[pisser901]

tons and tons of people here at talking like they're for sure that Apple's February 28th announcement will be a true video iPod / post-Newton iPod. They've got mock-ups, fake pics, and spec lists.

sorry to say, but it's all wishful thinking, as far as a relatively-soon release date.

I'd love to see a touch-screen iPod, and soon, I'd rather not sit here stuck with my 4G non-color iPod for much longer. But sorry guys Apple won't be releasing one anytime soon. The soonest it will: this fall.

Why?

1. The current 5G iPod is still selling very well. Why introduce a product that would make Apple's current cash cow virtually obsolete? I highly doubt Apple would try to sell the new video iPod and the old iPod with video side by side. It'd be disaterous.

2. This announcement isn't that big. Remember the "....One more thing" announcement? Apple sent more than just simple emails. The company played it up quite a bit more than the current "fun new products" announcement. Plus, Apple is holding this announcement in their smaller auditorium, which only holds several hundred people, as opposed to the one used for the latest iPod, which held thousands.

The iPod is Apple flagship product. They're not going to use some small venue, relatively low-key, end-of-February announcement to announce a potentially earth-shattering, revolutionary product like a touch-screen iPod.

As much as I want one, it'll be a while.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1554

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1553

[pmazer]

1. The iPod Mini was the best selling iPod until it was replaced with the Nano.

[titub]

3. Steve does what he wants.

[pisser901]

Originally Posted by titub 3. Steve does what he wants.

true. can't argue with that.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by pmazer 1. The iPod Mini was the best selling iPod until it was replaced with the Nano.

Exaclty.

iPod Mini - AKA: the best selling portable music player in the World. And they didn't just add a new product that would compete with it, they totally discontinued it.

A true video device would serve a much different purpose than the 5G iPod. The 5G is an iPod (read portable music players) that ALSO plays videos. The new device people are talking about would be more of a portable video device that ALSO plays music.

[pisser901]

Originally Posted by zippy Exaclty. iPod Mini - AKA: the best selling portable music player in the World. And they didn't just add a new product that would compete with it, they totally discontinued it. A true video device would serve a much different purpose than the 5G iPod. The 5G is an iPod (read portable music players) that ALSO plays videos. The new device people are talking about would be more of a portable video device that ALSO plays music.

so, what would be the reason for someone to buy the 5G iPod instead of the touch-screen version? They both play music, but one is a lot more functional.
I doubt the video iPod would be that much more expensive to make someone looking for a "music player with video capabilities" buy the 5G iPod over the video iPod.

[Robo]

Um, with that a significantly larger screen (that happens to be a touchscreen) and likely a larger hard drive, it could easily be $100 more than the 60GB 5G iPod - more than enough to make people who want a music player to have second thoughts.

I think the 5G iPod and this "iPod video" could easily co-exist.

[pisser901]

somehow I doubt many consumers would pay $500-$600 for a video iPod. sure, apple-obsessed people like us would be them, but I doubt they would sell like the 5G did. Apple reallys suceeds when they do the whole "more features...same price" concept.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by pisser901 Plus, Apple is holding this announcement in their smaller auditorium, which only holds several hundred people, as opposed to the one used for the latest iPod, which held thousands. http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1554 http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1553

The location is the same location the original iPod was unveiled in. Coincidence?

[pisser901]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses The location is the same location the original iPod was unveiled in. Coincidence?

yep.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by pisser901 yep.

They're not going to use some small venue, relatively low-key, end-of-February announcement to announce a potentially earth-shattering, revolutionary product like a touch-screen iPod.

Been there, done that.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pisser901 somehow I doubt many consumers would pay $500-$600 for a video iPod. sure, apple-obsessed people like us would be them, but I doubt they would sell like the 5G did. Apple reallys suceeds when they do the whole "more features...same price" concept.

Except that this is an entirely new iPod. There is no "same price" to keep.

I can see them selling it initially for $499. Personally, I think they will drop the 60 GB iPod in price (to $349) and any "iPod video" will launch at $399.

If 80 GB drives aren't available yet, or if a $399 price keeps them from being used, so be it. The 1GB iPod nano proves that Apple isn't afraid of having two entirely different iPods with the same capacity.

In fact, in a way, the timing is entirely right for an "iPod video." They've just sold a billion songs - why not "do for movies what the iPod did for music"? It's at the same place where the original was announced...it could even be the same price of the original iPod...if Apple was more fond of numbers, I'd expect them to call it the iPod 2.

[Adamacintosh]

Originally Posted by pmazer 1. The iPod Mini was the best selling iPod until it was replaced with the Nano.

Maybe Apple will release the Mac Nano on the 28th? lol. Just a thought...

[julesstoop]

It's about the content that will be available for this new gadget (480p-video on iTunes) not about the hardware itsself.

[scratt]

If Apple don't keep releasing new iPod gadgets, specifically an iPod Video they will actually lag behind people like Creative, who are now actively trying to eat into Apple's market share.. Therefore, whether it's a good decision, or a bad decision, I think Apple will keep bringing out new iPod lines.. To this end I think we will see some kind of iPod product on the 28th, much as I would rather see the focus of the event on something a bit more computer orientated. (That is not to say they won't also announce new Intel Macs to continue the transition, but I think their innovation drive will stay where Wall Street wants it, as opposed to where we want it for a while yet.)

[Mac+]

Originally Posted by Roboman ...if Apple was more fond of numbers, I'd expect them to call it the iPod 2.

I'm glad they don't do numbers these days. I hope they never go down that road again ... I hate numbers in product names and 2.0 just makes me think of laziness in design ... pscates2.0 not withstanding, of course.

[MacRonin]

Maybe it won't be 'just' a video iPod...

I am thinking PDA/smartphone 'disguised' as a video iPod...

With optional BlueTooth stereo headset & mini boom mic...

Maybe even a built-in iSight for on-the-go iChat action...

Sweet!

Maybe it will come with a belt holster, like a slide ruler...

You kids know what a slide ruler is, do you not?!?

;^p

[ZachPruckowski]

I think Apple would almost like to underplay this event, then kill us all with awesomeness. I feel like MWSF 2006 got really heavily hyped, and Apple got hurt a bit because they didn't do anything insanely earthshaking that people weren't expecting. So if everyone (Wall Street and the tech industry analysts) expects this to be sort of quirky and unimportant, and they drop a bomb, they get the good side of the expectations influencing opinions thing.

[Robo]

You have a point, Zach. Maybe that's why the invitation was relatively "blah."

Apple actually does seem to have a problem with making people expect more than they deliver, at times. Remember the WWDC '04 ads? They showed a Power Mac G5, with the text "A supercomputer for your desk. Next?" The obvious answer, of course, would be a supercomputer for your lap. But no, Apple's answer was "A matching monitor for your desk! Made ya look!"

[Mac+]

Wasn't there also some other "expo" where there was not a whole new slew of stuff and Jobs himself even admitted that they blew it (or words to that effect)? I think it may have even had the infamous camera throwing incident as part of it.

In this case, though, it wasn't a case of the hype being too much for the event, more a case of folks expecting significant updates ... but they just did not appear.

[Robo]

I wasn't let down by MWSF. I would have liked to have the MBP look "fresher" (even a new color would have helped), and I would have prefered it if my brand new iMac G5 had not been made obsolete, but it wasn't a dissapointment by any means. You have to remember, Apple never promised that they'd have any Intel hardware at MWSF - we all expected that on our own.

[wecallitfall]

1. the 4G and photo models were sold side by side

[Mac+]

Roboman - if your comment was in relation to my post, I was referring to a MacWorld or MacExpo event of some sort years ago - not this year's event.

[Robo]

Oh, okay. My bad.

[pisser901]

Originally Posted by wecallitfall 1. the 4G and photo models were sold side by side

yeah, for a few months. and the price between the photo and 4G models was pretty big. also, the 4G had been out for more than just a few months when they introduced the 4G photo. I don't think you noticed, but Apple made quite a bit of fanfare for this latest iPod. Why would they, only a few months later, upstage a product that is still selling so strongly?

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pisser901 yeah, for a few months. and the price between the photo and 4G models was pretty big. also, the 4G had been out for more than just a few months when they introduced the 4G photo. I don't think you noticed, but Apple made quite a bit of fanfare for this latest iPod. Why would they, only a few months later, upstage a product that is still selling so strongly?

Actually, not really. The 4G iPod came out in July 2004, and the iPod photo came out in October. And they made lots of fanfare for the 4G iPod, too - it was on the cover of Time, for starters.

Of course, any horizontal touchscreen "iPod movie" would have a more significant design difference than just an iPod with a color screen. If anything, that means it would be more viable to be sold alongside the traditional iPod. Sorry, pisser, but your points aren't exactly helping you here.

[BlueRabbit]

Originally Posted by Mac+ Wasn't there also some other "expo" where there was not a whole new slew of stuff and Jobs himself even admitted that they blew it (or words to that effect)? I think it may have even had the infamous camera throwing incident as part of it. In this case, though, it wasn't a case of the hype being too much for the event, more a case of folks expecting significant updates ... but they just did not appear.

The camera throwing was during MWSF 2001, and it was blown way out of proportion (I've seen the keynote). That was also when the TiBook appeared, so it's not the one you're thinking of. The only time i can recall Steve saying they 'blew it' was during WWDC '04 with the 3 GHz PowerMacs.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by BlueRabbit The camera throwing was during MWSF 2001, and it was blown way out of proportion (I've seen the keynote). That was also when the TiBook appeared, so it's not the one you're thinking of. The only time i can recall Steve saying they 'blew it' was during WWDC '04 with the 3 GHz PowerMacs.

Actually, I don't think that was the camera throw. He did it while demoing OS X camera importing ability (pre-iPhoto) at the New York MW in summer 2001.

I'd almost bet serious money on it...somebody check. But I'm 98% sure it wasn't the January TiBook keynote...

[chucker]

I was gonna point that out but wasn't sure. I'm quite positive Steve was going to demo something that's new to 10.1, so it would have had to be at MWNY, not MWSF, in Summer.

[oldmacfan]

iLife portable...

Bring your life with you...

All touch-screen design, Phone, iPod, internet/email/.mac, PDA type features, portable home directory, Mac OS X portable, and still semi functional if you are a PC user, and for the love of god full Firewire support.

Where is my crack pipe?