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Apple Splitting iPod Touch Lineup Between Current and New Designs, Increasing Color Options for iPod Shuffle and New Nano?

kiwiboi87 said:
will be nice to see siri finally come to ipod touch, which im sure will happen with this update.
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Hats off to you, I will add this to my list of better camera, RAM, and 4" screen size. Thank you for reminding me why it is worth updating my much-loved 3rd gen iPod Touch.
 
How can they justify selling the touches at $299 anymore. Especially if they announce a 7-8 inch iPad mini??

They cant ask $300+ for a mini and be competitive with Amazon and Nexus 7..

They need to fix pricing

iTouch $199.99
Mini iPad - $299.99
iPad - $499.99
 
MacRumors said:
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9to5Mac shares some details on Apple's apparent plans for updated iPods reportedly set to be introduced alongside the iPhone 5 at next Wednesday's media event. Based on the information that appears to come from part numbers in inventory systems, Apple will reportedly be making at least minor changes to three of the current iPod lines.

- iPod shuffle: Apple is said be making minor changes at the most to the entry-level music player, with the biggest change perhaps being the availability of eight different colors compared to the five color options on the current model. The current $49 pricing is likely to remain in effect, but it is unclear if the current 2 GB capacity will carry over to the new models.

- iPod nano: Cases for a larger, redesigned iPod nano have begun surfacing, and 9to5Mac's report indicates that a new code name for the device is indeed suggesting more than a minor refresh. The new iPod nano is also said to come in eight different colors, up from the current seven color options. Interestingly, the report indicates that Apple may streamline the iPod nano lineup by offering only a single storage capacity, compared to the current 8 GB and 16 GB options. The report says that pricing is likely to be similar to the current high-end iPod nano price, but it incorrectly states that price as $169 when it is actually $149 after last year's price drop.

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- iPod touch: Apple is also expected to update the iPod touch, with several rumors and part leaks pointing to the device gaining a similar 4-inch display to that apparently coming to the iPhone 5. But today's report indicates that Apple may take a hybrid approach to its lineup, releasing a tweaked version of the current design at the low-end while bringing the significant redesign to the higher-end models.The report says that these new $299/$399 iPod models presumed to be the iPod touch will come in "multiple variations" beyond the capacity differences implied by the two different price points. The report speculates that these variations could be related to multiple color options, but it is unclear how many of these options there are for each model and Apple of course already offers the iPod touch in both black and white.

Article Link: Apple Splitting iPod Touch Lineup Between Current and New Designs, Increasing Color Options for iPod Shuffle and New Nano?
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With the iPad mini supposedly coming out and with the Nano supposedly gaining iPod touch-like features, and with the iPhone on just about every major carrier out there, what is the point of the iPod touch? Don't get me wrong, I'm about as big of an iPod touch fanboy as they come, but playing devil's advocate (or rather, analyzing it objectively), what purpose does it serve in their lineup?
 
hahaha, well, if these 'new' iPod touches are not mini iPads, then you can TOTALLY forget about any 'cheap' 7" iPad haha.

And if they aren't mini iPads, then I for one am gonna REALLY struggle to see the point of them at that price?
 
jagolden said:
Don't think you're weird at all. Even Apple's music players are becoming commodities. They need to really come up with something groundbreaking to make them stand out.
I don't know what this would be but I mean more than a bigger screen and more storage.

I love my Nano and collection of shuffles but since I've started using my iPhone as my music player, I rarely use the others except for special circumstances.
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That's kind of how I feel. I haven't bought a new iPod since the 2nd Gen iTouch. It serves it's function as means of carrying my music with me to play in my car stereo. Other than that...I use my iPad as a tablet and my iPhone largely as a phone.
 
I think Apple will deliver some music enhancement technology. Like active crossovers and digital amplifiers. They would require special earphones build for that. Think about it: they are also releasing new earphones, from what we have seen. So why wouldn't Apple do those new sound quality enhancements on both the new iPhone and new iPod touch and keep the older models for compatibility. They did the same with the MacBook Pro and their MagSafe plug.
 
o0jelly0o said:
I do not understand how anyone could use 128GB. It is simply unreasonably large amount of storage space. It is incredibly hard to use 128GB worth of music (assuming one uses them for music and not storing hundreds of apps they don't open), I mean that is just WAY too many songs to choose from, like you would literally never listen to most of them. Generally you listen to certain groups of songs you like, and most of them you never end up playing, like I have so many songs on my 8GB iPod Touch that I literally never play because I just don't feel like listening to them. It's just for those people who want every song they own, no matter how many plays it has on their device (0 being the majority) just because.
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You know you can put movies on your iPod, right?
 
djscooterb said:
If Apple thinks that a 4" iPod Touch can compete with the 7" Kindle Fire and Kindle FIRE HD offerings at the same price point, then they have lost touch. Say what you want about the Kindle Fire being plastic, etc. They have 1280x800 screens spread over 7" of real estate and 16 GB for $199. That is what the current 3.5" 8 GB iPod Touch costs. The original Kindle Fire didn't have great specs or great reviews, but these new ones look to be addressing that while maintaining crazy low prices.
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There is no way that Apple can sell the new Ipod Touch at $199 when you can get a new Kindle fire 7 inch for $159 to Kindle Fire 7 inch HD for $199, or a new 8.9 inch Kindle Fire HD for $299.

The Ipod touch needs to come with a 4 inch retina screen with dual cameras and A6 chip for $149.
The Ipad Mini needs to be 7.8 inch retina screen with dual Cameras, A6 chip, and for $249 with 16gb and $299 for 32gb.
 
tripjammer said:
There is no way that Apple can sell the new Ipod Touch at $199 when you can get a new Kindle fire 7 inch for $159 to Kindle Fire 7 inch HD for $199, or a new 8.9 inch Kindle Fire HD for $299.

The Ipod touch needs to come with a 4 inch retina screen with dual cameras and A6 chip for $149.
The Ipad Mini needs to be 7.8 inch retina screen with dual Cameras, A6 chip, and for $249 with 16gb and $299 for 32gb.
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You are dead-on and I agree that price-wise the iPod Touch is too expensive for what you get. But I need to upgrade my iPod touch 3rd generation. I want something that fits in my pocket, runs iOS, and has 64GB of memory. Unless I begin looking at Samsung, what should I do? I'm not being a smart a$$. I want to know.
 
I will never pay for a phone contract. Completely outrageous in this day and age for the prices and terms they charge. The cell companies are scamming us the same way the long distance companies used to.

I use my iPod Touch as my phone (Line2 & iMessage). It works great. I'm always in wifi so it's no problem. I also use it for everything else (music, camera, organizer, pods, etc...)

What I love most about it though is the FORM FACTOR. I HATE the iPhone brick like design. It's heavy and ugly. I understand they need to jam more stuff (cellular radio, better cameras) in it but I loathe it. I am very glad to hear it sounds like Apple will be keeping the 4th Gen iPod Touch form factor for at least the low end models. I can only dream that they will also keep it for the new high end one's too. I would buy a new high end one in a minute if they do.

I also really like the shiny metal back. It's slick and cool. Yes it can scratch but so do all other portable devices. I think a great deal of the success of the Samsung Galaxy III is due to it's form factor (and appearance) being very closely related to the iPod Touch.

When the iPod Touch 4th gen first came out 2 years ago I recall Anandtech saying it was the perfect size/weight. I agree and still feel the same way. Don't want some huge brick in my pocket. Look forward to the day when all phones/devices are this weight (or less).

Getting pretty jazzed for next Wed. (please please please, for the love of pete, give us 128gigs)
 
To those comparing these rumoured new iPod Touch prices to the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire range.

I only have one thing to say, how else do you think Apple has become the most valuable company on the planet with billions in the bank doing nothing but earning interest?

Apple do NOT do cheap, never have, never will. Not talking value, talking cheap.
 
Shaun said:
I don't carry my iPod with me anymore, it just sits in the living room so I can play whatever song I want using AirPlay rather than having to get up and put a CD on. I'm willing to pay for that convenience because I like listening to a variety of music instead of the piss poor offerings we get in the charts today.
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In that case you don't need a bigger iPod. Use ITunes match instead... A lot cheaper.
 
apolloa said:
To those comparing these rumoured new iPod Touch prices to the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire range.

I only have one thing to say, how else do you think Apple has become the most valuable company on the planet with billions in the bank doing nothing but earning interest?

Apple do NOT do cheap, never have, never will. Not talking value, talking cheap.
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Not to mention Apple appears to have sold plenty of current model iPod Touches at $199 against the original Kindle Fire even with a smaller display than what appears the new iPod Touch will have.


As for a new Nano form factor, I like the current one as I can hide it in my car. So I just placed an order for a 16GB Blue model.
 
apolloa said:
I don't think the UK versions will have the recommendations adverts. But it's no worst then iAds is it.
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IMO it's worse than iAds, because there are usually paid app versions with no ads, or a way to pay .99 to get rid of them. I really don't understand why Amazon doesn't let you pay another $20 to get rid of them.

The UK models have ads too.
 
My prediction for prices is as follows:

iPod Shuffle (1 model): $49
iPod Nano (2 models): $129 & $149
iPod Touch (2 models, both with 4" screens): $199 & $299
iPod Classic finally deleted from inventory
iPhone (32gb, 64gb, and 128gb models): $199, $299, & $399
iPad 2 removed from inventory
iPad Mini (8GB, 16GB, and 32GB w/ & w/o 4g): $249, $349, $449, $379, $479, & $579
iPad (3): same prices as current models


Watch and see!!! :D
 
o0jelly0o said:
I do not understand how anyone could use 128GB. It is simply unreasonably large amount of storage space. It is incredibly hard to use 128GB worth of music (assuming one uses them for music and not storing hundreds of apps they don't open), I mean that is just WAY too many songs to choose from, like you would literally never listen to most of them. Generally you listen to certain groups of songs you like, and most of them you never end up playing, like I have so many songs on my 8GB iPod Touch that I literally never play because I just don't feel like listening to them. It's just for those people who want every song they own, no matter how many plays it has on their device (0 being the majority) just because.
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Why? Two words: Lossless audio.

For a few of us, it's all about the music first, convenience second. We remember what uncompressed 16bit/44.1 audio sounds like. The iPod Classic + ALAC (lossless audio format) + good headphones (e.g., Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones) = a pretty respectable mobile hi-fi setup.

Remember, most music is produced and mastered at 24bit/88.2 (or higher even) in the studio. Even lossless 16bit/44.1 is a compromise to what the producers wished we could hear. You can imagine how they feel about lossy codecs on top of that. It's unacceptable.

It's like we're stuck in a bandwidth-compromised, storage-challenged time loop, even though both of those underlying technologies have progressed forward.

In some parallel universe, people are able to buy lossless audio from iTunes and play it back on their 512gb iPods and download "plus" versions at 24bit/96khz.
 
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