iPod Updates on Wednesday? Specs...

[MacRumors]

MacShrine reports that they have received information on iPod updates for this Wednesday (Feb 23, 2005).

According to the site, the upcoming iPods include a 30GB iPod Photo at $349, 60GB iPod Photo at $449). As well, the Gold iPod Mini will be discontinued with an introduction of a 6GB iPod Mini at $249, while the current 4GB iPod Mini drops to $199.

[whenpaulsparks]

although i'm not sure of the validity of this rumor, it would be quite nice. i would LOVE to have an ipod photo, but $499 is too much... $349 (or $329 edu) would be much more manageable, and considering its 30 GB, that would be twice the storage of what mine is alone, as well as having a color screen... and i paid the same for my 3rd gen 15GB a year and a half ago or so.

and i have never seen anyone with a gold ipod mini, so that doesnt surprise me. and i know a lot of people that want ipods, and want the screen, that the $199 price tag for the 4gb would be much nicer too. but i dont know about the 6 GB model... is there really THAT much demand for an extra 2 GB?

[WildCowboy]

If this pans out, I like it! Great price drops on the 60 GB photo and a 30GB to simplify the product line and make it all-color...first mention I've seen of keeping the current minis around at under $200. What's not to like?

[dongmin]

wow. New line:

ipod photo 60GB $449
ipod photo 30GB $349 (!!!)
ipod mini 6GB $249
ipod mini 4GB $199
ipod shuffle 1GB $149
ipod shuffle 512M $99

Raising the price of the base line iPod would be a bad move. And I don't see much point in having two ipod mini lines.

[nbs2]

according to the article, dropping the ipod ipod for the photo, mini, shuffle? seems like the games rumor makes a bit more sense (especially with the color mini rumors). But, I'm not a fan of dropping the $299 price point. However, as I await late 2006 (the earliest I plan on replacing my 3G), I guess the streamlining will make the decision easier.

[guernica]

As much as i would like to believe it, and i just might...It's weird to just drop the gold color.. Also the 30gb doesnt really amke sense, because the 40gb HD wich is just as thick as the current 20 was recently introduced, why not go for that one?

[WildCowboy]

Originally Posted by whenpaulsparks

is there really THAT much demand for an extra 2 GB?

It depends on what else the new mini includes...2 GB more, higher-res color screen, BT capabilities? It satisfies everyone...significant price drop for those who like the basic model but want more than the shuffle, but significant upgrade at the current price point for those who want those features.

[Blue Velvet]

Where's my 80gb iPod? That's what I want to know, dammit.

[BlueDjinn]

Both AI and TS claim that the iPod mini will be *replaced* with a 5 GB model (as opposed to *adding* a 6 GB). Both also claim that the 40 GB iPod will be reduced from the current 2 models ($399 monochrome / $499 photo) to a single $399 photo model, with the 60 GB photo model dropping to $499...all of which sounds a lot more likely to me.

If so, the new lineup would be:

$ 99 - shufflePod 512 MB
$149 - shufflePod 1 GB
$249 - miniPod 5 GB
$299 - iPod 20 GB
$399 - photoPod 40 GB
$499 - photoPod 60 GB

[xy14]

Originally Posted by MacShrine

Apple is due to drop another iPod bomb on Wednesday with a shakeup of the line. The regular iPod we know and love will be dropped and replaced with a new 30GB iPod photo ($349) and a 60GB iPod photo ($449). The iPod mini also gets a shakeup with the "Gold" being dropped and new 6GB iPod mini ($249) with color screens being introduced. A regular 4GB iPod mini ($199) will remain.

My plan would perfectly fit that, other than the 30gb iPod photo. my plan is better!

$99 512m shuffle
$149 1g shuffle
$199 4g mini (b/w)
$249 6g mini (c)
$299 20g ipod (b/w)
$349 30g ipod (b/w)
$399 40g ipod photo
$449 60g ipod photo
$499 80g ipod photo

[iGary]

At $399.00, I'd hock my current pod for the Photo, no doubt.


Is MacShrine notably accurate?

[jettredmont]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

As well, the Gold iPod Mini will be discontinued

But! But! The BLING!!!

Gang bangers everywhere will weep ...

IIRC, the color "losers" in the post-introduction pull-some-analysis-out-of-my-butt fest last year were "gold" (too ... ick ...) and "pink" (we're all manly men here).

One's a top seller (especially around the gift-giving times of year), while the other looks to be canceled. Which is actually better than your average predictions' success ratio (50%), so you all should be proud!

On topic (sorta) ... My wife may soon be the owner of a pink mini (updated model, not "last year's" ). No more borrowing mine! The kids get the Shuffle! Just waiting for the update to happen ...

[habalooo]

Originally Posted by iGary

At $399.00, I'd hock my current pod for the Photo, no doubt.


Is MacShrine notably accurate?

Yes. They got the latest PowerBook updates mid-January correct. Normally they just deal with the latest screenshots, like with Tiger and back with iWork and iLife. I'd go strongly with them.

[miloblithe]

4 and 6 GB minis seems excessive. If they each come in 4 different colors, that's 8 models to keep track of just among the minis.

$ 99 - shufflePod 512 MB
$149 - shufflePod 1 GB
$249 - miniPod 5 GB
$299 - iPod 20 GB
$399 - photoPod 40 GB
$499 - photoPod 60 GB

that seems like a good lineup to me. It would also push more people towards the photo iPods, which seems like the next step. The other option would be to drop the iPod from the lineup. Same as above with the $299 model being a 20GB photoPod.

[JackSYi]

Here are my guesses:

$99 512m iPod Shuffle
$149 1GB iPod Shuffle

$199 4GB iPod Mini (old model; end of line)

$249 6GB iPod Mini w/ color screen and BT

$300 20GB iPod (old Model; end of line)

$349 40GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT
$479 60GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT
$599 80GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT

All the new models would possibly have higher battery life (I am hoping for replacable batteries, but it won't happen)

[TheMasin9]

Originally Posted by dongmin

wow. New line:

ipod photo 60GB $449
ipod photo 30GB $349 (!!!)
ipod mini 6GB $249
ipod mini 4GB $199
ipod shuffle 1GB $149
ipod shuffle 512M $99

Raising the price of the base line iPod would be a bad move. And I don't see much point in having two ipod mini lines.

I just cant seem to see apple phasing out thier original ipod, even though the monotone screen seems to be failing in the face of the new color screens i have to say that i havnt seen too many ipod photos out there, i still think they should offer the 20 gb ipod in for 300.

[hackand]

Originally Posted by nbs2

according to the article, dropping the ipod ipod for the photo, mini, shuffle?

In fact, I think they are actually turning the iPod photo into the regular iPod, discontinuing monochrome iPods to make them all color. Think about it: if Apple added color screen to the mini it should be called iPod mini photo. Apple usually give surnames to their products that describe the main feature of it in some way. The mini is smaller than the rest (well, not anymore, but it was), the shuffle has no screen, so you never know what will come next, and the photo has the ability to display pictures, it has a color screen. But when a feature becomes a standard, like all the iPods with screen get a color one, and, eventually, the ability to display pictures, there is no point in selling an "iPod photo" as a separate product since its main feature, once unique in the family, has become a standard, then the iPod photo becomes the regular iPod, or it merges with the regular iPod, or simply disappears, whatever you like. Also, if a 30GB iPod comes out and if the prices keep dropping, maybe the 20GB iPod won't be around for too much. Hope this helped clear things out.

So, the new line in the future (not necesairily in the near future, but if my predictions are correct) should be:

iPod 60GB: $449
iPod 40GB: $379
iPod 30GB: $349
iPod 20GB: $299
iPod mini 6GB: $249
iPod mini 4GB: $199
iPod shuffle 1GB: $149
iPod shuffle 512MB: $99

All (except shuffle and mini 4GB) include a color screen.


PD, macshrine.com is down, at least for me.

[TheMasin9]

Originally Posted by JackSYi

Here are my guesses:

$99 512m iPod Shuffle
$149 1GB iPod Shuffle

$199 4GB iPod Mini (old model; end of line)

$249 6GB iPod Mini w/ color screen and BT

$300 20GB iPod (old Model; end of line)

$349 40GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT
$479 60GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT
$599 80GB iPod w/ color screen for photos and BT

All the new models would possibly have higher battery life (I am hoping for replacable batteries, but it won't happen)

they dont have the 80 gb hd from what i have seen, we would have heard about it by now if these updates were upon us as they seem to be.

[Yarddog]

Originally Posted by whenpaulsparks

but i dont know about the 6 GB model... is there really THAT much demand for an extra 2 GB?

The way I read the article, it is saying that the 4GB mini will be the same as we have now, sans color screen. The 6GB model will have the color screen. Now, would that be worth an extra $50?

[TheMasin9]

Originally Posted by xy14

My plan would perfectly fit that, other than the 30gb iPod photo. my plan is better!

$99 512m shuffle
$149 1g shuffle
$199 4g mini (b/w)
$249 6g mini (c)
$299 20g ipod (b/w)
$349 30g ipod (b/w)
$399 40g ipod photo
$449 60g ipod photo
$499 80g ipod photo

is the 30 gb hd as thick as the 40 and 60?

[m-dogg]

I really don't think they'd introduce a 30gb ipod photo since there are already 40 & 60gb models. I don't think they've ever replaced an existing model (like the 40) with a lower sized hard drive (like the 30). Even if they were cheaper.

[runninmac]

NO MORE GOLD ONE!!! im T.O.ed well it looks like i will have a "vintage collectors item" in 10 years. But everything else seems shweeeet!

[xy14]

Originally Posted by TheMasin9

is the 30 gb hd as thick as the 40 and 60?

No. Also, the 30&40g iPod Photos will be as thin as the current 20g iPod. The 60g photo will be shrunken also, but it is unknown how much.

[Loge]

Originally Posted by TheMasin9

is the 30 gb hd as thick as the 40 and 60?

No, I would expect it to be the single platter version of the newish 60GB drive; so it would be thinner, more like the current 20GB.

[ccuilla]

Originally Posted by Yarddog

The 6GB model will have the color screen. Now, would that be worth an extra $50?

Well it is the extra 2GB and the color screen.

For some one or the other will be worth the extra $50. For some it requires both. For others neither (or even both together) are worth it.

They'll sell a lot.

And what's even better? By re-jiggering the line...they continue to fill it out providing something at (nearly) every price point from $99 to $449.