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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2005-09-08, 15:36

I don't think "black is the new white" for Apple. I'd be extremely surprised if the 5G iPod was available only in black, in fact, I'm not positive black will even be an option. Apple's "white" is more iconic and recognizable than ever...why would they suddenly shift to the polar opposite when they're at the height of their popularity?

Plus, they'res something special about white. Tons of other MP3 players are black or silver, but white? That's "the iPod color."

And sorry, but I just can't see a black iMac...at all.

I wouldn't be at all surprised, however, if black was the new silver for Apple...as in, the next Power Mac and Powerbook will arrive in a nice glossy "piano black."

Maybe they'll shift to a three-teired line, with white for the consumer low-end, silver for the "prosumer" mid-range, and black for the professional high-end.

Also...does anybody else think that the iPod mini might not be gone forever? Obviously, an iPod shuffle, iPod nano, and iPod mini makes for a crowded line-up, but I've noticed some people think that the iPod mini might make a comeback as prices for the iPod nano fall. The mini's hard drives are growing...

It really does feel that Apple was premature in replacing the iPod mini with the flash-based iPod nano. They really won't be able to compete as well with the other "mini" hard-drive players when they all get 8, 10, 12 GB drives.

The models seem different enough that the market should be able to support both the flash-based iPod nano and a future mini-hard-drive-based iPod mini if there was only more price differentiation. I always figured any flash "iPod micro" would replace the iPod shuffle, not the iPod mini...

Maybe the iPod nano will eventually drop in price to replace the iPod shuffle, and we'll see a new iPod mini (OK, they'll have to call it "micro") to fill the $199-249 range.

If that was my plan, though, I'd have announced the iPod nano next January, at which time the 2 GB version could probably hit at $149 (with a black and white screen, if necessary). I'd keep the iPod minis around, because if I replaced them with the iPod nano and then announced them later...that'd look like a step back in some ways.

So I don't think that the iPod mini will make a comeback...but it is an interesting thought. I think the iPod nano and the iPod mini are different enough to coexist if the price was right.

It's just weird, how the iPod nano is somewhere in between the iPod shuffle and the iPod mini, but Apple is choosing to take a step backwards (in some ways) and replace the iPod mini with it, rather than wait until the time is right to take a giant leap forwards and replace the iPod shuffle with it.

But enough ranting...this isn't the Speculation forum, anyway.
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