Briefly: Black iPod nano sales trail the pack

13»

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 53
    This is one of the worst articles I've ever read on this site. It can be summarised as :



    "High end iPod Nano sells less well than others"



    Excuse me, but is that news to anyone ? It is a pattern that would be repeated with any product range you can think of.



    Also, calling it a 'black tax' would only be true of the player had 4GB and the extra $50 only bought you the black colour and nothing else.



    I bought myself a black nano a couple of weeks ago and - even though I already have a 30Gb 5G iPod - I feel like I've rediscovered the iPod again. It's fantastic - the best music player ever made. Period. Mind you, I only paid £140 for it, tax free
  • Reply 42 of 53
    dacloodacloo Posts: 890member
    I own the 8GB Black iPod (my first!) and it is awesome.



    When it comes to design, navigation and controls, the iPod is IMHO the best overall product from Apple ever.



    $50 for 8GB more is a good price IMHO, it is very tempting to spend this extra cash for twice as much capacity.
  • Reply 43 of 53
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dacloo


    $50 for 8GB more is a good price IMHO, it is very tempting to spend this extra cash for twice as much capacity.



    However for the same amount you can have four times as much and video. I do, however, see the attraction of this player. It is truly tiny, just not as beautiful as it's predecessor. I also understand the nano is for a different market.
  • Reply 44 of 53
    guestguest Posts: 112member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rdas7


    There's not enough differentiation between the 4GB and 8GB nano's, since there's not a whole lot you can do with 8 that you can't do with 4GB in a player.



    Aha - depending on what's in your collection and other variables, you could get nearly 150 albums on the 8GB model, which for many consumers is enough for their entire collection. With the proper charger, you'd never have to connect it to a computer again. (Til you want to add more, of course.)



    As others have said, you cannot call something a tax when you get plenty more for the money. This is nothing like what Apple did with the black Book. AI, I have lost some respect for you by your resorting to this sort of sensationalism.



    --------------

    Using the guest account
  • Reply 45 of 53
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Hmm, people seem to be getting emotional about this story. I wasn't emotional in why I didn't want to buy an 8GB Nano though. Here was my thinking process:



    1) Went to the Apple Store. Looked at the 2G Nanos. The silver looked COOL. The red looked COOL. The black... for some reason, did NOT look cool. The color was very flat and lackluster for some reason. I say this as someone who really LIKED the way the 1G Black Nano looked. Wished the black finish on the 2Gs was somehow a bit more glossy, sheen-y, whatever.



    2) Didn't much like the price. $249 is steep for a player with a small screen that does not do video. For some reason $199 is a 'magic price point' with flash players with me... maybe with portable players in general.



    3) If I was to spend $249, there's the 30GB iPod video. Sorry, but the 'Flash players are a seperate market' just doesn't hold water for me, considering that I happily used a HD-based Mini in my gym for over a year with absolutely no problems.



    I guess if the 8GB Nano had a slightly larger screen, did video, and had a 'better black', it might be worth $249. Failing that, its worth only $199 to me. Therefore, I did not buy it.



    Does that make me a bad, stupid, or evil person?
  • Reply 46 of 53
    kukukuku Posts: 254member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBaggins


    Hmm, people seem to be getting emotional about this story. I wasn't emotional in why I didn't want to buy an 8GB Nano though. Here was my thinking process:



    1) Went to the Apple Store. Looked at the 2G Nanos. The silver looked COOL. The red looked COOL. The black... for some reason, did NOT look cool. The color was very flat and lackluster for some reason. I say this as someone who really LIKED the way the 1G Black Nano looked. Wished the black finish on the 2Gs was somehow a bit more glossy, sheen-y, whatever.



    2) Didn't much like the price. $249 is steep for a player with a small screen that does not do video. For some reason $199 is a 'magic price point' with flash players with me... maybe with portable players in general.



    3) If I was to spend $249, there's the 30GB iPod video. Sorry, but the 'Flash players are a seperate market' just doesn't hold water for me, considering that I happily used a HD-based Mini in my gym for over a year with absolutely no problems.



    I guess if the 8GB Nano had a slightly larger screen, did video, and had a 'better black', it might be worth $249. Failing that, its worth only $199 to me. Therefore, I did not buy it.



    Does that make me a bad, stupid, or evil person?



    Bascially you made a personal opinion.



    Size, weight, battery life, VS features



    Different strokes for different folks.



    I would not buy a vipod because I can't carry it. How about that? A nano armband, yes, a vipod armband, no.
  • Reply 47 of 53
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBaggins


    'better black'



    what does this mean? I love the nano's matt black so much better aesthetically than the glossy of the iPods.
  • Reply 48 of 53
    -cj--cj- Posts: 58member
    well, there are obviously different things going on here. but don't forget the simple idea that Apple has created a color coded status symbol. people still like to be seen with their iPod. while that club is less exclusive these days, Apple can make parts of the club more exclusive by offering special tiers of the product. folks that want to be seen with the best won't care that $50 can usually buy a whole lot more than 4GB.
  • Reply 49 of 53
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kuku


    Bascially you made a personal opinion.



    Size, weight, battery life, VS features



    Different strokes for different folks.



    Sure. But the problem for the 8GB Nano is that a lot of potential buyers 'personal opinions' are lining up AGAINST the purchase of it, and usually for the same short list of reasons.



    If Apple addresses said personal opinions, then the high-end Nanos should do a lot better. 8)



    .
  • Reply 50 of 53
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacCrazy


    what does this mean? I love the nano's matt black so much better aesthetically than the glossy of the iPods.



    The market as a whole does not seem to be agreeing, but it may be that on the list of things that cause folks not to buy it, the non-glossiness of the 'new black' on the 8GB ranks rather low.
  • Reply 51 of 53
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBaggins


    The market as a whole does not seem to be agreeing, but it may be that on the list of things that cause folks not to buy it, the non-glossiness of the 'new black' on the 8GB ranks rather low.



    All that we know is customers are either deciding it's not worth buying a nano at the same price as an iPod or they're deciding 8GB is just too much storage. We don't know if they offered the nano 8GB in different colours that it would be more successful.
  • Reply 52 of 53
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pt123


    For me, it's the psychological barrier. Extra storage, video capability aside, I just couldn't go over $200 for a music player.



    I agree. I was in the local Fry's and almost worked myself up to buying the black nano, convincing myself that doubling the storage for $50 was a no-brainer - however going over $200 and then realizing that it was really the same price at the low-end video iPod, stopped me in my tracks. All psychological. I then thought I'd get the video iPod, but then thought, well if I was going to get a regular iPod I'd wait until I could afford the top of the line ... thus I left with buying nothing. Not Apple's fault, but I'm just not differentiated enough in my need for flash vs. hd drive to make one more important than the other.
  • Reply 53 of 53
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism


    This depends on your POV....



    - If your focus is obtaining a black Nano then you DO have to pay a $50 premium.



    To sum it up:



    The 8GB is only available in one color because as the high end model it sells less than others and one color helps with managing inventory in retail. Very real concern. The color is black because it is in most demand.



    It is the same price than the 30GB iPod, and sandwiched between that and the 4GB Nano, it's very questionable value. Few are the tasks for which it's better than either of these other iPods.



    There is, in fact, a black tax. For the color black, there is a $100 premium. The colored (non-black/non-gray) nanos carry a $50 premium. For many people, the color is the only difference between the different nanos. That Apple isn't offering their most popular color (black) in all models is proof of them attempting to collect the color tax. The gray, while inoffensive, is only the third most popular 4GB nano on Amazon.com. #2 spot is held by pink. #1 is held by... wait for it... last generation black. I know I'd buy a Nano for Christmas if either the black or pink ones were offered in 2GB.



    Note that I didn't say it's a bad deal to double the capacity for $50. It's not. The 4GB is great value. The only reason 8GB isn't great value is that the video iPod exists... but most of the 8GB buyers are going for either the color or "top of the line" anyway, not the storage. It wouldn't sway their number much at all if the thing was 6GB at the same price. You know I'm right.
Sign In or Register to comment.