iPod touch Microsoft must be smiling

As if it will help Zune sales? Haha. People are still going to buy iPods, I am thinking that the Nano is going to be a huge hit (again)

I posted this at another forum a few minutes ago, think it's just as relevant here even if I get bashed for it:

me said:

Wow... think about it: for the first time ever Microsoft has the upper hand with a product that is nearly identical or at least considered to be in the same class of product... yet is superior in effectively every aspect that matters: battery life, sound quality, image/visual quality, computing power, and yes, even in price...

IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!!!

And it's 9-9-9... which in some circles we're told is the actual "sign of the beast" and was just upside down... Apple falters, Microsoft triumphs... at least for the day, it seems.

Coincidence?

Click to expand...

The Tegra, the better battery life, the OLED screen, it all adds up... Apple tripped, at least on product that can be most closely compared to the Zune HD.

We'll see what happens, of course.

The nano sees the most improvements because it's sales were faltering relative to the Touch. With a camera and improved exercise features, the Nano will attract anyone who walks or jogs or runs. The camera is a bonus. The lower price is a blessing. If they had put the same camera in the Touch, no one would have bought a nano.

adding cam next year will also have most the previous owners, from 1g to 3g reupgrading

y include anything, when u can have near guarantee some owners will reupgrade

and dont forget them applelovers.

Glad I preordered a zune hd and didnt hold out for the new touch.

br0adband said:

I posted this at another forum a few minutes ago, think it's just as relevant here even if I get bashed for it:



The Tegra, the better battery life, the OLED screen, it all adds up... Apple tripped, at least on product that can be most closely compared to the Zune HD.

We'll see what happens, of course.

Click to expand...

I'll probably sound as a fanboy to you but the ipod touch buying crowd is the one looking to play games, caring about the app store, the itunes store, probably coming from another ipod or ipod touch. The hardware is really decent in the new touch, and it also offers bigger storage, which is a huge plus. I don't think the sound quality is sucky and the display is not bad either. I doubt people care more about OLED which is mostly useless outside and/or outputting HD video.

I made a comment earlier along those same lines: that Apple, in spite of the rumored issues with getting that camera in the iPod touch working, may have just considered this a blessing in disguise of sorts, knowing that the new nano and all it brings to the table to be a boon to the sales.

I'll bet more people will be grabbing nanos today than touches, at least those that paid attention. I can just imagine how many people are at Apple Stores across the country/world (I'm in the US, so...) running out to grab the "new" iPod touch and not even realizing that unless they're buying the 32GB or 64GB models, they're getting the same old same old. And honestly, the bump in storage is welcome and expected, but throwing OpenGL support in... that's only good for gaming performance.

They're starting to try and position the iPod touch as a gaming device now, directly mentioning the competition in their own marketing yet one more time and failing yet one more time to realize you're breaking Rule #1 of advertising every time they do it.

Oh well... I got a Zune HD on pre-order and I'm happy with the decision based on what I saw today. I had actually considered getting a 3rd gen iPod touch if they had a decent camera, as I don't care about storage space (it's got wireless so I stream everything online including content from home).

Big disappointment on the touch...

svndmvn said:

I'll probably sound as a fanboy to you but the ipod touch buying crowd is the one looking to play games, caring about the app store, the itunes store, probably coming from another ipod or ipod touch. The hardware is really decent in the new touch, and it also offers bigger storage, which is a huge plus. I don't think the sound quality is sucky and the display is not bad either. I doubt people care more about OLED which is mostly useless outside and/or outputting HD video.

Click to expand...

The important aspect is "the hardware is really decent in the NEW touch" so I emphasized it a bit... because if you're buying the baseline 8GB iPod touch, you're not getting those features from the specs. You gotta pay the Piper, so to speak, and cough up the big money for the OpenGL which really isn't that big of a selling point to 99% of the people out there. They have no clue what it is but that doesn't matter: all anyone at the Apple Store has to say is:

"It'll let you play games faster..."

and the sale is made.

You're not a fanboy, just someone pointing out details, which is fine. I did the same. I gotta say I find it pretty crappy but typically Apple to screw people on the earbuds yet one more time with the "new" 8GB model and only give the earbud/remote to the people willing to pay the Piper... I mean really, the damned earbud/remote thing costs about $.47 to manufacture.

Stop being such cheap bastards, Apple.

br0adband said:

The important aspect is "the hardware is really decent in the NEW touch" so I emphasized it a bit... because if you're buying the baseline 8GB iPod touch, you're not getting those features from the specs. You gotta pay the Piper, so to speak, and cough up the big money for the OpenGL which really isn't that big of a selling point to 99% of the people out there. They have no clue what it is but that doesn't matter: all anyone at the Apple Store has to say is:

"It'll let you play games faster..."

and the sale is made.

You're not a fanboy, just someone pointing out details, which is fine. I did the same. I gotta say I find it pretty crappy but typically Apple to screw people on the earbuds yet one more time with the "new" 8GB model and only give the earbud/remote to the people willing to pay the Piper... I mean really, the damned earbud/remote thing costs about $.47 to manufacture.

Stop being such cheap bastards, Apple.

Click to expand...

it's all about differentiation, whether you believe it or not, whoever buys the most expensive ipod wants to feel special having all the new features etc. It's actually normal for apple to do this. They started keeping "old" products just in order to offer something a bit less expensive for whoever doesn't care about the "new" stuff and just in order to say " we have a portable mac that costs less than 1000$" "we have a macbook pro that costs just a bit more" "we have an iphone that costs 199$ etc. And in the mean time whoever buys the more expensive mac feels more special saying "I have a matte display" "I have a backlit KB" "I have set of headphones with a mic and volume buttons"

4DThinker said:

If they had put the same camera in the Touch, no one would have bought a nano.

Click to expand...

But doesn't the touch have a higher profit margin? Especially with the revenue that can be made with the app store

I'm underwhelmed, to be fair... but I don't understand WHY you can't take photos

No update in the iPod Touch = nothing Microsoft can copy.
Therefore Microsoft will be very sad and extremely confused about what to do next.

br0adband said:

I made a comment earlier along those same lines: that Apple, in spite of the rumored issues with getting that camera in the iPod touch working, may have just considered this a blessing in disguise of sorts, knowing that the new nano and all it brings to the table to be a boon to the sales.

I'll bet more people will be grabbing nanos today than touches, at least those that paid attention. I can just imagine how many people are at Apple Stores across the country/world (I'm in the US, so...) running out to grab the "new" iPod touch and not even realizing that unless they're buying the 32GB or 64GB models, they're getting the same old same old. And honestly, the bump in storage is welcome and expected, but throwing OpenGL support in... that's only good for gaming performance.

They're starting to try and position the iPod touch as a gaming device now, directly mentioning the competition in their own marketing yet one more time and failing yet one more time to realize you're breaking Rule #1 of advertising every time they do it.

Oh well... I got a Zune HD on pre-order and I'm happy with the decision based on what I saw today. I had actually considered getting a 3rd gen iPod touch if they had a decent camera, as I don't care about storage space (it's got wireless so I stream everything online including content from home).

Big disappointment on the touch...



The important aspect is "the hardware is really decent in the NEW touch" so I emphasized it a bit... because if you're buying the baseline 8GB iPod touch, you're not getting those features from the specs. You gotta pay the Piper, so to speak, and cough up the big money for the OpenGL which really isn't that big of a selling point to 99% of the people out there. They have no clue what it is but that doesn't matter: all anyone at the Apple Store has to say is:

"It'll let you play games faster..."

and the sale is made.

You're not a fanboy, just someone pointing out details, which is fine. I did the same. I gotta say I find it pretty crappy but typically Apple to screw people on the earbuds yet one more time with the "new" 8GB model and only give the earbud/remote to the people willing to pay the Piper... I mean really, the damned earbud/remote thing costs about $.47 to manufacture.

Stop being such cheap bastards, Apple.

Click to expand...

8GB iPod touches have the remote but no mic (you can't use it anyway). 32GB/64GB has remote and mic.

I'm kind of disappointed too but production problems occur. It's not anything new. NVIDIA had production problems too remember? With the 8600M GT notebook gpus. It's not like Apple promised/hinted at something and didn't deliver. People made rumors that Apple didn't fulfill.

I'm still sticking with the iPod touch because the Zune HD has nothing to offer besides icing on the cake. The iPod touch has the cake, but little to no icing. I choose cake over icing.

Here's why iPod touch still kicks Zune HD butt:

iPod touch = 70,000+ apps
Zune HD = 0 apps

iPod touch = buy it today
Zune HD = wait for Microsoft = long delay

iPod touch = iTunes sync
Zune HD = Zune software (what kind of name is that?) that Zucks.

iPod touch = world's fastest mobile internet browser based on webkit
Zune HD = version of Internet Explorer based on the ******* framework

iPod touch = iTunes, music you can keep forever
Zune HD = Zune Pass music which is expensive, low quality, and you don't "own" even though you paid 2x retail price. There are other options to Zune Pass, but it's just an example.

iPod touch = Voice Control (only 32/64GB models)
Zune HD = ???

Apple/iPod = Genuine Innovation
Microsoft/Zune = Genuine FAIL of copying Apple

Microsoft is not smiling... it's shaking in fear because there isn't anything to copy and fail this time.

SnowLeopard2008 once again provides some good points. More importantly is the Apple asterisk, simply because it says "i", has sleek packaging and was introduced at a soldout media event that is covered by every major news network as well as the tech media, people will buy. Is CNN outside Microsoft's Media Player event tonight? No. Did you even know they were having one? Exactly.

With regards to many products, but particularly the iPod, Apple could sell products that have features that have been out on competitors' products for years at a higher price and we know who wins the war. Features are not everything, names seem to be...

thegoldenmackid said:

SnowLeopard2008 once again provides some good points. More importantly is the Apple asterisk, simply because it says "i", has sleek packaging and was introduced at a soldout media event that is covered by every major news network as well as the tech media, people will buy. Is CNN outside Microsoft's Media Player event tonight? No. Did you even know they were having one? Exactly.

With regards to many products, but particularly the iPod, Apple could sell products that have features that have been out on competitors' products for years at a higher price and we know who wins the war. Features are not everything, names seem to be...

Click to expand...

Does Microsoft really have an event tonight or are you just providing an example?

SnowLeopard2008 said:

Does Microsoft really have an event tonight or are you just providing an example?

Click to expand...

They have a media center event. Engadget is covering it.

Apple Deserves A Slap In The Face!!!

i hope apple inc. will learn a huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HUGEEEEEEE

mistake cause of this in the rest of the 2009!!!!!

the zune HD will be much better in sales than the new and disgrace! ipod touch

leomac08 said:

i hope apple inc. will learn a huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HUGEEEEEEE

mistake cause of this in the rest of the 2009!!!!!

the zune HD will be much better in sales than the new and disgrace! ipod touch

Click to expand...

The thing is the touch is avaible world wide the zune hd is not atleast for now.

Maybe Apple made a good move not putting cameras in.

It would have gave many PMP makers something else to put in their product.

IMO, the other companies are just standing around wondering what next to put in their PMP.

iSpaghettiCat said:

Maybe Apple made a good move not putting cameras in.

It would have gave many PMP makers something else to put in their product.

IMO, the other companies are just standing around wondering what next to put in their PMP.

Click to expand...

Exactly. I haven't seen one feature in the Zune HD that is revolutionary. Just because you put an OLED screen and other already existing hardware components in there doesn't make it revolutionary. Just like if you add the number 7 to Windows doesn't make it a whole lot better than Vista.

LOL. MacRumors should make filters on people posting threads.

Just because everyone decided to believe rumors to be true, they got a giant let down.

The Zune will NEVER outsell an iPod. Software/Hardware integration is where Apple shines and that's why no one can touch them.

More people know how to use iTunes over whatever the hell Zune uses (I wonder why Windows Media Player isn't the main app). And iTunes interface is easier to use.

Only tech-heads, a minority of consumers, will probably buy Zunes over the touch. The Zune has great features, but ones that really only excite few techies.

The main reason, besides the great main features (ex. Safari, Mail, etc) of the Touch, I want to get a touch is the software and the App Store. App Store is so easy to get apps, has the most apps, and Apple's software. Apple's OS is clean, neat, and good eye-candy. Yes, now EVERY media player is trying to catch up - I'd stay with an innovator not an imitator.

And for everyone crying about the camera, Apple knows what they're doing. They are not number because they "guess". Don't be immature, business is business (ex. market research, product pipelines, spacing out features).

Apple sells iPods plain and simple. Microsoft is still very much afraid because of this reason. I would never consider buying a Zune just because I have never seen one nor known anyone who ever had one. Apple is well known for making MP3 players. They've won the game, end of story.

SnowLeopard2008 said:

Exactly. I haven't seen one feature in the Zune HD that is revolutionary. Just because you put an OLED screen and other already existing hardware components in there doesn't make it revolutionary. Just like if you add the number 7 to Windows doesn't make it a whole lot better than Vista.

Click to expand...

exactly, just putting a different piece of hardware in there doesn't make it revolutionary. I means, sure people didn't claim first gen of iPhone revolutionary just because it has a wifi, a glass surface, or a gps, right?

Thats why you should try it first and to observe Zune HD's slick OS before judging it. Like any reasonable people would do, rather than declaring conclusion before you have a finger touch on it. right?

and I LOVE it.

Hopefully Microsoft can double their 1 percent marketshare!

For as much flack as Microsoft gets about the Zune, it really is a pretty good device, just three years too late. I have to agree that, on paper, the Zune HD is a newer, more feature rich device than the iPod Touch. That doesn't always matter though.

Apple has always sold an experience, not a checklist. It's that experience that people will continue to buy. I do however think Apple has been caught resting on their laurels just a bit and ultimately that is a good thing. Nothing drives innovation like competition.

I'm going to congratulate Microsoft on a well made device (The Zune AND the Zune HD included. Although I am glad that they got the memo that boxy and brown wasn't a good look for electronics ) I have a 4GB Zune that I used for a week just to see what I thought of it and overall it was pleasant. I didn't care for the navigation via their touch pad as much as the scroll wheel but it wasn't bad. My biggest complaint about it was getting to a specific song often required multiple finger lifts. However switching views between Genre, Artist and Song were performed quick than on a (non-touch) iPod.

I would also like to ask that before you flame me as a MS troll you should check this thread.