Apple "sold out" of 1GB iPod shuffle till January

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple Computer has sold out of its higher-capcity iPod digital music player and doesn't plan to restock until next year, according to a message on its Web site.



The $129 iPod is "Sold out for holiday," Apple said in a message on its online store. New stock of the original flash-based iPod is not expected until "mid-January."



Not surprisingly, mid-January is also the time Apple traditionally unveils its latest consumer products at the Macworld Expo trade show in San Francisco. This year's festivities are set to kick-off on January 10th.



At least one analyst has gone on record in saying that a new, smaller, version of the iPod shuffle is being prepped for a release around the same time.



"We are hearing of an even smaller form factor (smaller than a pack of gum) and the potential for the re-introduction of multiple colors," said American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu in a research note from November.



Wu believes the new shuffle could come as early as January and said Apple's preparation for the product refresh was likely behind its recent move to add Hynix as a third supplier of NAND flash memory chips.



Apple introduced the iPod shuffle in 512MB and 1GB models on January 11th. The 512MB model -- which is still available from Apple and Amazon.com -- was termed the "first iPod under $100."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 38
    The first thing I thought of when I read that Apple was working on a smaller shuffle was the iPod flea spoof ad the New York Times did.



    Seriously, could the shuffle get any smaller and still be operated without tweezers? The only thing I can figure is that it will get squarer (or rounder) and less pack-of-gum-ish.
  • Reply 2 of 38
    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER! Its silly to release new products in January after lots of people have just blown through a good chunk of their disposable income for the year.



    Hopefully they are improving on that, with the release of the Nano and Ipod + Video before Christmas. But they should move MacWorld Expo to August if they are going to continue to use it as an event to launch products and draw attention. In August, if they have products available at anouncement, they could still capture a lot of back to school purchases, and have things released in time for Christmas.
  • Reply 3 of 38
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER! Its silly to release new products in January after lots of people have just blown through a good chunk of their disposable income for the year.



    Hopefully they are improving on that, with the release of the Nano and Ipod + Video before Christmas. But they should move MacWorld Expo to August if they are going to continue to use it as an event to launch products and draw attention. In August, if they have products available at anouncement, they could still capture a lot of back to school purchases, and have things released in time for Christmas.




    Like you said, they ARE doing better. iPod nano / video capable iPod, iMac, powerbooks, powermacs ALL just before the holiday season. They can't update EVERYTHING in October you know.
  • Reply 4 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Porchland

    Seriously, could the shuffle get any smaller and still be operated without tweezers? The only thing I can figure is that it will get squarer (or rounder) and less pack-of-gum-ish.



    IMHO, the shuffle is small enough. Any smaller will be unoperational.



    What Apple can do is same physical size, small internal circuitry, and bigger battery.



    Bringing back multi-colour and aluminum casing would be great!
  • Reply 5 of 38
    telomartelomar Posts: 1,804member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER! Its silly to release new products in January after lots of people have just blown through a good chunk of their disposable income for the year.



    Tons of companies release new products just after Christmas for that very reason. Everybody has just bought items and spent a lot and companies need to rekindle sales. What better way than to release a new range?



    Apple's biggest two sellers were updated prior to Christmas though.
  • Reply 6 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER!



    No, that's not good marketing. Shifting huge volumes of a relatively old product - which despite competitive pricing will have high margins - over the Christmas period is the best way to generate a huge pile of cash. Leave the new product introductions until the new year because (a) the margins are lower, and (b) they will stimulate an otherwise slow market.
  • Reply 7 of 38
    Not to mention all the kids and young adults that get money for Christmas...they can now go out and spend it all on the latest and greatest new products.



    oh I also agree that its a good way to stimulate a slower season. OH and they also get to blow through their inventory at christmas so that when they do release a new product there isnt still a stock pile of old product.



    does anyone know if you can take all your 401k earnings and just throw it all at apple? It may sound stupid but keeping in mind that I am new on the work scene and dont have a family, and i dont have any loose cash laying around and I really need to get in on the action. And doing so before Jan 10th i think would be ideal.
  • Reply 8 of 38
    My complaint about the shuffle (I've owned one for many months now) is the switch on the back. Very difficult to operate after a while. They need to create a sliding switch that reliably locks in 2 positions. After nearly a year of use, it is difficult to hit the middle setting. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind the power switch being combined with the front click wheel/button. Y'know, you could hold it down and your selection would be confirmed with an audible cue in the headphones. That would also allow them to make the shuffle cheaper by eliminating a switch.
  • Reply 9 of 38
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    This is not a good time for an upgrade in product. Next year no-one will, buy an iPod at Christmas - they will all be waiting for a new one later.



    If I remember correctly a new iPod mini was also predicted in January last year. This did not happen, Apple wisely chose to wait till March, I think it was.
  • Reply 10 of 38
    That kind of stinks for Apple.



    However, you can still buy a 1GB Shuffle refurbished direct from Apple.







    For the same exact price as a new 512mb. model. Here
  • Reply 11 of 38
    g3prog3pro Posts: 669member
    buy the nano or ipod video. my point exactly.
  • Reply 12 of 38
    They just came out with the nano and 5G iPod a few months ago, and they will release updates to those models before X-MAS next year. I guess MacCrazy will be the only one without a 6G iPod under the tree next year.
  • Reply 13 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kmok1

    IMHO, the shuffle is small enough. Any smaller will be unoperational.



    I have one sitting in front of me, they could certainly cut a inch or so off it's ass and tweak it's design a little...it's due for a make over.
  • Reply 14 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER! Its silly to release new products in January after lots of people have just blown through a good chunk of their disposable income for the year.



    I would agree IF Apple had a history of being able to handle the demand on some of its new products.



    If they release a great new product just before christmas they need to be ready to handle it or suffer a PR nightmare (and loss of sales). Can't you imagine the headlines "Apple's new XXXX is amazing - but nowhere to be found". Whet people's appetites and hand them to the not quite as good competitors?
  • Reply 15 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by boombashi

    ... cut a inch or so off ...





    And what would you call a the new iPod that got one inch cut off?



    "iPod shuffle castrated"...



    I don't think so! LOL!







    "iPod shuffle mini" maybe.
  • Reply 16 of 38
    rara Posts: 623member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    [. . .] But they should move MacWorld Expo to August if they are going to continue to use it as an event to launch products and draw attention. [. . .]



    The only problem is that Apple isn't in charge of MacWorld.
  • Reply 17 of 38
    vinney57vinney57 Posts: 1,162member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by biaachmonkie

    This I think highlights one of the dumbest things about Apples product marketing and development. They need to release new products BEFORE the Christmas shopping season, NOT RIGHT AFTER! Its silly to release new products in January after lots of people have just blown through a good chunk of their disposable income for the year.



    Hopefully they are improving on that, with the release of the Nano and Ipod + Video before Christmas. But they should move MacWorld Expo to August if they are going to continue to use it as an event to launch products and draw attention. In August, if they have products available at anouncement, they could still capture a lot of back to school purchases, and have things released in time for Christmas.




    Wrong, and er.... wrong.
  • Reply 18 of 38
    yes. i agree with above poster. afaik capitalism = supply and demand. overdemand = good. oversupply = bad. undersupply = usually not a bad thing. in fact, a good thing in capitalism because high demand + low supply = high prices.



    apple not releasing new products in january = corporate harakiri (did i spell that right?). why? because january-march 2006 must have appropriate sales and profits that meet or exceed forecasts otherwise = low share price + low consumer confidence in the products + brand damage... and er, guess what, in january to march 2006 apple still has to pay employees, manufacturers, lawyers, etc. etc. etc.



    apple computer as a business must continually generate sales and profits. continually = 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365.x days a year.



    how come they don't teach this in high skool? wtf? geography and literature and shite. f**** that
  • Reply 19 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally posted by GregAlexander

    I would agree IF Apple had a history of being able to handle the demand on some of its new products.



    If they release a great new product just before christmas they need to be ready to handle it or suffer a PR nightmare (and loss of sales). Can't you imagine the headlines "Apple's new XXXX is amazing - but nowhere to be found". Whet people's appetites and hand them to the not quite as good competitors?






    in this case undersupply, yeah, can lead to negative brand perception. but as long as apple plays in that special space of "somewhat luxury but actually just damn cool and somewhat unique", undersupply can only fuel further demand due to relative rarity of products.



    edit: remember that yes, if person A cannot buy a ipod shuffle then they might buy instead a creative something or other. if ipod marketshare was low then this is not so good. however, since ipod marketshare is okay, person not buying shuffle is no biggie because said shuffle was not manufactured in the first place (undersupply) and hence no cost needs to be recovered on that shuffle.



    as long as there are enough ipods going around to keep ipod marketshare high, then nothing much to see here. though for the consumer it IS bloody frustrating. also, black ipods must be quite hard to find



    macs on the other hand, if apple wants to hit 10% marketshare it MUST be able to supply macs in enough quantities to reach that marketshare. hence Intel as a major partner i would say, although, of course, totally different thread
  • Reply 20 of 38
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kmok1

    IMHO, the shuffle is small enough. Any smaller will be unoperational.



    What Apple can do is same physical size, small internal circuitry, and bigger battery.





    It doesn't need to be so long. It could be a little thinner, but thin isn't so necessarily. Actually, the casing probably could be narrower so it can fit in more USB jacks, hooking it into to my USB hub means that it blocks off the adjacent ports. The slider on the back is a brain-damaged, hard to operate design that should be fixed.



    I have no complaints with iPod battery life in general, smaller size devices make the devices more versatile to me, less pocket space and weight used. A charge lasts me several days to a week and I use one several hours per day. I have to be ruthless with what I carry in terms of what is on my keyrings and what is in my wallet, I don't see why other pocket items should be exempt.
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