iPod Nano Photos? Or Just an iPod Clone?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

One reader points us to a comment post (http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-11408-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=51351&messageID=964786&start=0) that links to a number of photos from a Chinese website which appear to depict the new iPod nano. The photos look convincing enough to represent a photos of a true object, however, a number of details make us believe this is simply an iPod clone and not the future iPod Nano. The photos depict a widescreen Nano as rumored, but have no Apple logo, no iPod dock connector and what appears to be a non-standard splash screen.

Of interest, the bottom of the iPod Nano-look-alike does resemble CAD renderings (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/08/24/ipod-nano-case-leaks-ipod-touch-to-have-gps/) posted earlier, casting some doubt on the authenticity of those images as well.

See images (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/08/28/ipod-nano-photos-or-just-a-ipod-clone/)

[CWallace]

It would certainly not be the first time.

If we don't see it from Apple on September 9th, I am sure we'll see it on Engadget's "Keeping it real...fake" page soon after. :D

[Schtumple]

And the mini usb port on the underside didn't make anyone twig it's a rip off, seriously, come on, it's one of the many knock offs...

EDIT: Just noticed the Menu, Left, Right, Vol click wheel, seriously, anyone thinking this is genuine has something very much wrong with them...

[Kilamite]

Obviously an iPod clone.

How is this even news?

[Schtumple]

Obviously an iPod clone.

How is this even news?

I know, even for Page 2, this is pretty poor...

[Auzburner]

Looks like my old silver iPod Mini!? Just a bit thinner and more curvature to the edges.

[Moonlight]

Well, this looks just like it, except the top and bottom are different. This is fake because the top does not have a chrome hold button.

[twoodcc]

makes me wonder if the new nano will really look like that

[archesdevil]

I agree those pix look like knock-offs, however, that looks like a throw-back to the iPod mini. Kinda cool if that is what Apple is gonna do. Hopefully it will be 16 or 32GB.

[tgildred]

Obviously an iPod clone.

How is this even news?


I think to contrast against earlier page one and page two rumors. In the context of these pictures, it casts doubt on the authenticity of the previous rumors.

[Kilamite]

I think to contrast against earlier page one and page two rumors. In the context of these pictures, it casts doubt on the authenticity of the previous rumors.

But is it news and worth discussing?

I might as well find another iPod clone on eBay and post the image here and say this could be the new iPod nano.

Got to draw the line somewhere.

[Veri]

that links to a number of photos from a Chinese website which appear to depict the new iPod nano

You're looking at one of these clones (http://www.zetronix.com/index.php?cPath=24). Thanks for playing.

[Lesser Evets]

If it isn;t a knockoff I would be surprised. They changed the click wheel, if real, and that seems awkward.

[BRLawyer]

I know, even for Page 2, this is pretty poor...

It's obviously a clone...not to mention that Apple would never be so unoriginal as to repeat its older designs...:rolleyes:

[lozanoj83]

Clone....

[Sayer]

Everyone thought the current iPod nano's spy pics were of a fake device, until release day.

So who knows.

[rychencop]

i love it when "photos" like these are always just a wee bit out of focus.

[brendanspah764]

Even though this is indeed a iPod clone, doesn't this "confirm" the shape and style of the new iPod Nano? Those clones are usually the same same exact shape to some of the new iPods, but just has some differences.

[rychencop]

oh that's probably what it'll look like. seems like a step backward to me. i'll keep my fatty nano for now.

[Clayne]

Another give-away is the bottom of the clickwheel says "Vol" instead of the PLAY/PAUSE logo.

[ThomasShaped]

My friend has one of these. Fake.

[ventro]

Fake, but the kevin rose one is real.

[MovieCutter]

That's definitely a clone. I saw one exactly like that in Singapore 2 weeks ago.

[kjs862]

Looks fake to me

[ramin987]

This is clearly a clone. Why even post this trash?

[MacTheSpoon]

Hmm, it does look like those earlier CAD renderings were for this knockoff, not the real nano.

[tgildred]

Well, yes... because the previous rumors are well publicized, coming from arguably reputable sources. If the photos and renders from those previous rumors can be proven false, or at least shaken a bit by these photos which look like blatant clones, than it is certainly newsworthy. In this case, photos of crappy clones give the original story context.

Then again, it could be a clone based on leaked specs of the NEW nano design. In which case, it's still news because it adds to the evidence of the new iPod design.

Either way, it's given me something to do to kill the last few minutes of my day, and for that I am grateful.


But is it news and worth discussing?

I might as well find another iPod clone on eBay and post the image here and say this could be the new iPod nano.

Got to draw the line somewhere.

[tominated]

i've seen it at a cheapo electronics store (at least i think) - it's a clone

[sam10685]

makes me wonder if the new nano will really look like that

Every mockup I've seen has that design.

[11800506]

The is VERY clearly a fake especially with it's Mini USB connector, lack of Apple logo and the center pause button instead of where Volume is on this one's click wheel.

[Clive At Five]

Definitely a clone... but...

...Apple would never be so unoriginal as to repeat its older designs...:rolleyes:

I'm not so sure about this. iPod Clones look almost identical to the true iPod. Except for the screen shape, click-wheel, and USB port, the differences are typically few to none.

I'm thinking that someone discovered the new Nano design and gave cloners a head-start.

I'm going to say "confirmed" on the rumored iPod Nano design, though the device pictured is not an actual iPod.

-Clive

[dextertangocci]

I knew it from the beginning. That thing is way to ugly to be an Apple product.

[atoothelex]

it's a knock off all right. The center button of the click wheel is the play/pause button and the play/pause button is the "volume" button. iPods don't have a volume button, cuz they don't need a volume button.

[Yvan256]

[...] I'm thinking that someone discovered the new Nano design and gave cloners a head-start.

I'm going to say "confirmed" on the rumored iPod Nano design, though the device pictured is not an actual iPod.

I have to say Clive At Five is probably right on this one. While this new player looks a lot like an iPod, it doesn't look exactly like any current or past iPod model. Cloners usually like to make their players look as close as possible to the real thing, so we can only assume that the soon-to-be-released iPod looks like this clone.

Yeah I know, it doesn't bring much into the discussion. ;)

[winterspan]

I agree, this is clearly a chinese knock-off, mini-USB port and all. Why even publish this crap?

[nagromme]

Despite the issues noted, I think these probably ARE the actual new Nano. I easily can see Apple changing their wheel labels and going USB-only, and here's why:

OK, no WAY these are real. But it would be interesting if they turned out to be clones of a real leaked design! The Apple product would of course use the dock connector. The general design seems fine to me.

I expect the Classic will vanish--maybe as soon as the next iPod cycle--in favor of iPod Touch coming in thick HD and thin flash versions. Eventually I think the nano will grow until it's just smaller than the Touch's screen, and with far less border (no gap at top/bottom) making it usable with the current touch UI. At that time clickwheels will be gone forever. But that miniaturization (and price issues) will take time.

So I expect to see new Touches and clickwheel Nanos soon, but the end of the Classic.

And I wouldn't at all be shocked if the new Nanos were almost identical to the current ones, either. There's nothing wrong with them--just shift the prices, throw in a new color, and call it a day :)

[TEG]

It is not uncommon for the specs to be leaked or rumored and the Counterfeit machine starts turning out fakes which hit the streets before the real ones do.

TEG

[MasterNile]

I'm hoping this is a clone of the previous generation nanos, if it's the upcoming nanos i'm not buying one, those things are ugly

[drewsof07]

No dock connector? Since when does Apple give up one of it's proprietary connections in favor of a much cheaper alternative??

[blubox]

anyone ever notice how these (probably) fake pictures of rumored products are always bad quality?

[Johnnnny]

This picture and all the renderings depict a fake iPod clone.
I base this statement on the fact that most of the renderings depicted a standard USB connection. This iPod close resembles those renderings, and includes that same standard USB plug which leads me to believe that it is an iPod clone and the renderings/case pictures are all meant for that clone.

Apple would never in a million years abandon their standard dock connection, that goes without saying.

On a side note, when I first saw the renderings and case designs I thought it was too ugly to be Apple.

[matteo2005]

That is such a fake that if an alien were to come to earth and you told him to identify weather that was an iPod or a chinese/japanese clone he would be able to tell

:confused:

[ZiggyPastorius]

Clone, and not a very good looking one, at that. I wouldn't buy it.

[AlaaTarawneh]

!!!! I'm So Down From Macrumors.com :-S this is a chinese Ver from the iPod nano we have like hundreds of these clone iPods here in Jordan and they even cloned the iPhone , new iPod Nano 3rd Generation and the iPod Shuffle !!! it is so obvious it is a clone and i can get you photos with all the things i've said before:D

[Greg22]

I actualy bought one of these from here
http://www.zetronix.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=101

I gotta say I am impressed I mean its no Apple Touch but its not 300 bucks either, I think if your buying something as a gift or for your kids its great. I have had it for 2 weeks already and I am really happy with it, feels solid I use it with iTunes and comes with #$#$ load of accesories case, FM Trasmitter was shipped from USA also, I had my doubts before I bought it but I am quite impressed, all my freinds are getting it for their kids who are around 12. :)

[Donz0r]

I agree, this is clearly a chinese knock-off, mini-USB port and all. Why even publish this crap?


They're not saying that its real, they're saying that all those leaked photos and cases that have been posted in the past week or so are obviously fake because they were photos of/cases for this obvious knock off.

[crudsponge]

#1
Look at the screen... the design is horrible. why is there extra 'black' on the bottom of the screen? Ives would center the whole screen. that extra black is a give away at Horrible design.

#2
Hold Switch.... not centered with the width. It's too close to the back. Apple has Never Done that and would Never do that.

The design on this crappy mock up is really bad. come on people, this shouldn't even be page 2. Well.... i guess we're close to a Keynote, anyone else have crappy designs out there? lol

FAKE

[Greg22]

I don't think these people try to play of as an apple for the touch screen, its just a completly diffrent player that is alot cheaper, not a competitor just an alternative for those of us who think spending $300 is a little on the heavy sige speacily with the gas prices where they are. Just my five cents.

[cleanup]

I've seen this thing in Shanghai. Don't know why I didn't recognize them from the CAD renderings beforehand.

[jojo13]

THIS IS **** :mad::mad:

[caliguy]

Ah, I'm SO glad Kevin Rose was wrong about this "new" iPod. Now I'm excited again to see what Apple has been working on for launch next month. Apple geeks rejoice.

[Iglio]

i've held one of these in my hand, its not it, my friends mom had it. Apple is NOT switching to mini usb first off ANNNNNND the back doesn't have an apple logo. This is a CHEAP china town ipod, not the new one....DON"T BE FOOLED. And ipod has NEVER included a lanyward on the bottom, another flaw. FINALLY apple would not switch to mini usb when all their accessories still use the slim ipod port.

[illegallydead]

ya, no way this is real.
>no dock connector. Apple WILL NOT USE USB MINI LIKE THIS!!!
>the click wheel is all wrong ("vol" on bottom instead of play/pause, no way will apple mess with the click wheel if it keeps it at all)
>not an apple image on the screen, not the menu, not the splash screen, nothing. No way in hell.
Just stating the obvious.

[maxrobertson]

This is almost laughably fake.

[nagromme]

Interesting.

Anyone have an opinion on whether these photos are the real thing or not?

And what do the chinese characters say? :-p

[1984]

Interesting.

Anyone have an opinion on whether these photos are the real thing or not?

And what do the chinese characters say? :-p


They are real photos of a knock-off. Note the display is not actually widescreen either.

[lamina]

Why even bother posting this? I doubt Apple would move to the same connector that most digital cameras use. The 30-pin dock connector is where it's at.

[Apple Ink]

Since when did the Play/Pause button become the center button?

[gcmexico]

just doesn't look right to me

[born4sky]

Looks fake for me

[happydude]

ugly, hope it's not real

[madmaxmedia]

Ah, I'm SO glad Kevin Rose was wrong about this "new" iPod. Now I'm excited again to see what Apple has been working on for launch next month. Apple geeks rejoice.

Here's the deal with Kevin Rose's report. He had more documents with better pics, but only showed that one blurry one as to protect his source. I don't believe his pic showed a mini-USB connector.

He later appeared on Leo LaPorte's podcast (TWiT) and showed Leo the additional pics. Leo was impressed, said that if they were fakes they were really good ones, and concluded that he now believed Kevin. No one really knows for sure, since no one else has seen these other photos.

Since Kevin's pic went public, people have been finding these CAD diagrams, pictures of cases, and random Chinese knockoffs that look very close to the iPod in Kevin Rose's pic. They could coincidentally be similar, or they could be quick knockoffs of leaked (real) photos. That is why they are newsworthy- not because anyone thinks they're real iPod Nano's, but because they look very close to Rose's report.

[mohicanspap]

This has to be fake. Why would apple put a mini usb port instead or their 30 pin ipod connector?

[rubberduck007]

This has to be fake. Why would apple put a mini usb port instead or their 30 pin ipod connector?

As a few people on here have said it is a pic of one of these p*ss-poor clones:

http://www.zetronix.com/


jeez.. why am i even giving them free publicity?

They may have won lots of golds but them Chinese sure can create and manufacture some serious cr*p.

[iCantwait]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

MR, you dissapoint me

[toughboy]

1) the mini-USB port
2) the round control is not even a click-wheel.. Since when does it write Vol (Volume) on Click-wheel..

The most fake thing I've ever seen. These Chinese people can clone almost everything these days..

[cleanup]

They may have won lots of golds but them Chinese sure can create and manufacture some serious cr*p.

That's nice of you to say! :o We're flattered.

[Wolfpup]

I know, even for Page 2, this is pretty poor...

Not really. It shows that those previous renders were for this, not the real Nano.

I wonder if this mean the next nano won't have that new form factor? Or maybe it'll just have a RAM/ROM size increase? I like the current nano pretty well I think.

[darthraige]

Clone. I mean, come on, look at the end of it. Where's the traditional iPod hookup to the Mac? And what is that goofy piece of plastic sticking out at the end of it. That would drive me nuts.

[Zwhaler]

Looks like a clone... where the play/pause button should be there's weird Chinese writing. Not to mention the lack of a dock connector... dee dee dee

[eb201]

I think it's safe to say that this is going to be the style of the new iPod Nanos. But I don't think Apple is going to let us down. The pics of these knock-offs look awful, but I'm sure the apple product will be beautiful.

[MrMatt138]

I think it's safe to say that this is going to be the style of the new iPod Nanos.

I don't think that's "safe to say" at all. It looks longer and thinner than the current gen nano. So the "new" style, is making it bigger in the direction it shouldn't be and adding a smaller lcd screen? If that's it, apple engineering has a lot of explaining to do.

[Apple Ink]

I think it's safe to say that this is going to be the style of the new iPod Nanos. But I don't think Apple is going to let us down. The pics of these knock-offs look awful, but I'm sure the apple product will be beautiful.

Isnt that quite obvious? Its always been so.... the fatty nano was the latest evidence!

[aaquib]

EWWWWWW. Apple can NOT make that look good. It's just ugly. If I wanted an iPod mini, I'd go to ebay and get one.

DISGUSTING!

[SimonJ]

If it's just a knockoff, I'm kind of relieved... I just don't like the design at all...

[Trip.Tucker]

Veri has already called this.. Why are people still debating whether it's fake?

[SFgadgetman]

MacRumors:Forums won't let newbies post or access the marketplace but they allow this kind of stupid crap in? WTF people! They sell knockoffs like this in Chinatown and at Fisherman's Wharf here in SF. It's an obvious fake iPod.

[madmaxmedia]

MacRumors:Forums won't let newbies post or access the marketplace but they allow this kind of stupid crap in? WTF people! They sell knockoffs like this in Chinatown and at Fisherman's Wharf here in SF. It's an obvious fake iPod.

Maybe newbies should read the actual posts in this thread. No one is suggesting these might remotely be the new iPod. They are of interest simply because they resemble what Kevin Rose described.

[DeXtA]

Fake for sure, look at that curved bit of plastic at the bottom, Apple would never put that on an iPod.

[achtung!]

stop saying it's a fake, 'cause we all know it's a clone. the point is that i'm pretty sure this is the next ipod nano form factor and i really hope so! let's wait and see how it will look, in september! ;)

[1nteresting]

RIP OFF. Plastic. USB. Clone.

OH right, no Apple logo either. And the center button is white, which Apple doesn't use anymore. ALUMINUM.

[scottylans]

Ok I just had to register because of these new nano rumours.

So it's obvious this is a fake but there's people saying that it's also possible that this is the ipods new design also, just obviously slightly different.

God help us if it is, it's absoloutely horrendously ugly, all they need to do is make a 16gb Nano OR make a 'Nano touch' - that would be brilliant ( with a couple of hard buttons, so you can pause it while in your pocket at the gym )

If the 4g ipod looks like this clone, I am gonna buy another 3g fatty as backup!
UGH! :(

[applelover91k]

Yeah, this is a clone because of the volume button, but I do believe the new iPod Nano 4th Gen. will look like this. I hope it really will come out September 9th, like people say. I just got a job, so I will be able to buy one. I hope it comes in red. I desperately want an iPod nano, but want to wait for the new one. SoOoOoOoOo excited! :D

[Dagless]

Clone, next!

[M0bile]

If it is fake, the charm hook on the bottom is a dead-giveaway.

[Porchland]

I agree those pix look like knock-offs, however, that looks like a throw-back to the iPod mini. Kinda cool if that is what Apple is gonna do. Hopefully it will be 16 or 32GB.

I like the curved shape -- iPod air?

[Marky_Mark]

Clearly bollx. No connector, dodgy clickwheel, clone-tastic button labels. I can't believe posters here are discussing this obvious knock-off (against an alleged design that hasn't even been released yet!) in the context of the anticipated updates. It's far more likely to be a clone of the Zune, which is out there in a very similar form factor. Thus, it's as relevant as discussing a cassette walkman in this context, as it has absolutely no influence in design or feature directions that Apple might consider for an up and coming competing product. If it was the latest from Sony, Samsung or iRiver, I might think otherwise, but this is soooooo irrelevant to the bigger picture. Clonemakers follow, Apple leads, not the other way around. :rolleyes: