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5GB iPod: Not longer available?
- Thread starter blackpeter
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Why not continue to manufacture the current ipods and just sell them at a reduced rate instead of ceasing production. I am sure they would still sell a boadload of them if they lowered the price of the 5 gb to $199.
margins, margins, margins... apple is all about margins. that's why it can be difficult to get discontinued apple models. you can't wait until the mirror door powermacs are only $999 because it will never happen... just never, apple controls the market tightly
they've gotta be doing something but 40gb iPods are out of the question, unless Toshiba or whoever makes the iPod hard drives makes the bigger capacity hard drives smaller.
Do you have any idea how big the 5 and 20gb models are? 40 is going to be like the size of a book!
Hopefully they're making some adjustments to it...maybe a slimmer 5gb or a total redesign. (more likely than 40gb iPods and iPods that can play mubies)
Do you have any idea how big the 5 and 20gb models are? 40 is going to be like the size of a book!
Hopefully they're making some adjustments to it...maybe a slimmer 5gb or a total redesign. (more likely than 40gb iPods and iPods that can play mubies)
If they make half as much and sell three time as many, they make more money, that's why.
I'm not saying this is the case in this instance.. but think damnit. Think!
10 and 20GB showing 5-7 day wait
I haven't seen it posted here so I'll go ahead and post it. Not only are the 5GB "out of stock" but the 10 and 20GB are also looking at a 5-7 day ship time.
Here's the story from macminute.com:
5GB iPod unavailable at Apple Store due to "significant holiday demand"
January 21, 2003 - 16:09 EST__ Several readers note that the online Apple Store has been updated with an explanation for the lack of in-stock 5GB iPods. The note reads, "Due to significant holiday demand, the 5GB iPod is temporarily unavailable." The wait for both the 10GB and 20GB iPods is 5-7 days.
Maybe I'm just being optimistic but I REALLY hope for updates. I too waited till MacWorld for updates, and since none came, I decided to wait a little longer.
What do you all think about the Jan 25th timetable? THis would seem to fit within Apple's 5-7 day wait period and would coinside with iLife, maybe more press at one big event, more bang for Apple's PR buck.
I haven't seen it posted here so I'll go ahead and post it. Not only are the 5GB "out of stock" but the 10 and 20GB are also looking at a 5-7 day ship time.
Here's the story from macminute.com:
5GB iPod unavailable at Apple Store due to "significant holiday demand"
January 21, 2003 - 16:09 EST__ Several readers note that the online Apple Store has been updated with an explanation for the lack of in-stock 5GB iPods. The note reads, "Due to significant holiday demand, the 5GB iPod is temporarily unavailable." The wait for both the 10GB and 20GB iPods is 5-7 days.
Maybe I'm just being optimistic but I REALLY hope for updates. I too waited till MacWorld for updates, and since none came, I decided to wait a little longer.
What do you all think about the Jan 25th timetable? THis would seem to fit within Apple's 5-7 day wait period and would coinside with iLife, maybe more press at one big event, more bang for Apple's PR buck.
What updates do we actually need? There are a few reasonable suggestions, e.g. recording, but in the main I think all they can really do is cut the price. Don't mess with the iPod, it's very nice as it is (though it could do with a firmware update to support ogg that doesn't require a new version of the hardware).
The iPod is one of the few Apple products that doen't need updating (though I don't discount the posibility of another iPod like DLD). Oh and they might discontinue the older 5GB version.
The iPod is one of the few Apple products that doen't need updating (though I don't discount the posibility of another iPod like DLD). Oh and they might discontinue the older 5GB version.
I don't know if this will clear anything up but Hitachi released a 1.8" 40GB HD on 6 Jan 03
Hitachi Press Release
Hitachi Press Release
There are currently available 40GB drive that are the same size as the 20GB ones in the current iPod. In other words not much bigger then the 5GB iPod. Did you know that the smallest iPod is the 10GB?
The new larger HD was release around Christmas. At the same time they made a press release saying there will be a 60GB in a couple month and a 80GB before the end of the year.
Yeah, and a fix to the battery issue...have you all checked out the other discusson boards and seen how many iPods have died just after the one year warranty is up (and a lot prior) there's got to be a design flaw somewhere.
We need user changable batteries, MPG4 support (which yes could be done by firmware), a price drop for sure. Of course I have a few others on my "wish list" but I think that's all we really NEED
I also agree with the few who have posted that Apple is making a mistake by droping the 5GB iPods. For the AVERAGE person (and I think we would all agree that most of us on this board are not average) a 5GB iPod is all they need, at $199 they'd just fly off the shelf. You'd start seeing iPods like we see CD players now.
Just my two cents...
No 5GB iPod on Apple Japan Store page
Tha Apple Japan Store lists the iPod specs for the 5GB model, but no 'buttons' to order.
10GB and 20GB OK though....
Let's hope something is brewing, my iPod (bought the first day available in Japan) is dying the dreaded battery deth.
Tha Apple Japan Store lists the iPod specs for the 5GB model, but no 'buttons' to order.
10GB and 20GB OK though....
Let's hope something is brewing, my iPod (bought the first day available in Japan) is dying the dreaded battery deth.
i've been watching this all week, and i decide to take my 10 gb iPod back to best buy. I bought mine on the 23rd of December at best buy, cause i knew if somehting was released at Macworld, i could take it back. Well nothing happend in SF on the 7th, so i kept it. But all this talk, and lack of stock all over the world made me take it back. I'll wait it out over the next week and see what happens, and if nothing happens, i'll just buy it again. I can live without it for a week, especially if i can get 100 dollars off or new features..... PS I miss my iPod already 
ACK! PowerJack rears his ugly head!!!!
That "Whispers" site has a logo on it that is way too like the avatar for PowerJack, aka Jack Campbell from the SpyMac site. You remember this guy, the one who was illegally reselling high-end computer furniture last fall at super-high mark-up! Higher than the original maker!
Also, who is an ex-con, put away for who knows what. Who said that he was a power guru, then in the same thread said he was a marketing consultant, then in another thread said he worked for a large power consulting firm, then later in the thread said that he owned 3 marketing companies, then it came out, through a link he supplied, that he WAS a power consultant who charged about $25,000 a day for services, and linked off to his interactive calendar, that had no business meetings scheduled for the next 6 months.
ACK! HOSER! I would not put a whole lot of stock in these words of his.
That "Whispers" site has a logo on it that is way too like the avatar for PowerJack, aka Jack Campbell from the SpyMac site. You remember this guy, the one who was illegally reselling high-end computer furniture last fall at super-high mark-up! Higher than the original maker!
Also, who is an ex-con, put away for who knows what. Who said that he was a power guru, then in the same thread said he was a marketing consultant, then in another thread said he worked for a large power consulting firm, then later in the thread said that he owned 3 marketing companies, then it came out, through a link he supplied, that he WAS a power consultant who charged about $25,000 a day for services, and linked off to his interactive calendar, that had no business meetings scheduled for the next 6 months.
ACK! HOSER! I would not put a whole lot of stock in these words of his.
If they are going to update the iPod, why would only the 5gb version be unavailable?
Maybe they are going to update the iPod soon-ish but I don't think a lack of stock, even in other countries, is evidence enough. After all iPods aren't built in the the countries of sale like the Mac's are, so if they run out - they run out everywhere. Good Christmas sales seem more likely to me.
Now if they were all unavailable that would be different...
Maybe they are going to update the iPod soon-ish but I don't think a lack of stock, even in other countries, is evidence enough. After all iPods aren't built in the the countries of sale like the Mac's are, so if they run out - they run out everywhere. Good Christmas sales seem more likely to me.
Now if they were all unavailable that would be different...
I don't understand apple. They could release the new ipods, and drop the price of the 5 gig to 199 and completely dominate the market. Instead the drop a lower price option all together and keep their new low end at 299 :\
Same thing with the monitors. If I could order 15 inch LCDs for 399 i would have 2 O
Instead they just shift their line. :\
Same thing with the monitors. If I could order 15 inch LCDs for 399 i would have 2 O
Instead they just shift their line. :\
Other reasons for upgrading...
That's not necessarily true. It's possible that Apple does intend to continue selling 5GB iPods, but has a new design that costs less to produce.
Or, maybe they sell a lot more 10GB iPods than 5GB and they intend to drop the 5GB Pod altogether while introducing a lower priced 10GB and a new 40GB at the top.
Just because demand hasn't dropped off doesn't mean that there wouldn't be other economic factors that could help Apple to modify the line-up.
That's not necessarily true. It's possible that Apple does intend to continue selling 5GB iPods, but has a new design that costs less to produce.
Or, maybe they sell a lot more 10GB iPods than 5GB and they intend to drop the 5GB Pod altogether while introducing a lower priced 10GB and a new 40GB at the top.
Just because demand hasn't dropped off doesn't mean that there wouldn't be other economic factors that could help Apple to modify the line-up.
Same thing at Apple Store Deutschland...
Nothing about the Holidays, just citing strong demand right now...
Nothing about the Holidays, just citing strong demand right now...
Price Drop Evidence?
Hi All,
Look on the Apple Store page at this graphic...
http://www.apple.com/r/store/ipodinfoblock/images/new_02a.gif
Note the "a" appended at the end of the graphic. Now look at:
http://www.apple.com/r/store/ipodinfoblock/images/new_02.gif
The difference is that the pricing information has been removed from the newer graphic version.
Perhaps we're in for price drops? Both graphics reference the same models 5, 10, 20GB. Why bother to change that graphic unless you're looking to drop the prices?
Hi All,
Look on the Apple Store page at this graphic...
http://www.apple.com/r/store/ipodinfoblock/images/new_02a.gif
Note the "a" appended at the end of the graphic. Now look at:
http://www.apple.com/r/store/ipodinfoblock/images/new_02.gif
The difference is that the pricing information has been removed from the newer graphic version.
Perhaps we're in for price drops? Both graphics reference the same models 5, 10, 20GB. Why bother to change that graphic unless you're looking to drop the prices?
Re: Price Drop Evidence?
What does a price drop have to do with unavailability? If they're going to drop the price, they would try to sell as many as possible at current prices. At worst, they would refund the difference.
I agree with those who question dropping the 5gb model. While I'm all for updates and bigger versions, why not keep the low-end version? It's not like it can't handle new software; it's solely a capacity question.
What does a price drop have to do with unavailability? If they're going to drop the price, they would try to sell as many as possible at current prices. At worst, they would refund the difference.
I agree with those who question dropping the 5gb model. While I'm all for updates and bigger versions, why not keep the low-end version? It's not like it can't handle new software; it's solely a capacity question.
Price Drop and Unavailability
Simple, because if the new 5GB model is a re-design (even if just internally) they will likely be able to build it cheaper, be able to lower the price and sell more of them, and make the same or better profit.
Here's the scenario:
Engineer Says:
- Our new iPod design is ready! We will save $50 per unit with the new process
Steve Says:
- Great! Order a 100,000 of them. When can we have them?
Engineer Says:
- By the 2nd week of January
Steve Says:
- Well, that's a little behind our MacWorld target, but we'll take what we can get. Don't order any more of the old version. We don't want any inventory of that when the new one comes in.
Engineer Says:
- No problem!
(weeks later)
Engineer Says:
- Oops! We didn't get our new inventory in and we've run out of the old version!
Steve Says:
- No problem. Just have the store folks say something like... er... "unavailable due to high holiday sales"... yeah... the investors will like that explanation
- How long for the new ones to come in?
Engineer Says:
- Supplier says "real soon now"
Steve Says:
- Okay. Thanks. And, by the way, you're fired.
Simple, because if the new 5GB model is a re-design (even if just internally) they will likely be able to build it cheaper, be able to lower the price and sell more of them, and make the same or better profit.
Here's the scenario:
Engineer Says:
- Our new iPod design is ready! We will save $50 per unit with the new process
Steve Says:
- Great! Order a 100,000 of them. When can we have them?
Engineer Says:
- By the 2nd week of January
Steve Says:
- Well, that's a little behind our MacWorld target, but we'll take what we can get. Don't order any more of the old version. We don't want any inventory of that when the new one comes in.
Engineer Says:
- No problem!
(weeks later)
Engineer Says:
- Oops! We didn't get our new inventory in and we've run out of the old version!
Steve Says:
- No problem. Just have the store folks say something like... er... "unavailable due to high holiday sales"... yeah... the investors will like that explanation
- How long for the new ones to come in?
Engineer Says:
- Supplier says "real soon now"
Steve Says:
- Okay. Thanks. And, by the way, you're fired.