Revamped iPod Nano to Include Oblong Body with Home Button?

[Roessnakhan]

I'm not blown away by the render, but the concept of it has my interests piqued. Would love WiFi syncing with it as well.

But I also like the watch concept. So maybe if they could sell the models alongside one another, maybe rename the current nano to the iPod watch, or something.

 

[celavato]

About time. The current Nano was an interesting experiment but the fact it's been more popular as a makeshift wristwatch says it all. This mockup would be a much more natural/ergonomic form factor.

I don't see how Apple could abandon the current nano form factor, which is a must-have for gym rats and also popular among people like me who just want a tiny music player with a screen. With a camera in virtually every smartphone and even feature phone, there's no point in making the nano larger again if it's not going to run iOS apps.

 

[Yvan256]

Imagine Apple doing with the iPod nano what they're rumored to be doing with the smaller iPad: They could take the 480x320 screen of the original (non-retina) iPod Touch and shrink it by a third or so. Put iOS on it and you've got a smaller iPod Touch to go along with the rumored larger-screen iPod Touch. Tap targets would be awfully small, but perhaps that's a trade-off worth making for access to hundreds of thousands of apps.

My thoughts exactly. What better way to grow the iOS userbase with a new device with a 320x480 display at a lower cost and that can run current apps without requiring a rewrite. It could also be target at kids since they have smaller fingers so smaller tap targets are not a problem.

The Nintendo 3DS is selling for 170$USD but the iPod touch is only 30$USD more. So I would expect a price of around 125-150$USD for this new iPod touch nano.

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As others have alluded, this would make sense if the miniature iPad rumours are true - this could be Apple's smaller and cheaper iPod touch. They can't attempt to sell iPod touches at prices competing with a 7" tablet.

Indeed. A smaller iPod touch would mean less competition for the iPhone.

The lineup of iOS devices would then become iPod (touch) nano, iPhone, iPad mini, iPad. What's funny is that the resolutions of these four devices would still be (in the same order) "iPhone, iPhone retina, iPad, iPad retina". No modifications to apps needed.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

I rather have the watch form factor. But perhaps I am in the minority. But with the interest in the Pebble, it seems like a lot of other people feel the same way.

 

[twietee]

Apple is making a Zune?

God, that's hideous, and it looks exactly like a Lumia 900. I understand that it's a render but it looks awful.

+1
When Nokia or MS are starting to sue Apple over design infringement, I would start to worry and sell my shares at once.

 

[currentinterest]

Apple may merge the current Nano and Shuffle, leaving a wearable device, then offer an iPod touch mini to replace the current Nano. This would make a lot of sense.

 

[solong4now]

Perhaps not ipod nano but new ipod mini

Apple is leaving the old ipod interface in favor of touch screen. THe last ipod nano was a bridge from ipod to iOS, perhaps, if these rumors be anything true then perhaps this is just the next generation ipod (perhaps mini but not nano) with touch screen control but not a true iOS, much like the current nano. I would even imagine a new ipod that had wifi and could access just the iTunes store and have just some basic apps that allow streaming.
Bigger is not better and the current nano is pretty awesome so I would love a high capacity ipod with wifi that could access home sharing or stream to airplay.

 

[Mavimao]

Apple may merge the current Nano and Shuffle, leaving a wearable device, then offer an iPod touch mini to replace the current Nano. This would make a lot of sense.

This. In terms of size, there really isn't much difference between the current nano and shuffle. One just has a touch screen.

So the nano and shuffle turn into one product, and then next up you have an ipod touch.

 

[Sixtafoua]

ughrf who cares?

 

[Thana6tos]

Agree 100% with U about the design, but not about the pic and cam, I don't care for that. Yes! Perfect for jogging...... gym..... hiking. Though this rumored iPod Nano is not bad, I can't wait.

Best Nano ever was

Image

hopefully they go back to this design and get the video recording again. I love being able to snap photos and take videos on something that small, even if it's just silly stuff like foxes and eerie empty streets when I'm out running at night. Or if you see an accident or something when you're out for a jog, it's nice to be able to record it.

 

[monaarts]

No way they will do this. They know people are wearing the current iPod nano's as a watch and I think they will want to keep this going. Why have an iPhone and an iPod in your pocket? Nope. Have an iPhone in your pocket and an iPod around your wrist. I see the next version looking something like this: (btw, the cartoon pic is just to bring back memories)

 

[Sixtafoua]

Apple may merge the current Nano and Shuffle, leaving a wearable device, then offer an iPod touch mini to replace the current Nano. This would make a lot of sense.

Have you been living in a cave for the last two years? The iPod nano is already a "wearable device".

 

[Bear]

An iPod nano similar to the depicted design and at least 16GB would be a nice option.

 

[Apple Key]

Apple is making a Zune?

LOL

I didn't see it until you said it, but it really does look like a Zune!

 

[Eidorian]

Have not heard anything about the Nano in some time.

 

[Rafterman]

About time.

The current Nano was an interesting experiment but the fact it's been more popular as a makeshift wristwatch says it all.

This mockup would be a much more natural/ergonomic form factor.

Add bluetooth to the existing Nano, and the Nano would become relevant again.

 

[Caliber26]

that's not a bad mockup render

Are you kidding me!? That thing looks like some cheap Zune. I'm all for the concept behind it, but that is one FUGLY render.

 

[Kid A]

Have you been living in a cave for the last two years? The iPod nano is already a "wearable device".

what you're quoting never implied that it isn't.

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... Apple famously removed virtually all buttons from the iPod shuffle in March 2009 as it moved controls to the headphone cord, but a September 2010 redesign saw the return of the click wheel and other on-device buttons.

since when did the shuffle ever have a click wheel?
buttons and a click wheel are 2 completely different interfaces, no?

if anything, didn't the 2010 round of re-designs mark the death of the click wheel -- with its removal from the nano and the presumed EOL status of the classic?

 

[deeddawg]

An iPod nano similar to the depicted design and at least 16GB would be a nice option.

An iPod nano that is actually usable for real workouts would be nice. The current one is just too easily killed by a little bit of sweat.

I'm sure it's fine if you just hang out at the gym posing, or run around the block twice a week -- but do a couple real workouts or outdoor runs where you're drenched in sweat and the nano quickly dies a salty corroded death if worn on your waist as directed for the Nike app. (manual, page 36)

Having to bundle it up in a waterproof case to use when working out kind of defeats the point.

 

[Rocketman]

If it were to add a form of wireless, have a 16:10 display, and run iOS apps, it might even be able to run remote server side apps as well. It could have a lot of functions as a "thin client".

Rocketman

 

[notjustjay]

Ooh, Sony's making iPods now?

 

[macchiato2009]

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Japanese blog Macotakara reports that Apple will be redesigning the iPod nano later this year with a new form factor that more closely resembles an iPod touch. According to the report, the iPod nano will apparently sport a rectangular screen and a home button similar to that found on iOS devices.

Image


Given that the screen size on this redesigned iPod nano would appear to be substantially smaller than the iPhone/iPod touch, it seems unlikely that the iPod nano would run iOS apps. Instead, Apple is likely to use a custom operating system and apps skinned to resemble iOS as found on the current incarnation of the iPod nano.

The report also indicates that Apple will be bringing a "dedicated new iTunes service" to the device, but there is no word on what that service would entail.

Apple's iPod lines have generally trended to smaller form factors with each redesign, but this rumored redesign would appear to mark a substantial increase in size from the current form factor, which was introduced in September 2010. Several leaked photos have suggested that Apple planned to add a camera to the smaller form factor, but it appears that the company may have ultimately scrapped those plans.

It would not be unprecedented, however, for Apple to decide that smaller is not necessarily better, particularly if the iPod nano can see increased functionality with the new design. Apple famously removed virtually all buttons from the iPod shuffle in March 2009 as it moved controls to the headphone cord, but a September 2010 redesign saw the return of the click wheel and other on-device buttons.

Article Link: Revamped iPod Nano to Include Oblong Body with Home Button?

i thought i was a design from microsoft

 

[myrtlebee]

I'm putting my bet out there that Apple will release the smaller iPad, eliminate the entire current iPod line. iPods have gotten stale. This would reignite some buzz around them .... they may introduce this as simply the new iPod and really hype it up, adding features that haven't yet been discussed (perhaps retaining the Shuffle, but I wouldn't count on that). Just a crazy guess, but something tells me they are taking an axe to the iPod lineup this fall.

 

[thrilllho]

Best Nano ever was

Image

hopefully they go back to this design and get the video recording again. I love being able to snap photos and take videos on something that small, even if it's just silly stuff like foxes and eerie empty streets when I'm out running at night. Or if you see an accident or something when you're out for a jog, it's nice to be able to record it.

Agree 100%. Mine is starting to lose its battery strength and I'm a sad, sad panda.

I would buy that redesign in a...heh...NanoSecond.

 

[canyonblue737]

I bet besides the new form factor the big new feature will be wifi... allowing access to the iTunes music store and iTunes match directly on the device. price will remain $149ish.