What's Next for Apple?

[MacRumors]

Business 2.0 published (http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0,17863,1037197-1,00.html) an article which provides a roundup of thoughts circulating around the Mac Web and came up with their own "What's Next for Apple?" predictions.

From most likely to least, they provide speculation on the following products:

Wireless iPod
vPod (Video iPod)
iHome (Media Center)
iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
iPhone (Apple Branded)

A photo essay (http://www.business2.com/b2/web/photoessay/0,21937,1039453,00.html) provides some visuals on these expected products.

Much of the thinking is based on analyst thoughts as well as circulating rumors and patents. Of note, a few of the items have been publicly rejected from comments by Steve Jobs in the past. Specifically, the idea of Apple branded Phones (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/05/20030529030024.shtml) and TV/Computer integration (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46254) have been denied in the past.

Jobs also expressed doubts (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/01/20040108191333.shtml) about the sucess of portable video players, but didn't deny that they weren't working on such items in their labs.

[Rocksaurus]

How 'bout new PowerMacs? :)

[ravenvii]

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

[dornoforpyros]

personally I'm hoping by the time my iPod needs to be replaced(either wears out or is completly filled) I'll be able to replace it with a 100gb blue tooth iPod, that would be pimp.

[eXan]

I would be interested to see the Wireless iPod.
I doubt there will be an Apple-branded media center (iHome?) because they already have Mac mini :D

[Demon Hunter]

That phone is HOT. Although it's hard to imagine Apple products with leather...

[wrldwzrd89]

The only one of the five products mentioned in the article that I'm interested in is iPod on Wheels. I already read this article when it was posted on Slashdot. I don't use my iPod at all - if I could connect it to whatever car I happen to be driving regularly, I'd start using it MUCH more. The only problem is that I don't have a free FireWire port to connect my iPod to my Mac.

[LimeiBook86]

I'd like to see a new computer from Apple rather than a new iPod. :(

[iGary]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

[chaos86]

1 Wireless iPod
2 vPod (Video iPod)
3 iHome (Media Center)
4 iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
5 iPhone (Apple Branded)

1 maybe (bluetooth auto update without stopping layback?)
2 no (jobs himself said its a dumb idea, video encoding takes longer than just watching, 2 inch screen would suck, etc.)
3 no (jobs says tv and computer wont mix, brain turns on while at computer, off while at tv)
4 yes, its been done (bmw), now its due for an update
5 no (stupid idea-- apple+music, good, apple+telephony, why?)

[Toe]

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

:D

[LimeiBook86]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

I agree with you totally. Honestly i didn't really see a market for the iPod Photo, - iPod Video would have probably been better. You can watch photos and videos on it. I mean showing photos to your friends is cool but, videos would be much better. Think of it, no need to drag your camcorder around, use your iPod to show your family your trip to Disneyland or what not.

The iPod Photo I guess is doing well but I wouldn't buy one until there is some video or a hack at least (...one that doesn't require moving the scroll wheel forever ;))

[auxplage]

The iPod Video could work. I would expect a whole new form factor though with a bigger screen, but it could not be any bigger overall because of portability. I see flipping the iPod on its side, so then there is a widescreen. Apple would then have to invent a new, easier, better interface.

[thevessels]

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

:D

i must agree on this one...

[Toe]

Although it's hard to imagine Apple products with leather...And it would be a stupid move by Apple.

A lot of Mac users are people who, um, think different. Meaning a disproportionate number of Mac users are vegetarians (http://users.erols.com/epastore/veg/), as in... people who don't buy things with the skins of dead animals in them.

Apple of all companies should know that it's not good to piss off a piece of your market, even if it is only around 5%.

[CubaTBird]

anything new will be announced at mwsf 06' at the earliest..

[rickvanr]

just clicked on the link, and I must say I like the watch. If it came with a clean set of wireless earbuds and some ingenious way of helping me not lose them and I was in the market for a new watch, that is something I'd look at, not just for the cool factor, but walking to class is about 10-15 minutes so I don't need something with a large amount of storage for that, and when I'm in my car I would use my normal iPod.

[Toe]

...a clean set of wireless earbuds and some ingenious way of helping me not lose them...

Surgical implants.

WTF else would keep people from losing something that small?

[vouder17]

These guys actually paid someone to make mock-ups of speculated apple products....
Oh and why is this front page news....Do they mean if Business 2.0 publishes it then they know more than we do. well i am quite dissapointed not a single computer product. :(

DjVoTeZ

[Frisco]

I love the iPhone and iHome and would buy them in a second. Please Apple more is better as long as you make it!

[Hemingray]

The problem with that wireless iPod concept is that, assuming you're wearing it around your neck, when you flip it up towards you the display and controls are upside down. Unless you're planning on becoming the first walking jukebox, where people can just walk up to you and punch buttons. :p

You can definitely bet on a wireless model down the road though. There's only so many "innovations" the iPod can go through!

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Wireless iPod: Not using Bluetooth, just not possible to use practically (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=1320917#post1320917)...

iPod Video could be next step for the iPods, maybe not to view it at the 2" screen, but as a portable video player you connect to your TV...

Media Center could be a next step from the mini... Wasn't there a rumor a couple of weeks ago about Apple being interested in TIVO, or something like that...?

Car Integration has to become better, so why not?

An iPhone would be great, as I said now that it seems the Motorola deal is dead (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=1351978#post1351978)... I'd buy one the day it came out...

[DTphonehome]

Surgical implants.

WTF else would keep people from losing something that small?

How about a cord, about 2 feet long, that keeps them together, with another cord attached at the midpoint that tethers them to the iPod? You'd never lose those suckers!

[GorillaPaws]

Apple needs to hook up with Kenwood or Alpine and make an in-dash head unit with a flip down face that has a slot to insert ipods into. Higher level models could have a touch-face 7' screen and the full version of itunes to access your library with, plus some kind of bluetooth internet connectivity via a phone to access the iTunes music store while on the road. How cool would that be to be driving down the road and hear a song you like on the radio, and buy it right there on the spot from the music store. Other cool things they could do would be in-car navigation where the road atlases would be stored on your iPod, and could be bought through the music store. You could use your iPhoto library as a screensaver, or watch your iMovie content when in park. Probably wouldn't be cheap... but I'm sure many of you out there would buy one if it was available.

What do you guys think?

[Toe]

How about a cord, about 2 feet long, that keeps them together, with another cord attached at the midpoint that tethers them to the iPod? You'd never lose those suckers!
Ah, but in this context it was an iPod Watch... I doubt people would want two danglies hanging from their wrist... :D

[Toe]

The problem with that wireless iPod concept is that, assuming you're wearing it around your neck, when you flip it up towards you the display and controls are upside down. Unless you're planning on becoming the first walking jukebox, where people can just walk up to you and punch buttons. :p
The latest gen Powerbooks have a sensor that can tell the orientation of the 'book.

So why not have such a sensor in the WiPod? It could reorient the screen (like some modern mobile phones do) based on which way is currently up.

[arn]

These guys actually paid someone to make mock-ups of speculated apple products....
Oh and why is this front page news....Do they mean if Business 2.0 publishes it then they know more than we do. well i am quite dissapointed not a single computer product. :(

DjVoTeZ

Nope, not at all. Published because it was a slow news day. As noted in my writeup, I don't put much credence into the article... it's just the usual wishful thinking.

arn

[QFace]

I think the iPod will always be about the music, but adding video functionality, even if the screen remained small, couldn't hurt. If I were to buy a new iPod, I would purchase the iPod Photo, even though I really have no desire to bring my photos around with me. I would have the same philosophy with the video iPod... if adding video didn't take away from the portability, why not have the feature, even if I don't really want it?

[nagromme]

Why do I have the urge to REVERSE that entire list of potential products?

Stuff in the labs often never makes it to store shelves--which is as it should be. Likewise, patents are often never used in a shipping product.

I'm sure Apple has some surprises in the works, but it wouldn't totally shock me if NONE of them were on that list.

[GFLPraxis]

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

If it has a 640x480 resolution, a hard drive, and some way to legally rip DVD's (by applying a DRM perhaps?), and costs less than a laptop, I'm sold. :D

[Zander-Fragile]

And it would be a stupid move by Apple.

A lot of Mac users are people who, um, think different. Meaning a disproportionate number of Mac users are vegetarians (http://users.erols.com/epastore/veg/), as in... people who don't buy things with the skins of dead animals in them.

Apple of all companies should know that it's not good to piss off a piece of your market, even if it is only around 5%.


*Raises hand as a vegan apple customer.*


EDIT: Not to mention that Steve Jobs himself is a vegetarian (or vegan by some accounts.)

[hartsft]

i would kill (aka pay a lot) for a set of wireless earbuds, especially if they were the good sounding canal phones type (like the in-ear apple and sony models)

dont know if this is possible though

[zap2]

apple would never call a video ipod ,a vpod perhaps a ipod video like ipod photo,but i think that soon the ipod photo will become the main ipod line,why you ask??? Because in tampa bay, FL there isa poster comaring ipod,shuffle,mini,u2 specail edition, the photo ipods and the normal ipod is mixed under one title - Ipod

[jwhitnah]

I bet these guys work for MacOSRumors.com. Wireless iPod probably. All the other stuff seems to have been repeatedly discredited. How can it be based on rumors? This is so backpage. Rumors seem more reliable than speculation.

[Toe]

Not to mention that Steve Jobs himself is a vegetarian (or vegan by some accounts.)
Huh. So (http://www.famousveggie.com/peoplenew.cfm) he (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/worlds_most_powerful/3284811.stm) is (http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/10/30/steve.jobs.book.review.idg/).

Good. Leather stinks anyway. And cured dead animal skin mixed with stale and fresh human sweat (read: a watch band) smells like $%*@.

[foofan]

This site should be changed to MacFantasyWorld.com

[wrldwzrd89]

I bet these guys work for MacOSRumors.com. Wireless iPod probably. All the other stuff seems to have been repeatedly discredited. How can it be based on rumors? This is so backpage. Rumors seem more reliable than speculation.
I agree with you. Read arn's post earlier on page 2 of this thread, if you haven't already, for the reason this made page 1.

[Mechcozmo]

Wireless iPod-- Not to sync... at least, yet. But the earbud idea is a yes.

vPod (Video iPod)-- Jobs doesn't seem to enthusiastic on these, and most of these that have come out have flopped. I don't think so.

iHome (Media Center)-- Please, please, please! MythTV but Apple-ized... oh, man, that would be neat.

iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)-- Already coming around... doesn't anyone watch the keynote?

iPhone (Apple Branded)-- I doubt it. Apple will help other companies make their stuff work with Apple's own stuff, but wouldn't make their own phones. Too expensive, too many variables, and overall, most people wouldn't buy one off of these boards. It isn't as big of a market for phones than iPods... well... maybe. But it is a different market to say the least.

A lot of Mac users are people who, um, think different. Meaning a disproportionate number of Mac users are vegetarians (http://users.erols.com/epastore/veg/), as in... people who don't buy things with the skins of dead animals in them.

Actually, a vegan (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&q=define%3Avegan&btnG=Search) would do what you say. A vegetarian (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&q=define%3Avegetarian&btnG=Search) would carry a leather carrying case or whatever. But Steve Jobs might have something to say about it....

[Toe]

Nope, not at all. Published because it was a slow news day. ANYTHING to bump the previous article off the top, and hopefully put an end to all those 10.3.10 posts. :D :rolleyes: ;)

[nuckinfutz]

I fail to see where having a video iPod would have any traction in the market. I don't see people walking around with their heads buried into "any" portable video device and an iPod that plays video isn't going to change that.

iHome- Media Center? Of course this is coming. It's a no-brainer but there are issues to be worked out as far as networking, and general management of the songs.

iPhone- Forget it....look at the recent Motorola ROKR fiasco. Who wants to deal with the idiots running the phone companies?

iPod for the car- I think this is an area that Apple could in fact take the iPod. Sure you can hook up your iPod as is but Apple might want to move to something a little beefier. Move to a semi permanent HD system that locks in and connects to the auto system just like a changer. The drive would be based on 2.5" platters so that it could hold more data and cheaper. Ever now and then you'd remove the drive...sync to your iTunes collections and then install back into the car. The increased size would let Apple incorporate things into the iPod changer that wouldn't make sense with a portable...like 11g access for syncing music wirelessly.

Wireless iPod- Doubt it really. Airport express handles wireless home needs just fine. I'm not sure there are many people clamoring for wireless ipods.

[swissmann]

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

I agree unless it becomes a phone and PDA or something incredible instead of just the blah.

[MarkCollette]

One of the main uses I have, for my iBook, is playing DivX encoded TV episodes, on my television, via the mini vga connector. In theory I could have a TV out on my desktop computer, but this allows me to take TV shows with me, and play it on the iBook's screen when no TV is available. If the vPod could play DivX .avi files, and could either output to TV, or fallback to its screen, then I think it would have a market. Couple it with some DVD ripping software that only ripped right to the vPod, and maybe that would keep Hollywood happy.

The funny thing is that I pay for full cable, but rarely use it, since downloading seasons at a time is more convenient than waiting a week for each new episode. If I could buy those episodes from iTunes, then I would. On average, one can buy DVD box sets of shows, for around $2 to $3 per episode, so downloads should probably go for $1 or so, per episode.

[EJBasile]

I would like iPod intergration in Land Rovers. Hopefully if they did that it would be by the time I buy a new Rangey. All though there are so few people who buy them there is no good way of connecting an iPod. I wonder if Apple could do something with a BT iPod where you can listen to music through your BT phone system in your car.

[sirjimithy1]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

Jobs didn't dodge the issue. Perhaps you should watch this (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/specialevent04/).

[parrothead]

Apple needs to hook up with Kenwood or Alpine and make an in-dash head unit with a flip down face that has a slot to insert ipods into. Higher level models could have a touch-face 7' screen and the full version of itunes to access your library with, plus some kind of bluetooth internet connectivity via a phone to access the iTunes music store while on the road. How cool would that be to be driving down the road and hear a song you like on the radio, and buy it right there on the spot from the music store. Other cool things they could do would be in-car navigation where the road atlases would be stored on your iPod, and could be bought through the music store. You could use your iPhoto library as a screensaver, or watch your iMovie content when in park. Probably wouldn't be cheap... but I'm sure many of you out there would buy one if it was available.

What do you guys think?

I have been yearning for something like this ever since iPods first came out. The face could flip down, and you insert the iPod like a cassette. The iPod gets pulled in, face flips back up, and you are ready to go. If I had any knowledge of electrical/electronics engineering, I would have made one of these already.

[asdf123]

How about a cord, about 2 feet long, that keeps them together, with another cord attached at the midpoint that tethers them to the iPod? You'd never lose those suckers!

...tethered? wait...i thought the entire point of bluetooth headphones was for them to be wire less?

1. The Podwatch? Seems to be some novelty-esque item. I mean, there have been multifunction watches before...e.g., GPS watches, crappy phone watches, etc. you get my drift. With such a careful approach to new products, I don't think Apple would ever (in its right mind) release a product with a niche audience (flashy, riché yuppies with too-large expense accounts....)
2. WirelessPod?...I think its a given that this is a feature that will fit comprehensively in all the future iPods...maybe at first a upgraded feature, but later standard on all mp3 players...especially as new revisions of bluetooth/wifi (bt 2.0, 802.11n, etc etc) come out.
3. vPod...why? MS' PMP aren't doing all that hot...I think thats for many obvious reasons...Maybe with cheaper/more efficient displays? Faster encoding? More internet bandwith for video download. 3-5 years, at least.
4. Apple isn't ready to attack the "iHome" feature set. Though novel, these technologies aren't quite needed by the average user, aka PCer aka consumers apple is trying to reach out to. Not saying I wouldn't snatch such a product line in a second. How far has this idea of home-integration gotten? X10 anyone? Sounds like a pipedream of some futurologist...ah...the tech isn't here ladies and gentlemen, nor is demand. 10 years...at least.
5. iPhone. Why the hell not? Except for the fact that the Orwellian phone carriers demand a piece of da pie for music downloads, the reason why the rumored-and-nearly-introduced Moto-Apple phone hasn't/won't come out. Do you really want to pay an extra 30 cents for a song that you can download to your mobile? At a slower download rate?? Hell...with all this DRM broohaha, you probably won't be able to transfer it back to even your own computer/media devices (Open Mobile Alliance (http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000860026496/), anyone?). Novel. Beautiful. As of the recent mobile carrier bulls%*t, probably not.

[broken_keyboard]

These analysts just show why they're analysts and not CEOs - they have no imagination.

[falcoboy7]

I got Business 2.0 and I have to say that those mock-ups look really nice. And I'm not sure why you ^ think they have no imagination... These people design stuff for a living. They live on imagination!

[d.perel]

Jobs also expressed doubts (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/01/20040108191333.shtml) about the sucess of portable video players, but didn't deny that they weren't working on such items in their labs.
IF they come out with a videoPod that has 18 hour battery life, and is really small, then I would buy it; regardless of whatever anyone has said so far. Maybe it will come out with those next-gen hard drives that use vertical magnetic things to hold data instead of horizontal ones to decrease space used...just being hopeful :rolleyes:
By the way, that iPod watch looked pretty cool (and impractical) :D

[jouster]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.


I dunno. There are quite a few devices that allow this already. None of them seems to be setting the market on fire. I guess we'll see if the PSP does any better.

Interestingly, however, Laptop magazine reports research it commissioned for this month's issue which suggests that up to 30-40% of respondents would be prepared to watch clips on their phones. This has really taken off in Asia, where the research was carried out - much more so than watching on dedicated devices. There is even a word for these clips: 'mobisodes,' so perhaps that's the future.

[Dagless]

1 Wireless iPod
2 vPod (Video iPod)
3 iHome (Media Center)
4 iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
5 iPhone (Apple Branded)


1) brilliant idea, but could be quite slow (FW at 400mbps? USB2 at +400mbps? BT/Airport at...? yea). i do see something like that happening. i predict a huge change in the iPod market when the next big thing comes along (probably wireless), that they will drop the white and opt for black. iPods are becoming too common now, re-kickstart the market Apple!
2) no way
3) possibly. a more 'wireless' mac mini (remote?) with TV-in and other more home friendly features
4) could tie in with Wireless iPod, streaming music to car stereo?
5) id buy it :D that could be the only phone that would switch me from Siemens.

and the watch? looks beautiful but it wouldnt last long on me, my current watch is a G-Shock effort and its extrememly tough. i need tough watches.

[GregA]

The picture of the "iHome" looks closer to what I think Apple could do on the phone front.

Forget 3G/GSM/CDMA phones. Think your normal home phones (and IP phones).

Stage 1 - make iChat AV able to make and receive phone calls with the normal phone network. Then add video chat capability with the other people providing video phones (ISDN, and the 3G mobile networks).

Stage 2 - make a phone that plugs into the home network instead of the phone socket. Put iChat AV on the phone. Give it a screen and small camera, and access to your Mac's address book.

Stage 3 - let the phone do anything an iPod can do. Then add Dashboard.

Stage 4 - make a wireless version of the above. So you can use your phone anywhere in your house, and in internet cafes too.

[Derekasaurus]

personally I'm hoping by the time my iPod needs to be replaced(either wears out or is completly filled) I'll be able to replace it with a 100gb blue tooth iPod, that would be pimp.

Bluetooth is a low-speed standard. It would take days to sync 100GB over BT. Even if you assume the first sync will be by wire, you'll still be waiting nearly a minute per song for updates. Wi-Fi, maybe, but that's another story with problems of its own. I hope Apple focuses on other innovations before wasting effort to replace one small white wire.

[jouster]

One thing I think worth pointing out is that if there ever is a video iPod, it won't be called a vPod. The name iPod is far too valuable in terms of brand recognition to ignore. That's why the mini isn't called the mPod, the shuffle isn't the sPod and the photo isn't called the pPod. Uh...aside from the unfortunate vegetable coincidence....

[ccuilla]

2 vPod (Video iPod)
3 iHome (Media Center)

2 no (jobs himself said its a dumb idea, video encoding takes longer than just watching, 2 inch screen would suck, etc.)
3 no (jobs says tv and computer wont mix, brain turns on while at computer, off while at tv)

2. How utterly uncreative of you...and you already have iPod photo to show you the way. Correct, no one is going to watch movies on a 2" screen...but they will on their 27-42" screens...with a cable...running from their iPod 100GB. Duh. Now was that so hard to envision.

3. How many people has so grossing extrapolated what Jobs has said about TV into either "Jobs hates TV" or "Apple won't do a TV-related product because you turn your brain off and Apple doesn't want you to do that". Baloney. He has merely pointed out the differences between the usage models of the two things (TV and computers). He hasn't necessarily indicated that one usage model is better or worse than the other...just that they are different...and that what is especially stupid is to not recognize this and build products that try (and fail) to serve both purposes. Sheesh.

[mark6051]

With airport extreme built into most of apples products these days. What about a wireless ipod with a miniaturised airport card built in. might be slightly longer or thicker and maybe a few grams heavier. It would sync as soon as you come within range of your apple desktop or laptop. and it would be hellishly faster than bluetooth ?

It could even be secure coded so you control who accesses it and when.

I don't see why that isn't technically possible, still to slow for wireless video though :(

[iGary]

Has anybody mentioned a PowerBook G5 yet?

Seriously though, none of the items discussed interests me aside from an iPod that I could put home movies on. Not only would I immediately buy the iPod video, but I would use iMovie and actually get a video camera. :D

Also, please, Santa Steve - a sub $2,000 dual 2.0, non crippled G5 Powermac this year. Thank you.

[Ferio]

How about keping the form factor of the iPod but essentially using it like a remote? What if the main screen was only for indexing and displaying the same info as the front of a DVD player and the controls did the play/pause/forward etc as they do now? Something like this (old model - http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/18/comdex.eyetrek.idg/) - but I am sure that Apple can do better with current technology. I am thinking something like the display that IBM featured in one of their TV ads a few years ago for portable computing. Lets face it, you won't be walking/driving around watching video (at least not legally).
With the compression available in Tiger you could fit quite a few movies on a 80GB or 100GB unit. Might get a bit thicker, but thats a good price to pay for the convenience.
But then - have you seen a DVD playback on a Sony PSP? Quite good for portable use and a nice form factor. Add Apples twist, good HD storage, .264 and it could be amazing.

[DTphonehome]

...tethered? wait...i thought the entire point of bluetooth headphones was for them to be wire less?



<SARCASM>
Wow, nothing gets past you, Sherlock. You should work for the FBI with your thought-provoking insight.
</SARCASM>

[egor]

Jobs hasn't actually fully answered the iHome idea. What he's said he is against is a combination of tv and computer, I agree on that, using a computer is not an event where you sit around with people. But a media centre is very different from that. Having a central server which records as well as picks up tv via cable, aerial or satellite and then transmits the data on demand to different nodes for each tv in a home is already half-popular... tivo was/is revolutionary and had it been released a few years later it would have been much more succesfull. Apart from a menu driven interface which would be no more complicated than that which your average digital set-top box gives you I think it is a very distant idea from that originally answered by Jobs.

[chameeeleon]

I think the PSP is going to prove that there's a market for a compact portable video player - consumers rebuying movies they already own on DVD on UMD just to watch on the go :S? If Apple came out with a widescreen iPod with a screen like the PSP's, a harddrive and a video-out, I know I'd buy it.

[GregA]

How about keping the form factor of the iPod but essentially using it like a remote? What if the main screen was only for indexing and displaying the same info as the front of a DVD player and the controls did the play/pause/forward etc as they do now? <snip>
With the compression available in Tiger you could fit quite a few movies on a 80GB or 100GB unit. Might get a bit thicker, but thats a good price to pay for the convenience.Have you noticed how fast the battery drains just showing slide shows? The battery life of the iPod RELIES on loading 4 or 5 songs into memory and spinning down the hard disk for 15 minutes, and any other function uses it up pretty fast.

I do like playing music from my computer straight to my stereo (and I'd like it even more with video!). If apple wants to make a remote control using wireless (or bluetooth) that is BASED on the look and feel of an iPod that'd be great, and I bet they can make it half the thickness of an iPod too.

[AndrewMT]

I always thought the idea of watching a movie on an ipod-sized device would be great - that's until I got my PSP. The PSP's screen is both large and beautiful for such a small device, but watching Spiderman 2 was quite uncomfortble. I either had to hold the PSP in my hand or lean it against something. If you watch the movie more than half-an-arm's length away, your eyes start to hurt as they try to focus on small details and action. If you hold the PSP while you watch, your neck and your arms (if they are not laying against something) get sore. I imagine Jobs has gone through several vPod prototypes and has come to the same conclusion.

Watching a movie on your TV via the video-out capabilities of the iPod Photo, however, would be a nice addition to the iPod's skimpy list of features.

[zv470]

I would love an Apple cellphone. It would return the cellphone to it's originally intended function: to make and receive calls.

My dream phone would have:
01) no camera (until it's compatible with iChat AV)
02) no mp3 (edit: well I guess it could)
03) seamless outer-casing so no dust can get behind the buttons
04) trackpad style buttons
05) no screen (just kidding) :D
06) bluetooth iSync integration (and something similar for Windows users)
07) no moving parts
08) no flashing lights
09) the backlight would fade out nicely like the iPod back light
10) read-only mode* (which would activate after some in-activity)

*Instead of keylock the phone would have a read-only mode, that disables accidental call making or modification of information. You could still view information on the phone with no need to hit un-keylock all the time.

11) shuffle mode: randomly call a friend. ( :D sorry couldn't resist)
12) and time sync with you computer clock.

any thoughts? :)

[zv470]

I agree with you AndrewMT. Watching a movie on a small screen is not practical. But I think I could watch TV programs on an iPod video.

Imagine:

The Dock for the "iPod video" could be connected to a video source so you could record TV programs onto a tiny hard drive (which is inside the dock).

When you come home, you connect the iPod to the dock to transfer the programs so you can watch them on your way to work or at work. :D

[broken_keyboard]

I got Business 2.0 and I have to say that those mock-ups look really nice. And I'm not sure why you ^ think they have no imagination... These people design stuff for a living. They live on imagination!

Yeah, they are nicely drawn pictures, but these ideas:

Wireless iPod
vPod (Video iPod)
iHome (Media Center)
iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
iPhone (Apple Branded)

are things anyone could think of, given the current Apple range.

[Mechcozmo]

Also, please, Santa Steve - a sub $2,000 dual 2.0, non crippled G5 Powermac this year. Thank you.

That would be far more welcome than a PowerBook G5! Please, Steve! Please! It can't be that hard, can it?

I would love an Apple cellphone. It would return the cellphone to it's originally intended function: to make and receive calls.

My dream phone would have:
01) no camera (until it's compatible with iChat AV)
02) no mp3 (edit: well I guess it could)
03) seamless outer-casing so no dust can get behind the buttons
04) trackpad style buttons
05) no screen (just kidding) :D
06) bluetooth iSync integration (and something similar for Windows users)
07) no moving parts
08) no flashing lights
09) the backlight would fade out nicely like the iPod back light
10) read-only mode* (which would activate after some in-activity)

*Instead of keylock the phone would have a read-only mode, that disables accidental call making or modification of information. You could still view information on the phone with no need to hit un-keylock all the time.

11) shuffle mode: randomly call a friend. ( :D sorry couldn't resist)
12) and time sync with you computer clock.

any thoughts? :)

Most of those ideas are actually pretty good... save for #11 and #5...

[crees!]

I'm not a serious gamer, but I played with the new PSP (PlayStation Portable) this week. Man, that thing is SWEET. No harddisk but it uses mini CDs for the games and also has a flash memory slot. I came with a sampler CD that had about 10 music videos on it (widescreen). You can store mp3s and photos too. The graphics are amazing in my opinion. Even though this is more of a gaming device, Sony definitely has the jump on Apple in creating a "video iPod" and with some style. I'm seriously considering buying one of these suckers cause they're that cool.

[pimentoLoaf]

i want an iToaster, iWaffler and iHibachi -- all with a Sage green...

... whaddya mean they don't have colored Mac products anymore?

[blueflame]

Ive had this idea of waht the video ipod looked like ever since they first rounded the ipod edges.
I imagine the exact ipod look as no, less the wheel...
now dont panic
the screen is almost the entire face of the ipod, widescreen
on the side, or in the case of watching movies the top... there would be a single liniar touchpad like thing, kind of like the new RIO's, but white or grey and most of the side, with parts of the touchpad that could be pressed down much like the click wheel.
headphone port the same, and hold.
optional clip on stand. with Bluetooth and mabye sattilite? delivering h.264 content streaming from the sattilites.
downside? 2 hr battery.


hey, if anyone could make a really nice mock up of this it would make me really happy.
andreas

[shabbasuraj]

TRUE iPDA device

multi-button laser mouse

G6...

PERHAPS NOT...

[jared_kipe]

The phone is nice, video ipod would be nice, but oh man do I want a sweet apple watch that has weather and stocks, or just a watch. I love me an apple watch.

[Scottgfx]

It's not the first time something like this has been done either. MacWorld, many years ago, paid FrogDesign to do some mock-ups of future Mac systems.

The Business 2.0 article is interesting to me because the designer is a former Apple design director. When I look at those designs, I see the 20th Anniversary Mac and the Pismo Powerbook. Bob may not be the flavor-of-the-month at Apple right now, but I still find his designs to be quite fetching. Two different design philosophies, and neither one is more valid than the other. There is an excellent book on the Apple Design Group. I believe redlightrunner.com still sells it. Probably Amazon too.

Speaking of design; I was looking at the hilarious Microsoft document of picking the "right" MP3 player. Why the heck are their chosen players telling me what format, bitrate, and other useless info on the devices LCD display. While I'm out jogging, I'm gonna look down and say, "Holy Crap!, I'm listening to a WMA at 64kb/s!!!". (OK, if I jogged) :)

Nope, not at all. Published because it was a slow news day. As noted in my writeup, I don't put much credence into the article... it's just the usual wishful thinking.

arn

[aussie_geek]

Seriously, where is Apple going with things like this. Soon we will have a special iPod for everything. Imagine having an iPod on your watch, one to take photo's on and then another one to access all of your stuff at home? Come on - that's getting ridiculous!! :rolleyes:

If all of these iPods are released, it would be a tough job to keep track of what's on each one... Hang on, we would have a G5Pod for that :p

aussie_geek

[Platform]

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

:D

That would be real nice :D Running Xgrid on a few :rolleyes:

But can apple come out with a few new computers instead of iPod's it is just too much iPod :(

[aafuss1]

Scottgfx-your post was great-especially considering the mockups/ideas posted at Business 2.0 were from a former Apple design director.

Video iPod-no, because of legal concerns (didn't SJ say something about this when the iPod photo was announced), because unlike photos, with movies, you don't often have the copyright to it and piracy as well.

[eXan]

I dont think that iPod's CPU can handle video decoding, especially H.264 :(

[joe90]

Apple needs to hook up with Kenwood or Alpine and make an in-dash head unit with a flip down face that has a slot to insert ipods into. Higher level models could have a touch-face 7' screen and the full version of itunes to access your library with, plus some kind of bluetooth internet connectivity via a phone to access the iTunes music store while on the road. How cool would that be to be driving down the road and hear a song you like on the radio, and buy it right there on the spot from the music store. Other cool things they could do would be in-car navigation where the road atlases would be stored on your iPod, and could be bought through the music store. You could use your iPhoto library as a screensaver, or watch your iMovie content when in park. Probably wouldn't be cheap... but I'm sure many of you out there would buy one if it was available.

I have been yearning for something like this ever since iPods first came out. The face could flip down, and you insert the iPod like a cassette. The iPod gets pulled in, face flips back up, and you are ready to go. If I had any knowledge of electrical/electronics engineering, I would have made one of these already.

this would be a better idea than the bt/wireless streaming to the car hi-fi as you wouldn't have to worry about the battery life as it could be made to charge from the car's battery. believe me, there are few things more annoying than ur ipod running out of battery half way through a big road trip... :mad:

with a totally integrated system like this, you also wouldn't have to fool around with positioning the ipod on the dash and making sure the charging cable avoids wrapping itself around the gearstick on its way to the cigarette lighter. again, v annoying.

if apple made something like this, with or without the likes of Kenwood or Alpine, i think it could potentially be a v nice earner...

[inkswamp]

The article was cute, but so gadget-oriented as to elicit a complete "who cares" from me. I don't think Apple will do anything like any of these items. In a curious way, the article is sort of a microcosm of the electronics world and encapsulates exactly what's wrong with most consumer electronics companies: gadget first, need second.

It seems to me that a lot of companies are fixated on creating a snazzy gadget first and foremost... and who cares if it does a good job filling a real-world need. If it looks great and does a modicum of cool stuff, people will buy 'em up. That may be true for a while, but it peters out. Think PDAs. Think non-Apple mp3 players. Think cell phones with cameras. This stuff seems neat at first, but goes away because it doesn't fill an actual need or it only fills it partly.

Apple always talks and thinks (it seems to me) in terms of filling a need first and foremost. Then, they find the best, most thorough, most convenient and intuitive way to fill that need, and then design software and hardware to accommodate it all.

All of these items in the article strikes me as having that old neat-at-first-but-what-real-need-does-it-fill problem.

[Chappers]

The article was cute, but so gadget-oriented as to elicit a complete "who cares" from me. I don't think Apple will do anything like any of these items. In a curious way, the article is sort of a microcosm of the electronics world and encapsulates exactly what's wrong with most consumer electronics companies: gadget first, need second.

It seems to me that a lot of companies are fixated on creating a snazzy gadget first and foremost... and who cares if it does a good job filling a real-world need. If it looks great and does a modicum of cool stuff, people will buy 'em up. That may be true for a while, but it peters out. Think PDAs. Think non-Apple mp3 players. Think cell phones with cameras. This stuff seems neat at first, but goes away because it doesn't fill an actual need or it only fills it partly.

Apple always talks and thinks (it seems to me) in terms of filling a need first and foremost. Then, they find the best, most thorough, most convenient and intuitive way to fill that need, and then design software and hardware to accommodate it all.

All of these items in the article strikes me as having that old neat-at-first-but-what-real-need-does-it-fill problem.

Well said. Now if Apple where just to advertise then we would be in business.

[Dagless]

The article was cute, but so gadget-oriented as to elicit a complete "who cares" from me. I don't think Apple will do anything like any of these items. In a curious way, the article is sort of a microcosm of the electronics world and encapsulates exactly what's wrong with most consumer electronics companies: gadget first, need second.

It seems to me that a lot of companies are fixated on creating a snazzy gadget first and foremost... and who cares if it does a good job filling a real-world need. If it looks great and does a modicum of cool stuff, people will buy 'em up. That may be true for a while, but it peters out. Think PDAs. Think non-Apple mp3 players. Think cell phones with cameras. This stuff seems neat at first, but goes away because it doesn't fill an actual need or it only fills it partly.

Apple always talks and thinks (it seems to me) in terms of filling a need first and foremost. Then, they find the best, most thorough, most convenient and intuitive way to fill that need, and then design software and hardware to accommodate it all.

All of these items in the article strikes me as having that old neat-at-first-but-what-real-need-does-it-fill problem.

amen.

I bought a Siemens M55 when there were clearly better phones out there because i didnt want a massive 16million colour screen, or a little 640x480 camera, or MP3 playing abilities. its like the PSP, shove all the features we can find into a device but have them weaker than thier seperate counterparts.

when a 5MP camera phone is released and it costs the same as a regular phone then ill probably buy one, just for the occasional snap and all ;).

but yea to echo your point; people are too caught up with gadget first, needs second.

[bl0nde_uk]

I would love to see Apple make an iHome media center device, and these are the features that would convince me to buy:
Built in hard drive: ~200 gb? Size doesn't matter that much, so long as its big enough to record a reasonable amount of TV programming
Optical Drive/recorder: maybe Apple would go with a Blu-Ray drive as they recently signed joined the Blu-Ray board; I would settle for a simple DVD player/recorder to archive those TV programs stored on the hard disk
Wireless streaming facilities: Ability to stream music (inc. iTMS files) from iTunes, slideshows from iPhoto and video from your Movies directory/iMovie. Would maybe require some sort of software component installed on the Mac(s) you intend on streaming from to manage this. Maybe the streaming could work two ways, and you could stream recorded content from the iHome to your Macs around the house.
Basic internet browsing/email facilities? Not essential, some people would find it useful, but as Steve said, you don't want to be doing too much while at the TV.

Any other suggestions?

[mikeymo]

I have a hunch/conspiracy theory/whatever that in the long term, we will see the iPod become much more useful than just an MP3 player/general storage device...this is all just wild fantasy, but imagine if you could store your entire desktop on your iPod; i.e., you dock your iPod at a Mac, log in, and your desktop appears - same apps, settings, documents, music, etc. Whenever you log back into your "home" Mac, it syncs any changes made, and backs up to it via iSync.

Obviously, differing hardware between different Macs will be a problem, but the idea of having your entire system essentially in your pocket, is for me, kinda tasty :)

[GregA]

Seriously, where is Apple going with things like this. Soon we will have a special iPod for everything. Imagine having an iPod on your watch, one to take photo's on and then another one to access all of your stuff at home? Come on - that's getting ridiculous!!Hey, Sony sells computers, and walkmen, and home stereos, and video cameras, and mobile phones, and VCRs, and TVs, and so on.... is that ridiculous?

Similarly, there's plenty of scope for an Apple that makes computers and "other stuff". It's not 5 (or more) versions of an iPod, but 5 Apple devices to enhance our lives, centrally managed and synced to a computer. At the moment, since they wouldn't be Macs, nobody knows what to call them except "iPods"....

That's how I read it anyway.

[tny]

I always thought the idea of watching a movie on an ipod-sized device would be great - that's until I got my PSP. The PSP's screen is both large and beautiful for such a small device, but watching Spiderman 2 was quite uncomfortble. I either had to hold the PSP in my hand or lean it against something. If you watch the movie more than half-an-arm's length away, your eyes start to hurt as they try to focus on small details and action. If you hold the PSP while you watch, your neck and your arms (if they are not laying against something) get sore. I imagine Jobs has gone through several vPod prototypes and has come to the same conclusion.

Watching a movie on your TV via the video-out capabilities of the iPod Photo, however, would be a nice addition to the iPod's skimpy list of features.

A very good point. The other possibility would be a video iPod with a clamshell form-factor. The micro-laptop there have been rumors about might do it: a small computer with a cool G3 processor (say around 400-500 MHz), a 7 in. 720x480 LCD touchscreen, a 100 GB iPod-sized drive, a stylus, a keyboard and touch pad, Tiger, Inkwell, and the iPod port, one FW400, one USB, and an audio/video out, 256 MB RAM, Airport Extreme, 5 hours of battery life, selling for say $699-$799 (basically, we're talking about combining an iPod photo, an Airport Express, and an old iBook). No optical drive: you hook it up to your Mac mini or PowerMac or iBook with the iPod cable and install from that optical drive.

Edit: come to think of it, the FW400 isn't necessary, thanks to the iPod port.

Second Edit: Now I've got it. No keyboard. There's a USB port! Bluetooth might be nice, but now we're getting above the $799 price limit I've set. Make the front lid just strong enough to serve as a stand, folded back under the screen - the feet on the stand could serve to space the screen a little from the lid. A click-wheel to the left of the screen - might need to reduce the screen a little. Put back the FW400, but with an iLink-style interface (for use with your video camera - make the iBook mini relate to your video camera the way iPod photo does to your still camera). Simplify the finder a bit - base it on the simplified finder in OS X, but make it more modal (but allow power users to access the normal finder and the terminal). No need for the mini-VGA plug of the iBook, or the power supply plug.

[Urban67]

I think a video ipod would be great when sitting on the buss. Plus if there will come a video ipod Apple would have to put a bigger screen on the ipod wich would be great for playimg games on.

[ziwi]

It is all pure conjecture - some of the ideas are good - I doubt the products mentioned would look like the renderings either. Only time will really tell what apple has up their sleeve. It is quite interesting that there was no future of a Mac - foreseen...will Apple move out of that space???

[jwhitnah]

These analysts just show why they're analysts and not CEOs - they have no imagination.

You can just smell their stale thoughts. vPod? Come onnnn. With that reasoning the iPod Photo should have been named pPod! iHome; iDoubt it. Didn't they get the memo about it being a styrofoam (sp?) mockup in an elevator? "News" and "Industry Analysts" organizations have a spectacular record of getting it wrong. When I want to see what Apple has up its sleeve, only 3-5 rumor sites get it right--macrumors being one of the top. The best Apple analysts are the people reading my post right now. End of rant. Hey Arn, is there a spell check on this thing?

[Philsy]

Why so much negativity to an Apple mobile phone? Seems a great idea to me - I'd have one. The market is huge too - everyone has a phone but not everyone has an MP3 player.

[jwhitnah]

I think a video ipod would be great when sitting on the buss. Plus if there will come a video ipod Apple would have to put a bigger screen on the ipod wich would be great for playimg games on.
But using it would be a chore. The initial iPod setup takes a while to fill the iPod. Thereafter syncing takes minimal time. Can you imagine adding a couple of movies? Glacial. Then watching it. I'd need a loop. The only good I see in adding this feature would be to "add more features." It may disuade people from buying the competition but in reality, I think it is silly. Like voice recording. Maybe the engineers can figure out a way for it to toast bread. FM seems reasonable though. Just my 2 cents.

[jwhitnah]

Why so much negativity to an Apple mobile phone? Seems a great idea to me - I'd have one. The market is huge too - everyone has a phone but not everyone has an MP3 player.

I'm sure it would be cool. Making iTMS available would be enough for me. If they did, I think many companies would line up to get iTunes on thir phones. Another way to crush the competition. If you have a proprietary (sp?) phone, I worry Apple would be tempted to make iTune exclusive to an Apple phone. I don't see them taking over the cell market so that would keep other competitors alive. Seems like software would be more effective.

[jwhitnah]

Hey, Sony sells computers, and walkmen, and home stereos, and video cameras, and mobile phones, and VCRs, and TVs, and so on.... is that ridiculous?

Similarly, there's plenty of scope for an Apple that makes computers and "other stuff". It's not 5 (or more) versions of an iPod, but 5 Apple devices to enhance our lives, centrally managed and synced to a computer. At the moment, since they wouldn't be Macs, nobody knows what to call them except "iPods"....

That's how I read it anyway.
Well Sony does it all, but many would argue, they don't do it well anymore.

[Philsy]

Well Sony does it all, but many would argue, they don't do it well anymore.

An excellent opportunity, then, for Apple to do a better job ;)

[SiliconAddict]

wow.

http://i.timeinc.net/b2/images/mag/apr2005/apr2005_70c_200x258.jpg


Those number are really starting to make Mac sales look sad. Here's hoping that the mini fixes that problem.

[finchna]

vPod--YES!

There's much more to video than theater movies. Think about your 20 oe 30 minute bus/train commute, last nights sitcom or drama or this morning's news (or whatever you want from the listings) automatically downloaded to your vPod, take the vPod off the FW connector, hop on the bus/train and your choice of watching the program or listening to music. This isn't a replacement for a home theater system as an iPod isn't a replacement for a home stereo (or live music/theater)--merely a way to take some of that experience with you.

[wrldwzrd89]

vPod--YES!

There's much more to video than theater movies. Think about your 20 oe 30 minute bus/train commute, last nights sitcom or drama or this morning's news (or whatever you want from the listings) automatically downloaded to your vPod, take the vPod off the FW connector, hop on the bus/train and your choice of watching the program or listening to music. This isn't a replacement for a home theater system as an iPod isn't a replacement for a home stereo (or live music/theater)--merely a way to take some of that experience with you.
I'd only get one if it supported FireWire 1600 or faster to overcome the large file size/slow synchronization issue.

[kirk26]

iPod Brain-integrated iPod in your head with usb port (firewire extra $)

[bl0nde_uk]

vPod--YES!

There's much more to video than theater movies. Think about your 20 oe 30 minute bus/train commute, last nights sitcom or drama or this morning's news (or whatever you want from the listings) automatically downloaded to your vPod, take the vPod off the FW connector, hop on the bus/train and your choice of watching the program or listening to music. This isn't a replacement for a home theater system as an iPod isn't a replacement for a home stereo (or live music/theater)--merely a way to take some of that experience with you.

I don't buy it. I think that having a video playback feature on an iPod would only be as a kind of novelty. Two of my friends have Gminis, and when I ask them how often they use the video feature, they say they only really use it on planes when they've gone on holiday, and they don't use it on bus/train journeys for fear of having it stolen - listening to music with an iPod safely in your pocket is very different to having a $500 gadget out in front of you in full view of everyone. :rolleyes:

[hulugu]

I would like iPod intergration in Land Rovers. Hopefully if they did that it would be by the time I buy a new Rangey. All though there are so few people who buy them there is no good way of connecting an iPod. I wonder if Apple could do something with a BT iPod where you can listen to music through your BT phone system in your car.

Hey Basile,

What about the head units Alpine makes? Just plug in and go like BMW, etc.

[hulugu]

A very good point. The other possibility would be a video iPod with a clamshell form-factor. The micro-laptop there have been rumors about might do it: a small computer with a cool G3 processor (say around 400-500 MHz), a 7 in. 720x480 LCD touchscreen, a 100 GB iPod-sized drive, a stylus, a keyboard and touch pad, Tiger, Inkwell, and the iPod port, one FW400, one USB, and an audio/video out, 256 MB RAM, Airport Extreme, 5 hours of battery life, selling for say $699-$799 (basically, we're talking about combining an iPod photo, an Airport Express, and an old iBook). No optical drive: you hook it up to your Mac mini or PowerMac or iBook with the iPod cable and install from that optical drive.

Edit: come to think of it, the FW400 isn't necessary, thanks to the iPod port.

Second Edit: Now I've got it. No keyboard. There's a USB port! Bluetooth might be nice, but now we're getting above the $799 price limit I've set. Make the front lid just strong enough to serve as a stand, folded back under the screen - the feet on the stand could serve to space the screen a little from the lid. A click-wheel to the left of the screen - might need to reduce the screen a little. Put back the FW400, but with an iLink-style interface (for use with your video camera - make the iBook mini relate to your video camera the way iPod photo does to your still camera). Simplify the finder a bit - base it on the simplified finder in OS X, but make it more modal (but allow power users to access the normal finder and the terminal). No need for the mini-VGA plug of the iBook, or the power supply plug.

::Ooohh pretty::
I think the iPod has to evolve, and I'm wondering how long it will be before we see a resurrection of the Newton. People are allowing computers to become a larger part of their lives and having a device that is the jack-of-all-trades like a laptop but without the extra bulk and heft of optical drives, etc. I think you've got something. I'm thinking of something about the length/width of a 12" iBook, but thinner with just a G3 proc and a 80+ HD, using Inkwell, but with the iPod connector (solves lots of problems at once), BT and wireless. It could truly be for the video/photographer on the go, but also for graphic designers and students. Not a tablet, but a Powerbook Mini. I really, really like this idea.

I have a hunch/conspiracy theory/whatever that in the long term, we will see the iPod become much more useful than just an MP3 player/general storage device...this is all just wild fantasy, but imagine if you could store your entire desktop on your iPod; i.e., you dock your iPod at a Mac, log in, and your desktop appears - same apps, settings, documents, music, etc. Whenever you log back into your "home" Mac, it syncs any changes made, and backs up to it via iSync.

Obviously, differing hardware between different Macs will be a problem, but the idea of having your entire system essentially in your pocket, is for me, kinda tasty :)

This idea has been talked about before and if given the right application could be very cool, but maybe would allow more 'sneaker-netting' than Jobs is comfortable with.

[SPUY767]

I'd only get one if it supported FireWire 1600 or faster to overcome the large file size/slow synchronization issue.

The Firewire interface is not the bottleneck on iPod Transfers, it never has been. It's the speed of the iPod's HD. Simple fact is, unless you want a three pount iPod with a SATA 7200RPM drive, then Any Firewire faster than 400Mbps is absolutely worthless.

[Toe]

But can apple come out with a few new computers instead of iPod's it is just too much iPod :(
Does Apple sell computers?

If you go to http://www.apple.com/hardware/ you'll see a link for "New TV Ads. See Apple’s latest television commercials." So you might think that that would show you ads for Apple's various hardware offerings. Instead, it points directly to http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/ as if Apple's only hardware is the iPod.

Aren't people sick of dancing silhouettes by now? Might Apple just possibly advertise Tiger or, gasp, the Mac mini? Or what about the PowerBook? The current PBs are best computers ever made, being marvels of engineering and hardware-software integration. And PowerBook is still a powerful brand name.

Or wouldn't it be nice to see Apple come out with brand new hardware concepts that don't have Pod anywhere in the name?

Yeah, I already posted this in another thread, but it bears repeating. Doesn't anyone else want to see Apple producing Macs?

[Misplaced Mage]

I'm sure it would be cool. Making iTMS available would be enough for me. If they did, I think many companies would line up to get iTunes on thir phones. Another way to crush the competition. If you have a proprietary (sp?) phone, I worry Apple would be tempted to make iTune exclusive to an Apple phone. I don't see them taking over the cell market so that would keep other competitors alive. Seems like software would be more effective.Actually, it increasingly looks like putting iTunes on a phone is a stumbling block from the carriers' perspective; see the various threads on the delay of the introduction of the Motorola iTunes phone. The ability to download songs directly from your computer to the phone would directly impact the amount of airtime or the flat fee you'd spend to download it as a ringtone, and 99 cents per song is actually a third of what's presently being charged for some ringtones (not even the entire song!). Hence the understandable (if undesirable, from our viewpoint) foot-dragging by the carriers, who are actually Motorola's customers.

Personally, I think the carriers are really going to push a streaming media susbscription model as they deploy the new high-speed networks. Steady income from subscription fees, and possibly airtime charges on top of that -- what's not to like? :(

[Misplaced Mage]

Or wouldn't it be nice to see Apple come out with brand new hardware concepts that don't have Pod anywhere in the name?True, but I'm willing to put up with dancing silhouettes if it subsidizes the development of other Mac hardware and software.

[Toe]

Actually, it increasingly looks like putting iTunes on a phone is a stumbling block from the carriers' perspective; see the various threads on the delay of the introduction of the Motorola iTunes phone. The ability to download songs directly from your computer to the phone would directly impact the amount of airtime or the flat fee you'd spend to download it as a ringtone, and 99 cents per song is actually a third of what's presently being charged for some ringtones (not even the entire song!). Hence the understandable (if undesirable, from our viewpoint) foot-dragging by the carriers, who are actually Motorola's customers.
Personally, I could care less if my phone can play music.

But if Apple made a phone, I would buy it in a second. My motivations would be both seamless integration with my Mac and classic Apple design concept (ie, that it would be killer cool and easy to use).

If you free the phone from the MP3 junk, new universes explode into view. Why not an IP phone that works off your home broadband connection, then can travel around on any modern network, regardless of protocol? Why not a phone that fits on your wrist? Why not a phone that can take natural qwerty input with fingers, not thumbs? Or, hey, why not take voice input?

Currently phones are promoted for their earth-shaking capabilities like being able to download ringtones! And change faceplates! Oooh, and maybe being able to broadcast video of your nostrils to your friends! Wow! Those are so awesome, I can't keep awake! Now a phone that is a fully capable internet appliance and that I can use anywhere on any network... that's an eyebrow raiser.

[frankzeg]

I'll give you some ideas based on my version of some problems that need to be fixed:

1) I understand that people don't think that Apple should get into the telephony business BUT my experience with new cell phones is that their user interface just plain SUCKS. Teensy weensy buttons, endless menus, tedious methods to get images out of the thing and tedious methods to put data into the thing. No guarantee of interoperability with other devices in terms of moving data back and forth etc. Sure you CAN do this stuff but frankly I've got more to do than futz with some arcane menu system with a physical interface optimized for Japanese schoolgirls. And they are expensive to boot. During extended use you wonder if they even HAD a thermal control engineer on staff to do the analysis required to assure that people's ears aren't accidentally fused to the phone. Apple should partner in a serious way with some telecom company and engineer a state of the art phone with an iPod like interface. It should use iSync and .mac services to maintain seamless updating of contacts etc. If it can interface with or substitute for my ipod so much the better.

2) Apple should use the head of steam they have to rework the digital rights for DVD's such that a legal and clear path is laid for you to duplicate these disks' contents and place them on selected devices which have the best practical piracy protection. They have the horsepower and technical/legal know-how to accomplish the equivalent of ITMS for video/movies. No one else out there has a track record in this regard. The interface for itunes/iphoto should be the guide for cataloging and selecting these videos. I have an increasing number of DVDs and would dearly like to be able to take them ALL with me when we go on travel without having to pick through them. Of course this is not going to happen overnight but in a few years compression method efficiencies and mass storage devices capacities will have grown to the point where this is trivial to accomplish. There is no way I would watch them on some puny screen but I WOULD plug my ipod video into a laptop and watch them that way. I suspect that many folks do just what I do when it comes to what is on my laptop as opposed to my ipod. Ipod contains temporary files and can be maxed out without consequence. Laptop should be clear of most junk and must have plenty of available storage for real work etc. You say "who wants to schlep a laptop all over the place?" Yes this is a burden but on a recent multiweek trip we noticed that a large percentage of people now bring their laptops not only for work but for vacation- to allow playing with their digital cameras, video etc. And not surprisingly- to watch videos on!

3) IRemote. The ipod interface should be adapted for ultimate control over your TV and especially satellite TV receivers. The interface for our Dish receiver is pathetic and tedious in the extreme to search through. It would be great if the index for the next 10 hours of shows were synced with my ipod which I could then scroll wheel though in about two seconds and push play. I could then easily assign various genre's ( as in itunes) to various channels and take control of the 500 channels of "***** on the TV to choose from". Clearly this could be directly extended to Tivo and other related archive systems. No one has made a concrete step towards eliminating wasteful and redundant remotes at reasonable cost.

Other areas that need technical investment/ could use some help:
Projector systems that are compact, light, QUIET, bright and instantly compatible with whatever is driving them.
Small home/home office networks which extend beyond Airport complexity but which do not require a specialty degree to set up and operate.
Wireless integration/control of boring devices such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, furnaces, airconditioning, lighting, air handling, solar electric/ solar thermal collectors/storage systems which will become increasingly complex as energy prices rise. Systems we have now are pathetic and proprietary.


In general Apple should apply themselves to maintaining their core businesses but should consider forays into areas where there is a clear lack of technical competence or highly restricted thinking is obvious as evidenced by widespread incompatibility, restricted capabilities, high cost etc. It is the belief that if they make it "it will work" that is a foundation for their success. They are one of the few corporations that can fuse the technical with the legal and logistical to come up with effective, integrated solutions. Most other players are one-dimensional, lack any sort of real vision and are starved by low margins on commodity products. These sort of companies will not be true innovators- Apple is pretty much alone in this regard. They should leverage this capability to the max.

[wdlove]

True, but I'm willing to put up with dancing silhouettes if it subsidizes the development of other Mac hardware and software.

That is my exact feeling also. It does seem that a lot of time is being spent on music. Apple needs to get back on track offering us some long over due updates.

[legacyb4]

While all the iPod ideas are neat, they only become practical being married to a device like a phone if battery life is significantly improved or future iPod-related items are driven more and more by flash memory...

[wrldwzrd89]

The Firewire interface is not the bottleneck on iPod Transfers, it never has been. It's the speed of the iPod's HD. Simple fact is, unless you want a three pount iPod with a SATA 7200RPM drive, then Any Firewire faster than 400Mbps is absolutely worthless.
I appreciate the insight, SPUY767. I guess this means that unless something can be done to make the hard drive keep up while not sacrificing battery life, a video iPod will remain wholly impractical.

[ASP272]

I guarantee you we'll have a video iPod before Christmas. With the new HD codec with Quicktime on the iPod photo. Oh yes, it'll happen. Oh yes indeed! :D

[SPUY767]

Pardon the harsh wording, I'm just a generally grating person, it's part of my charm. I also like to make people on blogs angry, it's kind of funny. But you honestly did hit the nail on the hear right there. Two things dictate the utter craptasticness of PVPs (portable video players). The first is the fact that the screen in two inches and most of the content that you could play on them is enough to get you a $500,000.00 fine, and up to five years in a federal penetentary. The second is battery life. In general it would suck massively on any Portabler video player/recorder with decent quality for two reasons. One, The hard drive required to record video at a rate acceptable for viewing on anything but the included 2" screen would be too much of a strain. Two, The processor would be taxed quite heavily a all times while en/decoding, and would thu eat battery liife constantly. Having tested H.264 with the Tiger beta, it works great. . . On a Dual 2.5 G5. On a portable, probably not so much, at least on the encoding end. At any rate you get the point of the post now so I'm gonna go sit on my thumb.

[garotemonkey]

2. How utterly uncreative of you...and you already have iPod photo to show you the way. Correct, no one is going to watch movies on a 2" screen...but they will on their 27-42" screens...with a cable...running from their iPod 100GB. Duh. Now was that so hard to envision.

No, he's right. Why would I want to go through this, when I can just PUT A DVD IN THE DVD PLAYER?

3. How many people has so grossing extrapolated what Jobs has said about TV into either "Jobs hates TV" or "Apple won't do a TV-related product because you turn your brain off and Apple doesn't want you to do that". Baloney. He has merely pointed out the differences between the usage models of the two things (TV and computers). He hasn't necessarily indicated that one usage model is better or worse than the other...just that they are different...and that what is especially stupid is to not recognize this and build products that try (and fail) to serve both purposes. Sheesh.

Certainly! And yet this purpose is accomplished already, with little USB2 boxes that you can buy right now, that will do everything a TiVo does. You plug your cable company wire into one end, plug the other end into the computer. Watch TV on your high-quality Apple-branded display, or use the factory-supplied dongle to export it to a regular TV. No new products neccessary. Want to take it with you? Transfer it onto your iBook.

[Techobo]

Wireless iPod would be cool, but is it really that big of a deal to plug it in? I mean you still have to plug it in to charge the battery...

[GregA]

I appreciate the insight, SPUY767. I guess this means that unless something can be done to make the hard drive keep up while not sacrificing battery life, a video iPod will remain wholly impractical.Back a few years ago mp3s were the big thing for music. In the video world, that's now "DiVX", which are quite similar to H264, though I would imagine H264 will be slightly better.

If you chat to someone about pirate TV shows you'll learn (as I did) that a TV episode (about 43 minutes long?) takes 350MB. I just made a sample 350MB file and copied it to my iPod, it takes about 45 seconds.

(Now... Firewire's 400Mbps means 50MB per second, so 350MB should be 7 seconds right? I know I'm missing something here... anyway....)

I think that kind of transfer is quite feasible in syncing. It's slower for sure. The issue for PORTABILITY remains that the iPod battery isn't good enough - but an Apple device in your home for watching video is quite possible - even watching a video via Airport would be possible at that file size.

[SPUY767]

Back a few years ago mp3s were the big thing for music. In the video world, that's now "DiVX", which are quite similar to H264, though I would imagine H264 will be slightly better.

If you chat to someone about pirate TV shows you'll learn (as I did) that a TV episode (about 43 minutes long?) takes 350MB. I just made a sample 350MB file and copied it to my iPod, it takes about 45 seconds.

(Now... Firewire's 400Mbps means 50MB per second, so 350MB should be 7 seconds right? I know I'm missing something here... anyway....)

I think that kind of transfer is quite feasible in syncing. It's slower for sure. The issue for PORTABILITY remains that the iPod battery isn't good enough - but an Apple device in your home for watching video is quite possible - even watching a video via Airport would be possible at that file size.

The issue was with recorded video and Bandwidth. The big thing is processor tech. The processors have to really grind to decompress the audio and video, or compress for that matter, and it kills batteries. And can we please stop blaming the end manufacturer for battery life etc. They all use 3rd party stuff, you said, "Apple's batteries." Well, last time I checked, apple didn't make batteries, someone else did, and everyone in the industry uses primarily the same battery tech, so it would perform just as poorly on any proprietary system. That is until someone develops an earth shattering battery technology that gets recharged from the heat generated by the friction of rubbing you're new techno-toy against your pelvis. God I ramble.

Don't forget, I was responding to the foolish arguments made in his post, not saying that it was a bottleneck for the video. It's the bottleneck for the transfer systems. He also mentioned that syncing up would take a long time, a rather stupid argument such that it doesn't take any longer to transfer 30 gigs of movies than it does to transfer 30 gigs of Mp3s. All in all, his post was without the slightest scrap of merit, as was mine. Do keep in mind that I engage in ravenous speculation, and inflammatory comments for my own entertainment.

over and out

[wrldwzrd89]

Back a few years ago mp3s were the big thing for music. In the video world, that's now "DiVX", which are quite similar to H264, though I would imagine H264 will be slightly better.

If you chat to someone about pirate TV shows you'll learn (as I did) that a TV episode (about 43 minutes long?) takes 350MB. I just made a sample 350MB file and copied it to my iPod, it takes about 45 seconds.

(Now... Firewire's 400Mbps means 50MB per second, so 350MB should be 7 seconds right? I know I'm missing something here... anyway....)

I think that kind of transfer is quite feasible in syncing. It's slower for sure. The issue for PORTABILITY remains that the iPod battery isn't good enough - but an Apple device in your home for watching video is quite possible - even watching a video via Airport would be possible at that file size.
What you're missing is that Mbps (megabits per second) and MB (megabytes) aren't quite the same. One megabyte equals eight megabits - this explains the difference you noticed.

[SPUY767]

What you're missing is that Mbps (megabits per second) and MB (megabytes) aren't quite the same. One megabyte equals eight megabits - this explains the difference you noticed.

Nope, I think he pretty much put it in the ol' fruit basket when he said 400mbps is 50MBps, he clearly understands the difference. Try again.

[Rezon]

I personally would like wireless video, like AirTunes. I'd like to be able to stream video and audio over to my airport express so I can watch DVDs or other videos on my home system without plugging the computer in.

Seems like the next logical step for Airport Express. *shrug*

[Scottgfx]

Look at it this way... Before the Macintosh, Apple sold other computer systems I too hope for better Mac sales, but I don't hate Apple for making money in a new venture. If anything, the iPod has been beneficial to the Mac.

I currently hope for better OpenGL and video card support. The iPod can't hurt that.


wow.

http://i.timeinc.net/b2/images/mag/apr2005/apr2005_70c_200x258.jpg


Those number are really starting to make Mac sales look sad. Here's hoping that the mini fixes that problem.

[chaos86]

wow.

http://i.timeinc.net/b2/images/mag/apr2005/apr2005_70c_200x258.jpg


Those number are really starting to make Mac sales look sad. Here's hoping that the mini fixes that problem.


actually no, that makes mac sales look good. if its increasing its good. in this case though, the increase in ipod sales, relative to the increase in mac sales is astounding, overshadowing the slower rise in mac sales

[iJohn]

Let's just hope that they continue to do well no matter what they end up building. :)

[juhani]

I didn't read all the messages, but perhaps:

1) 8" miniBook :rolleyes:

2) iPod newton (there was an unit called Newton in the past.. maybe it would be a good idea to attach this kind of technology to iPod to send files and music wirelessly, even between two iPods)

[wrldwzrd89]

Nope, I think he pretty much put it in the ol' fruit basket when he said 400mbps is 50MBps, he clearly understands the difference. Try again.
In that case, some other factor might be preventing the transfer from using the full bandwidth FireWire offers. The most common cause is the speed of the source, the speed of the destination, or both being slower than the FireWire standard.

[aswitcher]

I wish Apple would do for the PDA what they did to the CD walkman...

[juhani]

Wireless iPod would be cool, but is it really that big of a deal to plug it in? I mean you still have to plug it in to charge the battery...

Yeah... wouldn't it be nice if Apple invented a way to charge your battery wirelessly too..
Wireless electricity :rolleyes:

[Toe]

Yeah... wouldn't it be nice if Apple invented a way to charge your battery wirelessly too..
Wireless electricity :rolleyes:
Actually, that idea is a hundred years old...
http://www.mysterydatabase.com/english/Articles/wireless.htm
http://www.luminet.net/~wenonah/new/tesla.htm
http://www.tfcbooks.com/mainpage/links.htm

:p

[~loserman~]

I wish Apple would do for the PDA what they did to the CD walkman...

I'm with you on that one.
I would love a Palm like device married to a hard drive like iPod device. There are so many possibilities.
But alas...
It's only wishful thinking

[natarix]

Hi i'm new to this forum & I would like to find out if any one knows about a rumor of Sony makeing a deal with Apple to Run Mac OS on a Vaio. it sounds a little far fetched. I've been a Fan of apple for quite sometime & as inpresive as it sounds to Have a Vaio Running OS X that would be indeed a very good choice for apple & Sony. it may actualy make the sony hiMD's work with apple. in a sonic stage program for Mac. anyway Im jumping from one thing to the next. my question will Apple ever Make A Mac OS that will work on a intel based PC. :confused:

[pubwvj]

iHome is the wrong way to think of it. Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

Yes. All the family music, videos, TVio, central backup, etc go on the iServe for playing through the AirportExpress speakers, stereo, wireless TV, etc. Excellent.

[pubwvj]

And it would be a stupid move by Apple. A lot of Mac users are people who, um, think different. Meaning a disproportionate number of Mac users are vegetarians, as in... people who don't buy things with the skins of dead animals in them.

Huh!?! I know a lot of Mac users and not a single one of them is a vegetarian. Leather is great. Meat is wonderful. Heck, even vegetarians are tasty when properly marinaded.

[MyLeftNut]

Natarix said:

my question will Apple ever Make A Mac OS that will work on a intel based PC.

Probably not. It has been talked about endlessly and the general concensus is that if Apple were to do that they would lose alot of the great things that come with having OSX, namely, the tight integration of hardware and software that makes it good in the first place. Could they do it. Yes. However, even though Sony makes good machines they still dont compare to Apples offerings IMHO.

:D

[Toe]

Huh!?! I know a lot of Mac users and not a single one of them is a vegetarian. Leather is great. Meat is wonderful. Heck, even vegetarians are tasty when properly marinaded.Interesting, I know a bunch of Mac users who are... including, as the thread pointed out, SJ himself.

Answering your other comments would veer this thread way off course, which is what the link (http://users.erols.com/epastore/veg/) was for. It should be able to answer any questions you may have. ;)

[TheGimp]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

He most likely does not want to offer features that result in people spending less disposable income at the itunes store in favor of video content for which Apple would have difficulty obtaining a retail licensing agreement.

[wdlove]

He most likely does not want to offer features that result in people spending less disposable income at the itunes store in favor of video content for which Apple would have difficulty obtaining a retail licensing agreement.

Besides iTunes and iPod, Apple needs to start introducing Mac's that will attract our disposable income.

[Mechcozmo]

Have a Vaio Running OS X that would be indeed a very good choice for apple & Sony <EDITED!> my question will Apple ever Make A Mac OS that will work on a intel based PC. :confused:

1. No... Apple makes money on hardware, not software. Look around the forums for examples of this.
2. I don't see why it would be a good idea to have VAIOs running OS X.....

Linkety (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102527) would be a good think for you to read-- make your post a tad bit easier to decipher, teach you about searching, etc.

Welcome to MacRumors, BTW.

[natarix]

yeah it makes sence it was far fecthed thanks for the reply. Any idear's on Tiger Is it gona be free to OS X users & would my mac mini spec be ok for it to run well or what should i inprove ?

Please excuse my Grammer im Irish & my words may seam diffrent please tell me if you dont understand thanks


Mac Mini
80GB HD
G4 think its 1.5Ghz or something :cool:
256 Ram

[natarix]

1. No... Apple makes money on hardware, not software. Look around the forums for examples of this.
2. I don't see why it would be a good idea to have VAIOs running OS X.....

Linkety (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102527) would be a good think for you to read-- make your post a tad bit easier to decipher, teach you about searching, etc.

Welcome to MacRumors, BTW.

Thanks for the Newbie's info hopefuly I can make more sence so fellow Mac user's can understand me

[wrldwzrd89]

yeah it makes sence it was far fecthed thanks for the reply. Any idear's on Tiger Is it gona be free to OS X users & would my mac mini spec be ok for it to run well or what should i inprove ?

Please excuse my Grammer im Irish & my words may seam diffrent please tell me if you dont understand thanks


Mac Mini
80GB HD
G4 think its 1.5Ghz or something :cool:
256 Ram
See my post in the other thread you asked this question in (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=1362063#post1362063) for an answer.

[Panther]

If it has a 640x480 resolution, a hard drive, and some way to legally rip DVD's (by applying a DRM perhaps?), and costs less than a laptop, I'm sold. :DBear in mind that DVD discs already have DRM - they have CSS and Macrovision. Every hardware player contains code to decrypt the CSS encryption, and has a hardware key that forms part of the decryption process. The CSS decrpyption code itself is normally encrypted (DVD Jon's DeCSS was written after one manufacturer forgot to encrypt that code).

So in theory, it should be possible to copy the DVD's VIDEO_TS folder to a hard disk and watch the movie on such a device as long as it had the code to do the CSS decryption. And because it is using an embedded controller, it should be little different philosphically to what you see in a regular DVD player...

A dual-layer DVD is going to be 9GB or so... so you would think a 60GB "vPod" device should be able to hold 6 or 7 movies worst case (for movies that had filled the disc with special features etc.)

Of course, in a perfect world it might be nicer to have software like you see for PocketPC, Palm and now the PSP that lets you rip a DVD to a tighter format, apply some DRM and get the size way down. There's little point having Dolby Digital and DTS audio streams take up space on the hard disk when you're only going to listen to it with your stereo white earbuds... But if I was a movie exec that would seem to devalue the "experience" because you lose the features, the director's commentaries... and perhaps most important to them the upcoming trailers ...

-------------------------

On the name front, if iPod Photo and iPod Mini are any indication, wouldn't this new device be called: iPod Movie ?

That would compliment iMovie, and to a movie exec talks more to the experience of "watching a movie" rather than the less compelling "watching a video"

Just my 2c

[GregA]

1. No... Apple makes money on hardware, not software. Look around the forums for examples of this.That'd misrepresent the forums a bit wouldn't it?

Apple makes a 20% "profit" on its hardware. Great.
And yet it makes less than 1% profit overall.
So there must be a HUGE loss on everything else right?

What it comes down to is they account for their software in a way that does not show how important it is. Really, Apple could say they make 1% profit on their hardware, AND 1% profit on their software AND 1% profit on their other R&D. At least it would show where the revenue was really going.

Or do you think Apple should say "hell, we make 20% on our hardware and a huge loss on R&D and software - thus we should stop making software"... At WORST, software and hardware are equally valuable. If Apple COULDN'T do hardware and software and had to choose - would you think Apple making hardware running windows is more likely to survive, or Apple making software running on IBM and HP machines?

[ajdphoto]

Steve Jobs has always tried to avoid some talk about potential products that apple may be working on. But an idea for a video ipod is one idea that he shot down immediately. First off, you cant compare any type of ipod today to a video ipod. Can you really see people walking down the sidewalk staring at a small screen, 2in, 4in, etc. doesnt matter. Its not a good idea.

Secondly, there isnt a market. Even the portable video units out now arent doing very well at all. Ive never even considered buying one. I think the only person that might be interested in getting something like this would be a video editor or producer. But they can already just carry video on a regular ipod in disk mode to any computer. I think i heard rumors that peter jackson did that with lord of the rings clips. i dont know if thats true, but definatly possible. There was most defiantly a market for an ipod photo and still is. I am a photographer and to let people see my work off of my ipod or connect it to a TV and have a slideshow with music is very appealing. But i dont think apple will make a video ipod.

About the itunes phone, i dont know whats happening with the one that is mention in a previous posting. But i do know that motorola is working on a large capacity phone that will basically double function as a phone and a MP3 player. It will have some internal memory but also have an expansion slot. I dont know if it is going to have itunes though.. the relationship b/w motorola and apple is mending but it still may take time.

[matticus008]

That'd misrepresent the forums a bit wouldn't it?

Apple makes a 20% "profit" on its hardware. Great.
And yet it makes less than 1% profit overall.
So there must be a HUGE loss on everything else right?


Where are you getting this 1% profit figure? I'm not saying it's inaccurate, I'm just curious as to the source.

Once any development costs are recouped (within a few million dollars' worth of sales at most), software generates profit almost purely. The costs to provide packaging and media are extremely low. However, once hardware investments are recouped, there is still substantial investment required on Apple's part to get each and every machine built. In either situation, Apple's employees are paid the same regardless of units shipped (no one to my knowledge works on commission for Apple).

If Apple charges per machine such that 20% of the cost goes to them rather than paying for the hardware bits in it, that's profit per machine. But from that 20%, they have to pay their employees, pay for internet bandwidth, marketing, distribution, legal costs, and so on. At the end of the day, when all the bills are paid, that 20% "profit" per computer might actually end up being much lower. The 20% figure is not the final profit for the company, because no company of which I'm aware calculates R&D costs and related expenses into a final price. They allow room for it, to be sure (hence double-digit markups and single-digit corporate profits), but they have no way of knowing how many units will sell or any of the other variable factors that influence net profit for the company. They use the money they already have to pay for R&D and all their fixed expenses and don't rely on assumptions and forward-looking statements to pay the bills.

So Apple makes about 20% per computer, and for software, a lot more, ignoring all expenses. But programming, testing, and maintaining software is really expensive, so the profits per copy, even at say, 80%, might not cover the necessary investment, so the software could theoretically cut into hardware profits as well, but it doesn't matter. Profit per unit is how much it costs to make that one unit directly (inputs) subtracted from the sales price. Profit for the company is total revenue minus total expenditures (which include the inputs for manufacturing PLUS marketing/development/support/etc. costs).

[icarus451]

This could be a bit ambitious for WWDC, but with all the speculation about ihome etc, wouldn't it make sense for Apple to produce some kind of set-top-box?

Here are the facts
1. Apple are pretty damn committed to HD Video at the moment - a huge growth area this year. Steve Jobs is involved with Pixar and has the pixlet and quicktime technologies.

2. The halo effect that the ipod has generated has woken people up to apple (what took them so long) but does everyone want a new computer? The ipod was a new product and people bought it in droves. Perhaps apple should produce a computer that isn't a computer, a media centre box? "I've got a pc already, but wait, what is this! Want one!"

3. Seriously, this is a HUGE market over the next few years, people took a while to realise they could store their music on their computers, next step is video - and with HDs so much cheaper that is more of a possibility. Computer will start coming into the living room. Microsoft are trying so hard but they don't make computers do they? (Xbox excepted).

4. itunes music store could be accessed through a set top box - and then you could sync it with your ipod. Your photos could also viewed on your tv or ipod.

5. Apple are behind, for a change, in this market. Whilst Microsoft steam ahead with their media edition of windoze, Apple have been concentrating on OSX and ilife, iwork. Beware the sleeping giant.

6. Let's face it Apple could make a damn sexy media center. With the ipod apple are now known for innovation and quality. Microsoft have got it wrong again. For media centre to work - you need a SMALL box (about the size of a mac mini :)) that sits in your living room. What you don't want is a tower pc with its associated cheap plastic neon lit chrome trim sitting in the corner sucking the air out of the room.

7. All the technology is there. The mac mini (pc manufacturers are finding hard to price match such a small well specced machine), quicktime, ipod halo effect and itunes store. Bundle it all up and what have you got? A home media solution.

So, ihome may have been a fake, but was the idea such a bad one after all? WWDC could be a little early, but come September???

[wdlove]

Steve said at MWSF that this would be the year of HD. So your theory is as good as any. Usually WWDC is for professional items. With Apple lately anything is possible. Will just depend on how much Steve can put into his Keynote.

[chaos86]

This could be a bit ambitious for WWDC, but with all the speculation about ihome etc, wouldn't it make sense for Apple to produce some kind of set-top-box?

Here are the facts
1. Apple are pretty damn committed to HD Video at the moment - a huge growth area this year. Steve Jobs is involved with Pixar and has the pixlet and quicktime technologies.

2. The halo effect that the ipod has generated has woken people up to apple (what took them so long) but does everyone want a new computer? The ipod was a new product and people bought it in droves. Perhaps apple should produce a computer that isn't a computer, a media centre box? "I've got a pc already, but wait, what is this! Want one!"

3. Seriously, this is a HUGE market over the next few years, people took a while to realise they could store their music on their computers, next step is video - and with HDs so much cheaper that is more of a possibility. Computer will start coming into the living room. Microsoft are trying so hard but they don't make computers do they? (Xbox excepted).

4. itunes music store could be accessed through a set top box - and then you could sync it with your ipod. Your photos could also viewed on your tv or ipod.

5. Apple are behind, for a change, in this market. Whilst Microsoft steam ahead with their media edition of windoze, Apple have been concentrating on OSX and ilife, iwork. Beware the sleeping giant.

6. Let's face it Apple could make a damn sexy media center. With the ipod apple are now known for innovation and quality. Microsoft have got it wrong again. For media centre to work - you need a SMALL box (about the size of a mac mini :)) that sits in your living room. What you don't want is a tower pc with its associated cheap plastic neon lit chrome trim sitting in the corner sucking the air out of the room.

7. All the technology is there. The mac mini (pc manufacturers are finding hard to price match such a small well specced machine), quicktime, ipod halo effect and itunes store. Bundle it all up and what have you got? A home media solution.

So, ihome may have been a fake, but was the idea such a bad one after all? WWDC could be a little early, but come September???


SJ Paraphrased (interview in macworld about a year ago): You go to your computer to switch your mind on, to your tv to switch it off. We are in the business of switching minds on, so we won't be moving into television.

there you have it.

[dibbledobble]

How about a cord, about 2 feet long, that keeps them together, with another cord attached at the midpoint that tethers them to the iPod? You'd never lose those suckers!

sounds leathal - You can see it now ipod kills man at Gym LOL :)

[dibbledobble]

My Guess

And I admit it is as wild as they come is that we might hear somthing about ichat and VOIP. Somthing along the lines of the offering that Skype do with a local number that allows anyone to call you via Ichat.

In the coming months there is going to be a rationalisation of mesaging services and if Apple are going to get on this bandwagon then they have to do it soon.

oh well only a few hours to wait and see....

[mikemodena]

How about a cord, about 2 feet long, that keeps them together, with another cord attached at the midpoint that tethers them to the iPod? You'd never lose those suckers!

then whats the point of bluetooth wireless headphones? If I was to use them I'd be using them to be sneaky at school where they wouldn't know I had headphones in.

[iMeowbot]

Yeah... wouldn't it be nice if Apple invented a way to charge your battery wirelessly too..
Wireless electricity :rolleyes:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question292.htm :D