Apple Rumored to Announce New iPod Touch, Nano and Shuffle Around July 14

[D.T.]

What they really need to do is add cellular tech to the iPod Touch, now _that_ would be a heck of a device ...






Seriously, I love the IPT and used to recommend them all the time (mostly when they had near parity with the iPhone or were just one generation behind). It's most of the feature set, in a much cheaper device, with no concern about contracts.

When they got so far behind though (I mean, they're what? The equivalent of an iPhone 4S but with an iPhone 5 display?). This should be terrific, hoping for at least an A7, and maybe iP6 level camera. Wondering if a total form factor redo might make it a higher res device, like an iP6 without cell or NCF (but with TID and all other components).

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple and Shiller can't make the same rationale for a 16GB iPod Nano as they can for the iPhone. If Apple keeps 16GB Nano @ $149 then the question will be why did they bother. Sales are already flatlined. 16GB for $149 is absurd in mid 2015. (Plus I really need a 32GB+ Nano for the car so I'm biased.)

 

[mysticbluebmw]

Both my kids have an iPhone 5s with no phone plan. Neither of them even care to have a plan. I offered my oldest to set her up, and while she only mildly cared about the data (really only barely cared, since not unlimited), she had NO interest in a calling plan. ALL her friends use skype. I would have much rather gotten them iPods, but the old one really sucks compared to a 5s, so that's what I got them.

 

[Traverse]

why do people still bother ipod when we having iphone - everything iphone can do that ipod do

Because of what I said here:

"I wanted to add that the strength of the iPod and the weakness of an iPhone as a music player is the iPods simplicity and single-focus nature. Even the iPhone's music app has gotten out of hand with "For You," "New," "Connect," and "Radio" while it hides my actual music! Call me old fashion (even though I'm just 22) but I like to just see Albums, Artists, Playlists, and Songs. A radio service isn't too much and can be fine, but now they're just pushing a new digital service on you. I just want a simple music player/app."

An iPhone requires constant attention to change the music or navigate around whereas the iPod has physical buttons for pausing/playing going forward and back. Also, the iPhone is constantly giving me alerts and Apple is incessantly pushing people toward Apple Music. The iOS music app has gotten far to complicated for people who just want their iTunes music on their device. An iPod's strength is it's single focus. Also, and iPhone starts at $600 where a Nano can be gotten for $100 from the refurb store or $150 new.

 

[Traverse]

iPods are mostly used by the younger age group

Or at the gym, or in the car, or for when someone just wants a simple music player that's not constantly alerting them to texts, emails, etc.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Because an iPhone > $700 and an iPod < $200

iPods are mostly used by the younger age group

Well the Touch, yes. But adults use the shuffle and nano as workout and car companions. I keep a nano plunged into my car's USB port. Much easier than having to plug in my iPhone every time I get in, and unplug when I leave, and better sounding than if I played music via BT, which sounds flat, and kills the battery.

 

[Traverse]

Apple and Shiller can make the same rationale for a 16GB iPod Nano as they can for the iPhone. If Apple keeps 16GB Nano @ $149 then the question will be why did they bother. Sales are already flatlined. 16GB for $149 is absurd in mid 2015. (Plus I really need a 32GB+ Nano for the car so I'm biased.)

I agree. The Nano is my favorite iPod by far and better than an iPhone/iPod Touch for music. I will absolutely get one if they lower the price or bump the storage to 32GB which I'd prefer. Even with the Apple tax, I can't bring myself to pay $150 for a 16GB music player.

 

[mr.bee]

Well i hope for a bigger synergy between ipod touch and appleTV. Give developers a platform to create games and apps that use your television screen and the ipod touch as a controller. That would be a serious competitor for nintendo.

This will probably be internal updates to survive for another couple of years, nothing more.

 

[0003462]

If Apple really wants to reinvigorate the iPod touch, they should reinvent it. Like I mentioned earlier, perhaps rename it an iPad nano. Offer it in 4.7" or 5.5" sizes. It's so much more than a music player. There is huge untapped potential here. Exploit it. Perhaps market the iPod touch as the definitive portable camera for travel photogs. Give it the best camera available. I think if Apple remarkets the iPod touch, they could have a real winner. They have to make it compelling since so many people already own iPhones. The shuffle can be marketed as just a music device, but the iPod touch has to be so much more than just a music player. If Apple does this, I think sales will take off for this device once again.

Great. Except Apple neither wants nor needs to "reinvigorate" the iPod touch. They need to update the 5th gen because A5 devices aren't getting any of the big iOS 9 features. I imagine that's the reason for this update and why it's coming now.

Perhaps in 2 years, when the A7 is on its way out, the "c" range of iPhones will be <£300 and they can get rid of the iPod touch altogether. Maybe they'll keep the 5c around for another year at £250 (off-contract-only iPhone) and have a 4-tier line-up now that iPhones are getting 5 years of software support.

Many (including me) seem attracted to the iPod touch for what it is, but many others are attracted to it for nostalgia's sake. Does Apple want the iPod brand around anymore? Does it sound/feel old? I'd say it does, along with the name iTunes. There's Apple Music, the Apple Watch will become independent and drop in price to fill the gap of the iPod nano (albeit a more expensive one), iPhones may potentially drop a further price tier. There's no need to reinvigorate the iPod - just keep it around long enough while this transition happens.

Admittedly, there is something incredibly appealing about the iPod touch - a wifi-only, 'inexpensive', pocketable device feels much 'cleaner' and definitely more elegant than an expensive iPhone with an ongoing data/talk/text plan to manage. The more I think about it, the more I love the iPod touch. I'd like it to stick around, but it doesn't fit the future well. The main future problem, I guess, is how to spread across the lower end price tiers the iPod lineup currently covers.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Please, at least update that iOS 6-esque iPod nano software if you're refreshing the hardware, Apple.

I know, it looks so dated!

 

[shareef777]

You get the $700 phone and give the old one to the kids.

Or I could sell it for $500+ and buy each of them the new one at $200 each.

 

[brendu]

why do people still bother ipod when we having iphone - everything iphone can do that ipod do

As an elementary school teacher the majority of people I see buying iPod Touch are buying it for their children who are too young to need a cell phone. Having said that, I see more kids using old iPhones without SIM cards than using iPod Touch

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Or I could sell it for $500+ and buy each of them the new one at $200 each.

It's been a long time since one could get $500 for an out of contract, unlocked iPhone. $300-350 is more realistic, even top of the line storage models, so doubt that plan would work.

 

[rafaelfmarques]

I just want the iPod shuffle is compatible with Apple music.

 

[nelsonammo]

Apple doesn't need to redesign any of the iPods because the PMP market is basically dead. People just use their cell phones for music now. Sales are so low and unimportant to the company that they don't include it on the main page of their website anymore and don't have them in a separate category during earnings calls. Since there's no money in the market anymore they're not going to devote any kind of significant rescources towards the iPods anymore. Plus if they added functionality to the Touch to match the phone, people would buy the $200 Touch instead of the $600 iPhone. That would be a cardinal sin for a corporation like Apple.

That being said, it would be cool if they did update the iPods. The Nano would be cool with updated software and a retina screen and the Touch would be cool with a new processor, touch ID and better camera. And it would be cool if Apple updated them to focus on high res music.

 

[stubbornapple]

My old 4th gen iPod touch sits in my car as my music device and hidden out of sight all the time. I never touch it unless I have to put new music on it, but if it ever craps out I don't see myself replacing it.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

And these newest iPods won't be able to use Apple Music.

Brilliant move, Apple.

 

[shamino]

I'm not against it but does it make sense to mount 64-bit CPU on an iPod?

For a Touch, absolutely. It should be able to run any app an iPhone can run.

Here's to hoping for a 128GB model. Since they killed the Classic they need something for those of us who have large libraries.

Agreed. I love my Classic, and I don't know what I'll do when it dies. It be a complete waste to buy a 128GB iPad to use for just a music player. And I don't want to play music on my phone - I don't want to drain the battery after hours of listening. I want to keep the phone's battery for taking calls and accessing internet sources.

A 128GB nano would be just about perfect. (Well, it would be perfect if it would keep the click-wheel, like my 2nd-gen nano does, but that's never going to happen.)

give the shuffle some more storage... still 2GB, really?

Sure, but they need to keep it at the $50 price-point. The big selling point for the shuffle is that it is an inexpensive music player. If you raise the cost too much, you lose your target audience.

 

[StevieD100]

why do people still bother ipod when we having iphone - everything iphone can do that ipod do

My iPod complments my iPhone perfectly. The battery on the iPod lasts for a age when compared to the phone even with it in Flight Mode. The iPod is smaller and that is perfect. Since phones got big the iPod is a perfect size for a music player. No I don't stream. Most of my music is on the iPod.
IMHO, it is perfectly suited for its job.

 

[rhoydotp]

I just want the iPod shuffle is compatible with Apple music.

In my opinion, any smallish iPod that is not compatible for Apple Music is not acceptable at this point. I am not subscribing to Apple Music because I could not sync the offline files to my 2 Nanos and an old (v6.x) iPod touch. Like the idea of Apple Music but this is a miss for me because of this limitation.

 

[Dwalls90]

Are these the only colors or in addition to existing colors? And it looks like it's keeping the same desig so I guess that means no bigger screen?

I'd say replacing the old line up. There aren't the old color "Assets" in iTunes 12.2, so..

 

[2457282]

Some people, famously John Siracusa (of OS X review fame), have done so. But most people wouldn't want to be without a phone while away from home or work, if only for being able to make and receive calls as well as texts. And even John Siracusa now has an iPhone.

I agree, I don't think I would ever drop my iphone. My bigger point (that got lost in there somewhere) is that Apple needs to provide consumers a reason to buy an iPod. Today, with an iPhone, the iPod becomes redundant. I had iPods since the beginning, but once I got the iPhone 3G, i gave my ipod to my daughter and never went back. So my thought is that there is little appeal for an iPhone owner to buy an iPod. And for a newbie, it make sense to spend just a few dollars more to get the phone. So unless Apple provides use cases where the iPod makes sense over the phone, why bother with colors. This is the famous "putting lipstick on a pig" issue.

 

[Dorje Sylas]

The only downside would be no connectivity when in transit - which may be acceptable given the monthly savings.

This may actually be a positive for Teenage Drivers. Removing the capacity for communication while in transit by vehicle removes a hazardous distraction. In cases of emergency an old Non-Plan emergency "Dumb" cell phone that stays in the car, and can call 911 (or equivalent emergency survives) works.

 

[dthmtlgod]

a 5.5" inch with 128GB would be awesome sauce

 

[Canada420]

For the iPod Touch yes!! The 5th gen is quite outdated now.. iPad 2 internals, so still usable but getting on.

SURELY they'll redesign the interface for the Nano???

What about reducing the NANO as thin and maybe the same format as a credit card. Include the;touchID/wifi/NFC/Apple Pay/Watch support, features..make it a virtual wallet and an ipod with Nike+ and FM radio and help sell more watches and push apple pay