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Apple Splitting iPod Touch Lineup Between Current and New Designs, Increasing Color Options for iPod Shuffle and New Nano?

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9to5Mac shares some details on Apple's apparent plans for updated iPods reportedly set to be introduced alongside the iPhone 5 at next Wednesday's media event. Based on the information that appears to come from part numbers in inventory systems, Apple will reportedly be making at least minor changes to three of the current iPod lines.

- iPod shuffle: Apple is said be making minor changes at the most to the entry-level music player, with the biggest change perhaps being the availability of eight different colors compared to the five color options on the current model. The current $49 pricing is likely to remain in effect, but it is unclear if the current 2 GB capacity will carry over to the new models.

- iPod nano: Cases for a larger, redesigned iPod nano have begun surfacing, and 9to5Mac's report indicates that a new code name for the device is indeed suggesting more than a minor refresh. The new iPod nano is also said to come in eight different colors, up from the current seven color options. Interestingly, the report indicates that Apple may streamline the iPod nano lineup by offering only a single storage capacity, compared to the current 8 GB and 16 GB options. The report says that pricing is likely to be similar to the current high-end iPod nano price, but it incorrectly states that price as $169 when it is actually $149 after last year's price drop.

ipod_shuffle_nano_touch.jpg



- iPod touch: Apple is also expected to update the iPod touch, with several rumors and part leaks pointing to the device gaining a similar 4-inch display to that apparently coming to the iPhone 5. But today's report indicates that Apple may take a hybrid approach to its lineup, releasing a tweaked version of the current design at the low-end while bringing the significant redesign to the higher-end models.
This new entry level configuration is said to be tweaked. We're not sure what this tweak refers to, but we speculate that it has to do with a either (or a combination of) a smaller dock connector, new packaging/iOS 6 pre-installed, or a bump in the base storage capacity configuration.

We've also received information that points to new iPods at $299 and $399 price points. We believe these to be redesigned versions of the two top iPod touch models.
Click to expand...
The report says that these new $299/$399 iPod models presumed to be the iPod touch will come in "multiple variations" beyond the capacity differences implied by the two different price points. The report speculates that these variations could be related to multiple color options, but it is unclear how many of these options there are for each model and Apple of course already offers the iPod touch in both black and white.

Article Link: Apple Splitting iPod Touch Lineup Between Current and New Designs, Increasing Color Options for iPod Shuffle and New Nano?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/07/apple-splitting-ipod-touch-lineup-between-current-and-new-designs-increasing-color-options-for-ipod-shuffle-and-new-nano/
bushido

bushido

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with a price that high i wonder how they could justify an iPad Mini at a similiar price point hm
 
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crono3

macrumors newbie
Jul 24, 2012
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PLEASE include a memory upgrade to 128gb! That's been my #1 want for awhile... really sucks having to manage space all the time on my 64gb. My iPod Touch is just about 3 years old now... I was ready to upgrade last year, but Apple gave me no incentive to do so. Let's hope this year is different :)
 
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djscooterb

macrumors newbie
Feb 1, 2010
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Amazon's new Kindle Fire models will be very disruptive

If Apple thinks that a 4" iPod Touch can compete with the 7" Kindle Fire and Kindle FIRE HD offerings at the same price point, then they have lost touch. Say what you want about the Kindle Fire being plastic, etc. They have 1280x800 screens spread over 7" of real estate and 16 GB for $199. That is what the current 3.5" 8 GB iPod Touch costs. The original Kindle Fire didn't have great specs or great reviews, but these new ones look to be addressing that while maintaining crazy low prices.
 
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commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
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A lightly refreshed 4th gen iPod Touch at the entry level alongside new 5th gen iPod Touch is just going to lead to confusion like the retention of the 2nd gen iPod Touch alongside true 3rd gen models did. If they do keep a A4 based iPod Touch hopefully they'll at least bump the RAM to 512MB to match the iPhone 4. And hopefully there are no more 8GB models released.
 
Z

Zwhaler

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Jun 10, 2006
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Interesting rumor, that would make sense although I'll probably be getting a redesigned iPhone myself.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

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Nov 14, 2011
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djscooterb said:
If Apple thinks that a 4" iPod Touch can compete with the 7" Kindle Fire and Kindle FIRE HD offerings at the same price point, then they have lost touch. Say what you want about the Kindle Fire being plastic, etc. They have 1280x800 screens spread over 7" of real estate and 16 GB for $199. That is what the current 3.5" 8 GB iPod Touch costs. The original Kindle Fire didn't have great specs or great reviews, but these new ones look to be addressing that while maintaining crazy low prices.
Click to expand...

You're making a lot of assumptions there. What if these iPad mini rumors are really for a new iPod touch model? Or what if the price is due to increased storage capacity?
 
aaronsullivan

aaronsullivan

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Oct 27, 2003
162
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Rochester, NY
The touch should really go "game". Can't imagine how Apple would pull that off, but I still want to see it. Physical controls done "right" (again, don't know how, lol) would be a huge seller, imo. Apple is massively shifting the entire portable gaming market and it hasn't even really TRIED, yet.

I'm still waiting for that shoe to drop. Perhaps it will take that mystical patented surface that can reconfigure it's height so it can programmatically create a raised section for control pad and buttons where/when needed.
 
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Daalseth

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
599
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Camera

The only real complaint I have with my iPT is the camera. Bump it up to the one used in the iPhone 4S and it would be sweet.
 
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o0jelly0o

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Aug 3, 2011
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I do not understand how anyone could use 128GB. It is simply unreasonably large amount of storage space. It is incredibly hard to use 128GB worth of music (assuming one uses them for music and not storing hundreds of apps they don't open), I mean that is just WAY too many songs to choose from, like you would literally never listen to most of them. Generally you listen to certain groups of songs you like, and most of them you never end up playing, like I have so many songs on my 8GB iPod Touch that I literally never play because I just don't feel like listening to them. It's just for those people who want every song they own, no matter how many plays it has on their device (0 being the majority) just because.
 
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Tones2

macrumors 65816
Jan 8, 2009
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o0jelly0o said:
I do not understand how anyone could use 128GB. It is simply unreasonably large amount of storage space. It is incredibly hard to use 128GB worth of music (assuming one uses them for music and not storing hundreds of apps they don't open), I mean that is just WAY too many songs to choose from, like you would literally never listen to most of them. Generally you listen to certain groups of songs you like, and most of them you never end up playing, like I have so many songs on my 8GB iPod Touch that I literally never play because I just don't feel like listening to them. It's just for those people who want every song they own, no matter how many plays it has on their device (0 being the majority) just because.
Click to expand...

Ugh. Not this again. :rolleyes:
 
chrisbru

chrisbru

macrumors 6502a
May 8, 2008
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djscooterb said:
If Apple thinks that a 4" iPod Touch can compete with the 7" Kindle Fire and Kindle FIRE HD offerings at the same price point, then they have lost touch. Say what you want about the Kindle Fire being plastic, etc. They have 1280x800 screens spread over 7" of real estate and 16 GB for $199. That is what the current 3.5" 8 GB iPod Touch costs. The original Kindle Fire didn't have great specs or great reviews, but these new ones look to be addressing that while maintaining crazy low prices.
Click to expand...


:confused: Since when did a 3.5" or 4" iPod come into competition with a 7" tablet? People who want a cheap tablet will buy the Fire or iPad Mini (maybe) if they are looking for a tablet. People in the market for a small device to play music and some games will get an iPod touch.

The iPod touch is really in a market of its own. It's an iPhone without the phone feature - which makes it a great option for kids/teens and people who have corporate smartphones that don't run iOS and want a device with iOS but don't need a second phone.

Edited to add: My point is that I don't think iPods and tablets compete GENERALLY, because people buying an iPod touch want something pocketable.
 
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djscooterb

macrumors newbie
Feb 1, 2010
10
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Daalseth said:
The only real complaint I have with my iPT is the camera. Bump it up to the one used in the iPhone 4S and it would be sweet.
Click to expand...
Yes, the rear camera is terrible. I was considering getting a Touch to eliminate a 5-year old point-and-shoot but the picture quality is just not there. The problem is they like it thin and those nice cameras with the multi-lens optics are fatter. I would gladly take a iPhone 4/4S thick Touch if I could have a good camera.
 
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