Apple to announce 4G iPod with color display, report confirms

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple Computer is set to finally unveil its rumored high-end photo-savvy iPod.



Apple news and rumor site ThinkSecret claims that Apple Computer will introduce an iPod with photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, further corroborating an AppleInsider report published earlier this year.



According to the rumor site, the player will now sport a 60GB drive rather than the previously rumored 50GB. Other details remain the same including a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, audio/video-out capabilities, and a suggested retail price of $499.



The web site adds that the player will also feature synchronization with Apple's iPhoto application.



Word of the color LCD equipped 4th generation (4G) iPod first broke in March, but when Apple Computer introduced its 4G iPods in August, the purported model was curiously missing from its offerings.



No precise introduction date was reported.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 104
    nebagakidnebagakid Posts: 2,692member
    it is interesting, as this will becoming really popular, whereas the features are already out, but not in iPod form



    this will be amazoing. The ability to just hit a slideshow anywhere... be great
  • Reply 2 of 104
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Congrats to AI on getting this scoop in March. I hope it's true (and not TOO bulky) because I want one!



    Think of what people already do all the time: show photos to friends on a camera's own tiny, low-quality LCD. I use my 1.6" LCD all the time for that.



    Now the iPod adds:



    * Easy navigation of tons of photos



    * More photos than your camera alone can show



    * Slideshows with music! Including NON-photo presentations like screens from Keynote!



    * Output to TV. (Some cameras have that, some don't--it's great!)



    * Easy synching (at least for Mac... PC users can drag photos in if nothing else)



    And album art display wouldn't hurt either. Hook your iPod to your stereo AND your TV
  • Reply 3 of 104
    gsxrboygsxrboy Posts: 565member
    Man no point in posting threads first if AI doesnt look to see if they have already been done !
  • Reply 4 of 104
    eric_zeric_z Posts: 175member
    I hope that it'll have video playback capabilleties.



    It would be really nice no to have to bring along 15-20 DVD/CDs every time it's my turn to bring along movies for the movienights with my friends. Instead (if I could afford one) I'd just rip my DVDs and download the movies that I or my friends would want to see onto the iPod and bring that along. Then it just a question of connecting it to the TV, perhaps showing some quick previews on the LCD beforehand and off we go.
  • Reply 5 of 104
    If they've had the sense to let you download images directly from a digital camera it'll be worhtwhile. Of course, ideally that would mean a USB and/or firewire port right on the device. Don't see that happening.
  • Reply 6 of 104
    Does this mean iPhoto for windoze?
  • Reply 7 of 104
    darkestbeforedawn has the best question of all the posts I've seen on any site about this.



    I honestly believe that iPhoto for windows will be part of the announcement ... for these simple reasons:



    1. Apple stresses that the iPod is for Mac and PC.



    2. Apple is not going to split the line of iPods. This is still and iPod. Perhaps the slogan will go something like ... the best just got better.



    3. Adobe just released/announced Photoshop Elements 3. They themselves call it the perfection companion to iPhoto. But elements is much more popular on the PC side because it includes Photoshop Album, which is the WIndows version of iPhoto for all practical purposes.



    4. You just can't tell me that this will be a Mac only product. Even if there is no iPhoto for Windows announcement, one has to assume it's coming.



    I"m a 100 percent Mac person, but Apple's foray into digital picture on both platforms is a win-win in every way.



    All that's missing is my post from a year ago. Where is the Apple picture frame. This is the start of it.



    UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: (many, but here's a few)



    1. Is there a chance this will be wireless? Wifi via Airport Express type of deal?



    2. Some way to get the memory card to read into the iPod. As a photographer who carries around 3 1GB cards, this is a dream.
  • Reply 8 of 104
    walexxwalexx Posts: 17member
    If you are going to have iphoto support in the new iPod, then I think a natural progression after that would be iMovie support too.



    Wouldnt it be cool to have your iMovies on your iPod too, but not so much to view them on your iPod, but to connect your ipod up to a Tv and use the ipod as a portable playback unit. The screen can be used like the small lcd screen is used on a vid camera, purely for reference, but for proper viewing it will just play directly on your tv, now to me that would be cool and better justify the entire product.



    However photos for a start is great. I travel alot and I know it would be cool to have my photos on my ipod so that when I am missing my loved ones I can look at their pics aswell as listen to my fave music at the same time.
  • Reply 9 of 104
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Re Windows iPhoto: maybe, but not necessarily. PC users already must manually drag-and-drop for some non-music features like Address Book. It's not as nice as on Mac but they can still use the feature. So this could work the same way--with third parties stepping in to streamline the process.



    Re wireless: I doubt it. The iPod already IS wireless in that it doesn't need to communicate with other devices during its primary operation. And you don't need to synch your music constantly anyway. And the dock makes connection easy when the time comes--you have to charge anyway after all. And Firewire is faster than wireless. (Yes there ARE uses for wireless, but not of widespread core usefulness to justify the cost.)



    Re video: The iPod doesn't have the processing power to decode real quality video. (These new Windows gizmos don't either: blown up to TV size, the movies look terrible.) I doubt Apple will include any video ability if it can't be used well.



    Re all of those things one day... very likely. But not this time around I don't think. The time has not come.
  • Reply 10 of 104
    Quote:

    Originally posted by legaleagle

    3. Adobe just released/announced Photoshop Elements 3. They themselves call it the perfection companion to iPhoto. But elements is much more popular on the PC side because it includes Photoshop Album, which is the WIndows version of iPhoto for all practical purposes.







    Maybe Apple could let Adobe make Photoshop Album update Windowz iPods and therefore keep the good software for us, and also help heal the rift between Apple and Adobe?
  • Reply 11 of 104
    rolandgrolandg Posts: 632member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nagromme



    Re video: The iPod doesn't have the processing power to decode real quality video. (These new Windows gizmos don't either: blown up to TV size, the movies look terrible.) I doubt Apple will include any video ability if it can't be used well.



    Are you sure about that? PDA-CPUs these days offer a pretty good performance. And the resolution of DVD quality video is not that high.



    But unless Apple does open an iTMS equivalent for video, I do not think we will be seeing video capabilities: by most countries' copyright laws circumventing a method of copy protection is illegal - in some EU countries it even is a criminal act.



    Further more, I don't think that today's (iPod sized)batteries are capable of handling long movies yet.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mickster



    If they've had the sense to let you download images directly from a digital camera it'll be worhtwhile. Of course, ideally that would mean a USB and/or firewire port right on the device. Don't see that happening.



    That would be a very cool feature. They basically already have a FW/USB-port on the iPod - the dock connector - they just need to add the additional controller hardware.



    And since the small USB-plugs that go into cameras follow a standard, Apple could develop a simple cable/adapter.
  • Reply 12 of 104
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    First, let's get serious here. No offense to AI and its staff, but unless you can guarantee that ThinkSecret's sources are completely separate from yours, one rumor site really can't 'confirm' another rumor site's postings. For all we know, the information is coming from the same flawed CIA report (you know, "Hey, there's WMD in iraq. And, over in the US, Apple is about to release a color iPod with A/V out".



    As to the 'wishes' (read, 'dreams') of the other posters, I think a few things can be shot down quickly.



    1) Its not going to have wireless capabilities. Wireless is power expensive. Adding the capabilities to the iPod would mean you either lose ALL your battery life quickly, or you need a bigger and better battery. And, then, what would it get you in terms of REAL benefit (not just a 'cool' factor)? Very little you couldn't do over just connecting a cable.



    2) There isn't going to be an iPhoto for Windows. Reasons:

    a) when it was released, it was touted as an example of what could be done quickly with Cocoa. Its a true cocoa app. To get it to work on windows, they'd have a real porting job on their hands (whether it be re-writing iPhoto or updating the Yellow Box).



    b) Who on the PC side is going to buy iPhoto for windows? There's already a slew of cheaper/better alternatives on the Windows side (you may not think they're better, but most do a lot more with photos than iPhoto, with just as good a job, if not better, of organizing them - many people still don't like iPhoto's organization). And they can't give it away for free. Because if they did, you'll have a Mac riot on your hands for all those people who paid good money for iLife to get iPhoto.



    My advice is to just take the report as it is and stop trying to come up with how its going to be this, that, and the other thing, as you're just going to get disappointed in the end (sorry, but when everyone starts talking about how an iPod with wifi would be cool, and playing movies in the backyard while listening to some itunes, and then you find out it only does photos, and its not wireless, everyone just goes "Geesh, that's all, no one will buy that!")
  • Reply 13 of 104
    nebagakidnebagakid Posts: 2,692member
    well, the A/V out will be the same as the headphone jack, like it is on so many appliances already.



    If it had bluetooth, that would be awesome... but think about having to carry around the A/V cords with you, that is a hassle.
  • Reply 14 of 104
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    So... will you be able to plug in your camera phone, upload the pictures to iPhoto in iPod then synchronize that with your local Mac's or PC's iPhoto library? I think viewing pictures (and/or movies) on a small iPod screen isn't that compelling, but having these devices all speak to one another is much more compelling instead.



    I could see Apple making this iPhoto compatibility Mac-only at first and either broker some deal with Adobe to hook into Photo Album or someone else for PCs in the meantime. Remember Apple partnered with MusicMatch for a while when they started making iPods for Windows, and introduced iTunes much, much later.
  • Reply 15 of 104
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    this new ipod sounds cool, but if you have a laptop then its kinda pointless. also, some digital cameras (like Sony Cybershots, have a video out port/cable and a slideshow mode. So i hope it works well for apple, but there are countless "other options" out there.
  • Reply 16 of 104
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Louzer

    2) There isn't going to be an iPhoto for Windows. Reasons:

    a) when it was released, it was touted as an example of what could be done quickly with Cocoa. Its a true cocoa app. To get it to work on windows, they'd have a real porting job on their hands (whether it be re-writing iPhoto or updating the Yellow Box).




    Well, you could argue that the most important aspect of iPhoto is its dependence on Quicktime. iPhoto is a Cocoa app, but it has a lot of custom classes and elements too, so I'm not sure if it's UI is so dependent on Cocoa since it's not using standard libraries and IB elements, though obviously it's structured the same way.



    Quote:

    b) Who on the PC side is going to buy iPhoto for windows?



    Who said anything about buying iPhoto? iTunes is a free download in itself, and iPhoto, if it is coming out for the PC, would come on this new iPod's software CD anyway.



    Now, the question that brings up is, what's the profit for Apple -- the Photo printing and book services?



    Quote:

    My advice is to just take the report as it is and stop trying to come up with how its going to be this, that, and the other thing, as you're just going to get disappointed in the end...



    Well, it's fun to speculate, but there are definitely people who invest too much emotionally in this speculation.
  • Reply 17 of 104
    boemaneboemane Posts: 311member
    Heres my thoughs on the question.



    The OS the iPod uses has been updated to include stuff like PixtBridge. An updated color-screen iPod might have the following:



    1. Import pictures straight from camera to iPod (USB)

    2. Print directly from iPod to Canon, Epson and HP printers (USB)

    3. Include Video out to be able to show pictures on TV, etc

    4. Integrate with Keynote so that you can now keep your presentations on your iPod to connect to a projector, etc

    5. Port Keynote to Windows, or at least include a .ppt -> Keynote converter app

    6. Include iPod to iPod image copying of single images and albums

    7. On-The-Go album creating for slideshows

    8. Display album cover art in the background while playing tunes on the iPod (very "transparent" in the background). Adds appealing visual feedback



    No WiFi or video. Dont think thats really sellable and neccessary. Its cool to watch videos on hand held devices, but the effect weares off. Including the possibility to show images and to use the iPod as a slide preseter is handy for a lot of music... plus you can easily add music to your iSlides
  • Reply 18 of 104
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BuonRotto

    Who said anything about buying iPhoto? iTunes is a free download in itself, and iPhoto, if it is coming out for the PC, would come on this new iPod's software CD anyway.



    Now, the question that brings up is, what's the profit for Apple -- the Photo printing and book services?





    Yes, but like I said, if PC people are getting it for free, I, as a long-time mac user, damn well better be able to get it for free as well. The stink that so many raised when Apple had the 'gall' to charge for iLife was bad enough, now they're going to come out and charge for iLife, but let PC people get its pieces for no charge? Like I said, there'll be rioting in the streets. (Hell, if Apple reverses course and gives away iPhoto4 to mac users, the iLife buyers will riot in the streets. I think anyway you cut it, cars will be burning).



    And if you want to sepculate on something of consequence, how about whether apple will be announcing this pre-christmas buying season, or will they save it for MWSF, which will just piss off every ipod gift receivee out there. And if they do announce it for the xmas season, will they (a) actually ship it before then, and (b) actually have any supply to fill demand (history says "No" to both questions).



    But since I'm still waiting for that headless-iMac to replace my Beige G3, that set-top box apple's been working on since Steve Jobs took over a century ago, not to mention a computer that has the style, elegance, and portability of the original Apple portable, I'm not getting my hopes high. (Although I'm writing in my prediction of a release date into my iWalk, and going to call my Apple store on my iPhone to see what they have to say).



    (Of course, if apple were to release a set-top box, the rumor sites would love it, because they could all lead their articles with "As we first reported back in 1998....".
  • Reply 19 of 104
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nagromme



    Re video: The iPod doesn't have the processing power to decode real quality video. (These new Windows gizmos don't either: blown up to TV size, the movies look terrible.) I doubt Apple will include any video ability if it can't be used well.



    Re all of those things one day... very likely. But not this time around I don't think. The time has not come. [/B]



    If this new device retains pretty much the current form factor, I can't see it having video capabilites. As you've pointed out, processing power is lacking.

    Harking back to the old days of the original Mac, perhaps it'll be called a iPod Plus...the "Plus" for photos.



    However, I could see video a possibility if the device is larger say like the size of an old Newton 2100
  • Reply 20 of 104
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    ...perhaps it'll be called a iPod Plus...the "Plus" for photos.



    what, no iPod EXTREME????



    anyway, i have withheld purchasing this sucker until i felt that Apple had made more of an revolutionary leap than an evolutionary one, and i feel this is it. the controls and capacity were simply feature updates, but the addition of a color display AND to show images natively hearkens a new era of what can be done with this unit. images of contacts, album art, photos from a trip, keynote slides, etc., etc., etc. and wasn't apple recently soliciting developers for software for the ipod? or did i dream that?



    basically, i needed something to warrant plunking down half-a-thousand-dollars on something that would fit in my pocket. think about that. UNDERSTAND that.
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