iPod Classic's Future in Doubt Due to Shrinking Market for 1.8" Hard Drives?

[MacRumors]

iPodNN reports that Samsung and Toshiba, the only remaining manufacturers of 1.8-inch hard drives, are having difficulties finding substantial markets for their drives. The issues are casting doubt on the future of Apple's iPod classic, which utilizes 120-GB versions of the drives.

A new 250GB Samsung drive has failed to find significant sales, despite being deliberately marketed at builders of media players and netbooks.

The drive would not be as important if a 240GB Toshiba unit, released 10 months ago, was not also in a similar situation. Samsung and Toshiba are the only remaining makers of 1.8-inch hard drives, and if neither company is able to find establish a client base, it may imply by extension that Classics will no longer see any hard drive upgrades.

Apple last updated the iPod classic in September 2008, quietly consolidating the previous 80-GB and 160-GB models into a single 120-GB model. Apple's iPod touch currently tops out at 32 GB of storage, and while many expect that Apple will bump its capacity to 64 GB later this year, users focused on large capacities for on-the-go media storage may be disappointed if Apple is forced to discontinue the iPod classic.

Article Link: iPod Classic's Future in Doubt Due to Shrinking Market for 1.8" Hard Drives?

[Pugpuppydude]

Spinning hardrives are old technology.

[no.1 Apple Fan]

Please don't discontinue the Classic, Apple! First of all, It is the one iPod that represents the original iPods and second, it is great for those of us who have a huge music collection.

[toxictrix]

Originally Posted by Pugpuppydude

Spinning hardrives are old technology.

Yes, but what do you expect us to do when we have huge music libraries? I want to carry all my music with me on an ipod. Until flash gets up to around 120 gigs I like my old spinning hard drive ipod.

[appleguy123]

What about the macbook air harddrives?

[slu]

Capacity topping out at 64GB would be a travesty and a step backward.

IMO, this would be a huge mistake.

[3247]

My guess is that Apple will discontinue the iPod classic when the iPod touch reaches more than 100 GB. This might already happen this year.

[Eidorian]

Definitely going to need higher density flash memory if you're going to replace the 1.8" drive.

[ravenvii]

My guess is that Apple will continue the iPod Classic for one more year. By next September the iPod touch should have 64 GB + 128 GB configurations. Apple will nix the Classic then.

Hell, or maybe they will keep the Classic, but stick a SDD drive in there instead.

[Demosthenes X]

Netbooks are huge sellers, so I'm surprised that 1.8" format drives aren't doing so well. One would expect all of the netbooker makers would be clamouring to offer a 250GB netbook...

Do 1.8" drives still top out at 4200RPM? Maybe that's the problem - perhaps instead of concentrating on higher capacity, the manufacturers should concentrate on higher performance. If 1.8" drives could reliably run at 5400RPM (or even 7200RPM!), just imagine the impact on notebook computers.

[nick9191]

How much does the 1.8" SSD in the MacBook Air cost? I mean the jump from the $1499 model to the $1799 model gets you the 128gb SSD and a faster processor. Surely Apple could chuck together an iPod Classic or a thicker iPod Touch with this SSD for under $400.

[nagromme]

I've learned how to fit "all" my music on a limited iPhone via smart playlists that keep the stuff I NEED present always, and that also cycle through the rest so every song gets its turn in the shuffle. You can get as sophisticated as you like with that.

So I suspect the market who REALLY needs a huge library is not big, and that most of them already have an iPod that they can keep using for a time.

Just long enough for a 128 GB iPod Touch to be practical

(Or better yet, 128 GB iPhone.)

[dona83]

I have Orb installed on my work PC (Mac version not available yet, luckily my employer doesn't mind me using a bit of bandwidth out of office hours) which allows me full access to music, videos, even a TV tuner via a 3G connection on my iPhone. Sure it's not the best quality but to have access to more media than the iPod Classic can hold = win. Being able to watch a live hockey game fed from OTA = double win.

[mogzieee]

Looks to me like the end of life for the original-design iPod is nigh.

[zedsdead]

The Macbook Air will be all SSD by the next refresh.

As for the Classic, I think Apple will try to milk another year out of it, but that's it.

[timerollson]

Damn. This sucks. I just reached 100GB of music on my hard drive. Plus, I'm re-downloading everything in EAC/VBR. Damn.

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by toxictrix

Yes, but what do you expect us to do when we have huge music libraries? I want to carry all my music with me on an ipod. Until flash gets up to around 120 gigs I like my old spinning hard drive ipod.

Thank you! Some of us love the classic design with its huge capacity.

God I hope it doesn't go away.

[dwman]

Originally Posted by Stridder44

Thank you! Some of us love the classic design with its huge capacity.

God I hope it doesn't go away.

I love the classic model, but 240GB of media?? Seriously, who needs to carry that much capacity on their persons at all times. In time, the flash drives will get up to 120GB +, but it will take a while.

[scooterbaga]

Originally Posted by iVoid

I think what's interesting is that being music only, the Classic really doesn't need to be much bigger, so there's not a lot of people nagging Apple for a 240GB version.

Wrong on a few levels there...

People have been 'nagging' for the 240 Classic since the drive went into production. Also... 'music only' ...Are you serious? I watch videos from my Classic on a daily basis.

Originally Posted by dwman

I love the classic model, but 240GB of media?? Seriously, who needs to carry that much capacity on their persons at all times. In time, the flash drives will get up to 120GB +, but it will take a while.

More capacity = More options

Last I heard having more options is better than having less of them. The Classic is a powerhouse in its own right. It should stick around.

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by zedsdead

The Macbook Air will be all SSD by the next refresh.

As for the Classic, I think Apple will try to milk another year out of it, but that's it.

I dunno, I still don't think SSDs are cheap enough to justify putting them in all MBAs. A 64GB Samsung SSD is still almost £100 (or $164.525 for those across the pond) whereas a 1TB Hitatchi Deskstar is only £60 ($98.715). Regardless of the fact that the SSD is 2.5" and the HD is 3.5", the price difference is massive considering the difference in capacity.

[brendanspah764]

It would be very sad to see the iPod Classic go. Like everyone is saying, it represents the very first iPod in 2001 and the evolution of the iPod. I don't think Apple would have it go.

But what I think is that Apple should try to bring it back up. I do not want to see it go touchscreen because the clickwheel is the icon of the iPod (with exception of the iPod touch and the iPod shuffle). I have always wanted an iPod touch with a hard drive, but it never happened.

I know this is only a rumor, but PLEASE APPLE!

[zombitronic]

Originally Posted by no.1 Apple Fan

It is the one iPod that represents the original iPods

I don't think that's a good enough reason to not EOL it. Apple seems to be all for evolution, even if it means scrapping old iconic hardware. The original Macintosh was an iconic computer but it didn't stay around forever. They have to advance their hardware even if it means changing the image of a device.

[longofest]

I was just recently thinking that this September's refresh could be about the end for the classic. The touch should definitely get a boost to 64 GB which will cover most users' needs, so the classic would really be relegated to just the relative few users that need uber-storage in their portable player.

[walnuts]

I would be really curious to see a poll on this topic. After having an iPhone for a while (and ceasing to use my 5.5G, despite its ample space), I got used to having less space. I now feel like I have plenty of room in my 32GB 3GS (my music is about 20 gigs of that, leaving 10 for videos and apps). My point is this: are there enough people out there who have really large music collection, have their music in ultra high enough quality, or must have many hours of video with them at all times to have a marketable voice?

[jeffy.dee-lux]

I use a 30Gig 5G ipod for music only. Since i walk or bike everywhere, I can't see myself watching videos on a portable device any time soon. That's why I think they should continue to offer a flash based classic iPod, without the touch screen and wifi capabilities, to offer something cheaper for those of us who just want to bring our music around.

If they could pull of a 64Gig flash based iPod classic, I'd be all over that. Don't flash drives offer better battery performance anyways?

Anyway, I've only just hit the 30gig limit with my music library. I can deal with picking and choosing and a bit of music culling for the time being. There's some stuff I simply don't need to hear anymore.