[Paul]

I haven't really thought this through (taking iTunes for windows and the iTMS into account), but on the surface it doesn't seem like all that bad of an idea.

What if Apple made iPods Mac-only again? People still love their iPods and they know it is the best portable music experience out there, would they be willing to switch for it? It could only work for new models and existing iPods would stay cross-platform (keeping their resale value high ).

Wouldn't this cause a LOT of new ("hip" technophobic) people to seriously look at getting a Mac in addition to an iPod?

Think of the crazy demand for Macs that would be generated!

Of course this would never happen, but I think it is an interesting scenario to play out. Would this help or hurt Apple?

[ghoti]

Originally Posted by Paul People still love their iPods and they know it is the best portable music experience out there, would they be willing to switch for it?

No. This *might* work for some existing iPod users who are just upgrading, but not for new customers. Would you buy a gadget if you had to buy a new computer with it? I wouldn't. This is too coercive and just wouldn't work.

Besides, the iPod is Apple's cash cow at the moment, so they would be extremely stupid to do something like this.

[morningstarrising]

Think about how piss people are about x86...now think of THAT 100x worst...

That is what you get if Apple did that...

[Meltedbutter421]

It deffinatley wont happen; If you look at it through the business point of view, they would loose so much customers. I wish iPods stayed Mac-only from the first place... Everyone has them now and they aren't as special as they were wen I first got mine (about 2 1/2 years ago). I can hope all I want but the reallity is, iPods will never go back to Mac-only

[Banana]

Less coereciive= offering more features on Mac platform.

Even then, this will be somehow underhanded, and may hurt Apples image because its too M$-ish, and I'm sure an average Joe willconclude that Apple is just as good (bad) as M$ and decide to stick with the devil he knows than going to the new devil.

[Franz Josef]

No.

[kscherer]

I can tell you, as someone who spends the day selling the contraptions that: 1) It would be the nail in Apple's coffin and 2) iTines for the Mac already offers more than the PC equivalent, in that it is FAR more reliable. Working in a Mac retail store has shown me that PC users are constantly plagued with the same old set of problems, even though the software is written by Apple. Compatibility issues abound. We tell people to just buy a Mac.

[Luca]

Originally Posted by Franz Josef No.

Originally Posted by kscherer 1) It would be the nail in Apple's coffin

Apple's in a coffin?

[BenRoethig]

I'm sure Creative likes this plan. Zen sales would skyrocket. It'd only work if Apple released a version of 10.4.1 that will work on all x86 computers. They'll ditch their iPods long before they ditch their towers.

[ezkcdude]

I thought there was a forum rule that threads had to be based on some evidence or fact, not just mere speculation . Is that only true for Mac/Intel switching- and Powerbook-themed threads?

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Luca Apple's in a coffin?

No, but they have one lying around. I think they had it built 5 years ago when they decided to port OS X to Intel, "just in case".

[Brad]

Originally Posted by kscherer ...when they decided to port OS X to Intel, "just in case".

For the record, OS X was running on x86 (and 68k) before it ran on PowerPC. Only, it was called NEXTSTEP at the time.

[Luca]

Originally Posted by kscherer No, but they have one lying around. I think they had it built 5 years ago when they decided to port OS X to Intel, "just in case".

Actually I think Apple has an entire storage shed dedicated to storing the coffins various people have bought for them over the last ten years.

http://www.macobserver.com/appledeathknell/

They've got 46 coffins stockpiled!

[Paul]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude I thought there was a forum rule that threads had to be based on some evidence or fact, not just mere speculation . Is that only true for Mac/Intel switching- and Powerbook-themed threads?

Originally Posted by Posting Guidelines Threads consisting of unsubstantiated individual predictions about upcoming products are not allowed. Threads that are blatant trolls, offer no content, or are redundant will be locked.

I am not offering a prediction, just throwing the idea (content) out there in a(n attempted anyway) constructive fashion. Speculation should be okay, but the vehicle for delivering that speculation needs to be balanced.

That said, some of you have misunderstood what I posted. I'm not saying this will happen, actually I say the opposite if you read the post closely... but it is an interesting thought experiment.

[Luca]

Yeah, it's fine to say "what if ________?" You just can't say "Apple will do ___________!" without providing any evidence.

[BlueRabbit]

Apple won't make the iPod Mac only. However, it is quite possible that they will add a feature that is Mac-exclusive, or works better on a Mac. For example, they could add some sort of iLife (iMovie, iPhoto, GarageBand) feature that is really awesome, but would need those apps to run.

[Bryson]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude I thought there was a forum rule that threads had to be based on some evidence or fact, not just mere speculation .

If this is the case, changing the forum title from "Speculation and Rumours" to something like "Future Product Discussion" would probably be a good idea.

PS: Won't happen. They sell too many 'Pods to Pc owners now. they even changed the order..."PC or Mac"

This would be like having Quicktime restricted to Mac users. Apple is doing well because they aren't limiting their user base. I agree with earlier posts that this would be suicide for Apple.

[atomicbartbeans]

Already, the following are Mac-only iPod features:

-iSync to Contacts, Calendars
-the to-do list

I know those are pissant, irrelevant features, but it's Apple's way of telling us Mac users that we're more special.

[ghoti]

Or maybe it's their way of telling us that they haven't ported iCal and AddressBook to Windows yet

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by ghoti Or maybe it's their way of telling us that they haven't ported iCal and AddressBook to Windows yet

I think those ports are hanging around in one of the coffins!

[irchs]

I think the topic starter is right. That IS crazy, and Apple would not alienate the PC world.

[kscherer]

The main reason that Apple has been able to generate the media blitz it is currently living within is the iPod. PC users are flocking to the iPod in droves. They are not neccessarily purchasing Macs, yet, but they ARE walking into Apple stores and seeing the gear for the first time, and liking it!

[Paul]

Originally Posted by irchs I think the topic starter is right. That IS crazy, and Apple would not alienate the PC world.

I see someone is finally following my train of thought.

crazy...

I guess I'm really overestimating the draw of the iPod. A LOT of people have them, and it is still "the gift" to get people... I guess the loss of iPod sales on volume wouldn't make up for the increase in Mac sales...

But there would be a nice increase.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Paul But there would be a nice increase.

I strongly dissagree! Apple would gain a lot of buyers teetering on the edge, but they would lose many more potential buyers who have not yet visited an Apple reseller. It would be bad.

[atomicbartbeans]

Now making the iPod Mac-only would be outright Microsofty. This would mean bad publicity for Apple.

But sticking in some awesome, totally original feature, like an RSS viewer with Safari synchronization, that would only work on OS X would make people think of the Macintosh platform and Macintosh users as an extra-special thing, not an exclusive, narrow-minded group of artsy nerds.

[chaos123x]

How about having extra features when you use the Ipod on a mac?

Like make all Ipods .. Ipod photos, but only have the phot part turn on when it used with a mac, or some other extra features, like games or somthing.

[DMBand0026]

Terrible idea. Just terrible.

Number one rule of marketing (I'm not really sure if it is, I'm just guessing) don't alienate your customers!

If people on Windows computers see that their use of the iPod is limited, they'll run like the wind. Don't underestimate people, they're not stupid. Fact is, the iPod has persuaded some people to buy a Mac, but not everyone. Some people will just go on using PCs, an inferior product, yes, but they'll continue to use them no matter what. Apple is happy to have their $300 as well as a couple bucks from the iTunes Music store. They don't want to lose a customer in pursuit of a few extra computer sales. And believe me, if they started adding features to the iPod that were Apple specific, people would be outraged and would swear off the iPod.

People are ridiculous like that. Yes, there are already features that are Mac only (iCal stuff and Address Book) but those aren't really a big deal. My point is, that's a bad idea, it shouldn't happen.

[chaos123x]

Avid has tons of extra features for their Windows based video editing systems, to get people to switch from Mac to Windows.

Of course even though allot Avid editors have switched to Windows, the mac sales are still going strong. But if the Windows version was not any diffrent the mac would retain all those editors.... but I can see how this can backfire... Allot of Avid editors saw that the Windows versions had more features, and became Final Cut Pro editors instead.

[ghoti]

What incentive does Avid have to do this? They don't get money for driving users to Windows (heh, some crazy speculation aside ).