iPod Apple iPod classic Update?

Yes tell me about it. I've been waiting for an updated Classic for a while now. I'm on my second 160GB Classic now and I'm hoping soon they will have a 250GB for 250! That's wish!

I hope so. I only have 9GB left on my 160GB (latest revision) iPod Classic. I know people argue that the iPod Touch is a better alternative, but for me, I like the convenience of having my entire music library on hand.

I've tried just using my iPhone 4 but I've found that when I'm in the mood for certain songs, it's probably not on there. The 16GB is so limited an I'm sure it will probably be at least 5-10 years before a 250GB iPhone is in existence, if ever.

Yes, I'm also one of those who likes to have my entire music collection with me when I travel, so I'm a fan of the classic, too.

While I love the Touch, too, (I have the 64GB) it is nice to have all of your music collection on one device.

Cheers

Apple should just make little flash chips that fit flush inside the 30 pin connector. You could have your music with you everywhere, without worrying about space.

They should update it by either making it cheaper, more battery or more storage. hopefully they'll do all three though

appleguy123 said:

Apple should just make little flash chips that fit flush inside the 30 pin connector. You could have your music with you everywhere, without worrying about space.

Click to expand...

The reason they don't do this is because capacity is a big selling point for new models, by not having microSD support there would be no need for users of older models to upgrade.

I'd love to have a 500gb one and a 1tb one, that would be amazing.

I think they are going to discontinue the classic, and upgrade the ipod touch to 128gb flash.

Hasn't anyone noticed how steve did nót point the classic as an ipod during the september event (the one with the 'complete ipod make-over') He did not once notice the Classic.
So i think it's end of road for the Classic....

iEvolution said:

The reason they don't do this is because capacity is a big selling point for new models, by not having microSD support there would be no need for users of older models to upgrade.

Click to expand...

Make the chips expensive and don't allow 3rd parties to reproduce them.

If people rememember the iPod Classic came out as 160Gb, then they cut the capacity back to 120GB, then they went back to 160GB. The reason why the Classic still sells well is because of capacity, as it has 1.8" hard disk inside it which is extremeley durable. Hell mine has dropped a couple of times and never missed a beat. I suppose Apple could put a touch screen in the classic with it existing hardware, this way people have the best of both. There has been no Firmware updates to the iPod Classic for over a year.

The iPhone 4 / iPod Touch all use DDR-RAM, not NAND which is used in SSD drives. The DDR is cheaper to produce and more common, unlike NAND used in SSD drives which is usually MLC (Multi Level Cell), rarely SLC (Single Level Cell). True the classic still uses a hard disk, but because these are so common and such high capacity the price of the HDD is very low, especially in the quantities Apple purchase from Hitachi etc. If Apple were to remove the HDD and replace it with a similar capacity 160GB SSD module, the price would make it more expensive than the top end iPod touch.

This is because NAND manufacturing is still pretty minimal and only a select few fabrication plants actually manufacture it - Samsung being the majority stakeholder, and due to this the price remains high. The simple idea of supply and demand. Currently between SSD / HDD the situation is the following - SSD very high speed lower capacity vs HDD slower speed larger capacity. Currently, its uneconomical to have the best of both worlds.

In the end Apple will either kill off the Classic or keep selling it till the Ipod Touch range and their capacities can be increased gradually to meet or exceed the 160GB Classic.

There comes a point where adding more storage just becomes not worth it. 160GB is a TON of storage.

They should discontinue it. There comes a point where the old must yield to the new. The storage space of ipod touches are slowly increasing and have a large arsenal of features that the classic is highly unlikely to get. I'm only surprised that they haven't stopped it already. Maybe they are waiting until ipod touches get ~160 GB of storage space; since at that point they will outclass the classic in all respects.

They've been using Toshiba 1.8" drives in these for years.

The largest one that Toshiba currently make is 320Gb with a 250Gb model in the same range, but whether they're at a bulk trade price that can enable Apple to keep their usual high margins and still have a product that people will pay for is another thing altogether. There also comes a point where the clickwheel becomes awkward to use with the number of files a gadget like this could hold, so having some idea of how Steve Jobs is incredibly fussy about interfaces, this also might play a part in its future and form factor.

I suspect they can't, or won't take the Classic much further.

OllyW said:

Except for the price.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately the price has never been a worry for Apple

OllyW said:

Except for the price.

Click to expand...

The features (and there are a lot of them) definitely outweigh the price difference. Also, how many people actually fill an ipod classic? The screen is too small to watch movies (in my opinion at least). Again, based on me, I can barely fill a 16 GB iphone (let alone my 32 GB iphone). At 64GB or maybe 120 in the next generation or two, that will be a considerable amount that most won't fill, other than the people that want an entire movie collection on their ipod for some reason.

Derkatwork said:

The features (and there are a lot of them) definitely outweigh the price difference. Also, how many people actually fill an ipod classic? The screen is too small to watch movies (in my opinion at least). Again, based on me, I can barely fill a 16 GB iphone (let alone my 32 GB iphone). At 64GB or maybe 120 in the next generation or two, that will be a considerable amount that most won't fill, other than the people that want an entire movie collection on their ipod for some reason.

Click to expand...

Some people do not need all of the features and just want something that will play music and let them watch videos on it. Personally I have an iPhone, but I also have an iPod Video and I don't mind watching movies on the 2.5" screen. That's why there are more than 1 iPod, because different people have different needs.

I'd love to have an iPod classic with a 500GB hard disk, better battery life, no stupid fancy interface, and a thicker body.

My favorite iPod design is the third generation iPod with the glowing red touch buttons. An updated version of that would be sick especially with a glass face.

My guess would be that Apple just replaces the Ipod Classic with an updated Ipod touch with more memory and the better display from the Iphone 4.
I'm sure from their point of view the Classic is an outdated product, with this touch screen OS.


The Ipod Classic does not really look much different to the first Ipod.

DrumApple said:

I disagree, yes 160GB is a lot of storage for the average person. But iPod classics are intended for the hardcore music collectors etc. with a need for A LOT of storage space. For them, 160GB is not much today. Look at computer HD's, the second level iMac already has a terabyte!

I wouldn't mind if they retire the actual hard-drive discs and change to flash memory- but come on give us an update! We're paying nearly $1.56 per gigabyte on these!

Click to expand...

I highly doubt that even music junkies have 160GB of only music and no video. I doubt there is more than 5% of people that fill that to the ~40,000 song limit. And IF you have that much music, do you listen to it all? Or is it taking up space without being listened to? I only have 1.5 GB, but I cycle through it all. And the fact that mac hard drive has that much space is a different story too. Full computers have programs that take up a few GB. They typically handle much large files (and more of them) and need the extra space (although a terabyte is a bit excessive I must admit).

They should not change the ipod classic other than to give it more storage space. It is perfect the way it is!!!!

I for one would hate to have a touch. The touch screen is not nearly as functional as the click wheel. The click wheel is perfect for a music only device IMO because you don't have to mess with looking at the frickin' screen if you want to change songs or even change the volume.

I would be happy with a 256GB flash storage option or heck even a 320GB 1.8" HDD option would make me happy.

I have had my 160GB classic filled since the second week I have had it.

runnin17 said:

I for one would hate to have a touch. The touch screen is not nearly as functional as the click wheel. The click wheel is perfect for a music only device IMO because you don't have to mess with looking at the frickin' screen if you want to change songs or even change the volume.
it.

Click to expand...

I agree about the interface. If all you want it for is music, the touch screen is less useful and it adds a lot to the cost. I want my money to go towards storage and not the iOS stuff. A 128GB Touch will be way too expensive for me. I'd love a 128GB flash-based storage Classic at $279, that would be perfect for me.