. And if the margins are as good iSuppli said, Apple has a bit of room to breathe. I could be wrong, but I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt when Jobs says they're on track to 1M iPhones by October.
iPod touch: I'm not so sure it'll sell well in areas where the iPhone is on sale.
As for the lack of a mail app, it's easy: the iPod is an entertainment device. E-mail and the app consume space that could be used for music, distract from the focus, and (of course) would cannibalize iPhone sales. I'm not bugged by the loss.
You can still use Yahoo, Gmail, etc. for mail, right? What is the problem? Just automatically forward to your secondary account while you're out and about.
Steve didn't talk much at all about it's internet capabilities. I wonder why.....
probably because it only has wifi so it can only connect from wifi hot spots.
and where is my 3g iphone
You can still use Yahoo, Gmail, etc. for mail, right? What is the problem? Just automatically forward to your secondary account while you're out and about.
Interface isn't optimized for that sized screen.
iPod nano: A slick little device. I actually kind of want one (even though I've got a 60GB 5G) because it seems so pocketable. I think people are going to LOVE this thing and that they'll sell like hotcakes this Christmas.
iPod classic: 160GB HD? Damn. It's almost now the "prosumer" iPod, with more than what the average consumer will want and a lot of what pros want for small business. Goodbye, white iPod.
iPod touch: I want one to merge my PDA and iPod into one device that I carry everywhere. I think it was a BIG mistake to release this internationally now. It'll sell well and cannibalize iPhone sales when it's finally released outside of the U.S. People want a lot of the iPhone features NOW. After someone who already is happy with their mobile phone buys one of these, why would they possibly want to buy an iPhone? For e-mail, and text messaging? Not likely. Apple should have at least waited to sell this internationally on the same date the iPhone is released.
iPhone: Nice price cut and it'll help sales a lot now that iPod touch is out. You just know a 16GB model is coming for $499 no later than MWSF in January.
My take from here in Japan is the Touch will sell like hot cakes. I'll buy one soon. In 2008, iPhone will debut and my Touch will go to my kid or ebay -- and the cycle will continue. Apple has a shrewd strategy to ween folks away from their old cellphones... to old cellphone + iPodTouch, finally to take the small jump to iPhone. They're gonna get me that way. Plus I'll buy a new Mac after Leopard to boot (pun). Man, I'm hooked.
iPod touch: I want one to merge my PDA and iPod into one device that I carry everywhere. I think it was a BIG mistake to release this internationally now. It'll sell well and cannibalize iPhone sales when it's finally released outside of the U.S. People want a lot of the iPhone features NOW. After someone who already is happy with their mobile phone buys one of these, why would they possibly want to buy an iPhone? For e-mail, and text messaging? Not likely. Apple should have at least waited to sell this internationally on the same date the iPhone is released.
iPhone: Nice price cut and it'll help sales a lot now that iPod touch is out. You just know a 16GB model is coming for $499 no later than MWSF in January.
I think this means the 16GB model will be the 3G model, at $599, for Europe this fall, for NA this spring, and for Japan in the summer[1]. Given the iPod Touch most of the iPhone's appeal in Europe is gone. Either way there's little WiFi (and little/slow EDGE) so only a 3G iPhone really means much.
At least, I really hope they go all-out (as they seem to be doing with the large price cut, and the iPod Touch) and that means 3G for Europe this fall. More likely is that both NA and Europe get the 3G iPhone in the spring, with Japan (& South Korea) following a few months later given the required hardware/software features of the market.
[1] I assume they'll split the line, given the problems of fitting a tri-band UMTS radio into the thing (NA: 850/1900. Europe/Japan/World: 2100), and the special features the Japanese version requires.
My take from here in Japan is the Touch will sell like hot cakes. I'll buy one soon.
Really? I would have thought given the reducing levels of standalone MP3 players in favour of musicphones that the 3G iPhone (+the various Japan/SK only features) would be the big sales driver.
Or do you think the Touch, given a word processor, would be the awesome little commuting device in place of the small laptops?
Either way it strikes me, most especially in Japan, as a very interim step as the iPhone rolls out.
Or do you think the Touch, given a word processor, would be the awesome little commuting device in place of the small laptops?
Either way it strikes me, most especially in Japan, as a very interim step as the iPhone rolls out.[/QUOTE]
I think the Touch will sell well here, but a 3G iPhone will eventually do much better. BUT, someone better sell the Japanese a little doohickey for their Touches and iPhones so they can watch TV -- that's the killer app. Every third person on the train is watching TV on a cellphone. (Every second person is leaning over and watching too -- rather accepted etiquette here.)
I think the Touch will sell well here, but a 3G iPhone will eventually do much better. BUT, someone better sell the Japanese a little doohickey for their Touches and iPhones so they can watch TV -- that's the killer app. Every third person on the train is watching TV on a cellphone. (Every second person is leaning over and watching too -- rather accepted etiquette here.)
Yeah. I consider one-seg and e-cash the two required hardware items for the Japanese iPhone, with GPS a strong maybe.
Nano - Receive mine tonight or tomorrow. Great looking little device. Can't wait to sit on the train next week watching video.
Classic - wow. Might get a couple for work to serve as back up drives. They can easily be tossed into a desk drawer for secure keeping.
Touch - ordered one already. Drop dead great looking device. Would love to have more functionality in a future model, but looks great for now. Japan needs TV in the device, that is true. Have trains got WiFi yet?
iPhone - when, when, when will it come to Japan!!!
Price drop, yeah. Whining... booo!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070907/...vlMzCAsmys0NUE