Does anyone think Apple would ever discontinue the Shuffle and lower the prices of the nano and iPod? (nano would replace the Shuffle)
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iPod Bye bye Shuffle?
- Thread starter rye9
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I believe that discontinuing the shuffle would be a very bad move for apple. The iPod Shuffle, at only $69 USD provides an alternative to the pricey nano, i dont belive the nano, what with its color screen and greater HD capicity will be that low anytime soon. It is also much more sturdier and convenient than the nano. I believe that apple will continue updating the shuffle line. Maybe bring it down to $39.99 
If apple discontinued the shuffles they'd be making a mistake. The shuffle is great for people who....
1.have less than 1GB of music. Yeah they could get the 1GB nano, but the price difference is quite large.
2.people who have medium sized libraries, but only listen to a select number frequently.
3.Something cheaper than a nano as a gift, without breaking the bank
4.people who only slowly enlarge their libraries.
It's just be stupid. The shuffle has a lot of advantages.
1.have less than 1GB of music. Yeah they could get the 1GB nano, but the price difference is quite large.
2.people who have medium sized libraries, but only listen to a select number frequently.
3.Something cheaper than a nano as a gift, without breaking the bank
4.people who only slowly enlarge their libraries.
It's just be stupid. The shuffle has a lot of advantages.
I think they will eventually drop the shuffle and bring in the 1GB and 2GB Nanos to replace it. Then up the Nanos to 4GB and 6GB for main-stream. Then 30GB and 60GB Video iPods would be top of the line. I'd actually like to see that. The Shuffle just doesn't fit IMO.
Some people actually want a player without a screen. When I listen to my library in iTunes, I almost always listen in shuffle mode. Carrying around my iPod Shuffle is no different. I don't need that much music with me at once, so the memory size is sufficient. I also like the Shuffle's physical size, configuration, and battery life. It's simple and cheap at 69 bucks. IMO, it would be a mistake for Apple to discontinue the Shuffle.
I personally dislike Shuffle. Its not an iPod, really.
Remember what SJ said when he introduced the original iPod? He said that one of the major features iPod has is ease of use (friendly interface), but shuffle doesnt even has a screen! Even if it had, it would be crap. They'll have to design a new "shuffle-interface"
ipod Shuffle = badbabdbabdbabdbabdbad
Remember what SJ said when he introduced the original iPod? He said that one of the major features iPod has is ease of use (friendly interface), but shuffle doesnt even has a screen!
Even if it had, it would be crap. They'll have to design a new "shuffle-interface"ipod Shuffle = badbabdbabdbabdbabdbad
eXan said:
The Shuffle is the easiest to use of all of the iPods. I can navigate with my eyes closed. Can't get an easier than that
The shuffle is going to be around for a long time. People will buy it for the fact that it's cheap, that it's a pretty strong player compared to the nano or regular iPod, and it the perfect size for the price.
The shuffle is flash based I believe and therefore has no harddrive to really worry about - makes it perfect for running. Running with regular iPods kills the harddrive. I don't think they'll replace it - only update maybe.
calebjohnston said:
But that doesn't apply to the nano.
Regardless, I'm a happy shuffle owner with a library of over 4000 songs on my computer. I love the size and durability of it. I spend enough time near my computer that I can manage my shuffle's contents easily. There's definitely a continued market for the shuffle as long as the right price point is hit.
You can be more brutal to the shuffle than you would be to something with a screen that you have to read, plus not having to look a screen to select your music can be a good thing as well.
I think there's a market for a very cheap, very light, durable mp3 player, and the shuffle fills it well, and doesn't pretend that a weeny little screen it worthwhile, like other little mp3 players do.
I think there's a market for a very cheap, very light, durable mp3 player, and the shuffle fills it well, and doesn't pretend that a weeny little screen it worthwhile, like other little mp3 players do.
This is what apple wants of the average consumer:
1. Buys Shuffle just to see what all this ipod riff raff is about. Starts to rip tons of CDs into itunes, perhaps gets into the itunes music store.
2. Builds up a larger collection of music, wants more capacity, buys Nano/Video. Continues to acquire new music, now perhaps videos as well.
3. Enjoys the Itunes/Ipod interface, buys mac (doesn't happen too often, but thats how my dad ended up switching).
4. Joins MacRumors, posts up thousands of p-shops of 6G ipods
(Of course, hopefully they don't post the 6G ipod p-shops)
I believe that Shuffles are the gateway into the ipod/mac world, and apple doesn't want to lose that.
1. Buys Shuffle just to see what all this ipod riff raff is about. Starts to rip tons of CDs into itunes, perhaps gets into the itunes music store.
2. Builds up a larger collection of music, wants more capacity, buys Nano/Video. Continues to acquire new music, now perhaps videos as well.
3. Enjoys the Itunes/Ipod interface, buys mac (doesn't happen too often, but thats how my dad ended up switching).
4. Joins MacRumors, posts up thousands of p-shops of 6G ipods
(Of course, hopefully they don't post the 6G ipod p-shops)
I believe that Shuffles are the gateway into the ipod/mac world, and apple doesn't want to lose that.
The shuffle isn't gong anywhere.. anytime soon.
Once they give out features, they can't take them back.
Once they give out features, they can't take them back.
I've got 1gig one alongside my 40gig 4G and 4gig Nano. I love it most out of them all. Use it half for data at work and half for music. Being able to plug it directly into usb rocks. It also cops an absolute beating and keeps on ticking.
adk said:
I did the opposite. I bought a 1st generation 5gig iPod when they first came out... a couple of weeks ago I "downgraded" to a 1gig Shuffle.
I very much prefer the shuffle. It's the right size, and I don't need the screen since I usually just play random music anyways... plus I also use it as a flash drive, and it's nice being able to plug it right into the computer without any extra cables to carry around. Small, simple and fun.
The Shuffle is more durable and easier to operate without looking at than the Nano. Mainly because it's a lot harder to accident mess up your volume setting.
There weren't countless scratch threads when the Shuffle came out. Nuf' said. Plus the price point is a good one.
That being said, I think they could make some improvements to the interface. I would love to see additional commands (say pressing play+forward to skip forward 10 songs) that didn't change basic functionality.
There weren't countless scratch threads when the Shuffle came out. Nuf' said. Plus the price point is a good one.
That being said, I think they could make some improvements to the interface. I would love to see additional commands (say pressing play+forward to skip forward 10 songs) that didn't change basic functionality.
If i'm doing anything active, (i.e. gym) I always take the shuffle...who wants to carry and risk breaking a full size ipod?
I think I like the shuffle more than the nano. I don't like the look of the nano and the shuffle is just a cool product.
I love my Shuffle. I plan to get a few more of those because they are durable. And they play itunes too!
adk said:
I think adk is right on point here. For me it was the nano, but with a little less money in my pocket it would have easily been the shuffle. The iPod overall was my "first step" into macdom.
The apple computing experience, from my perspective, well, there were people I knew that swore by mac by the majority of folks I worked with and interacted with were still on PC. There was no overwhelming evidence to switch how I computed at that time.
Then along came this iPod revolution and EVERYONE was carrying one- regardless of how they computed. Eventually I bought one-- and did so in an apple store. I started to play with the computers in there. Long story short, my nano purchase is wholly responsible for generating a $3000 computer purchase 2 weeks later.
THAT'S what the shuffle is about ultimately. I'm sure apple runs numbers to see what the purchasing chain looks like. Does a shuffle lead to a larger iPod? How many iPod purchases convert to new apple computing users, etc. I'd be interested to see the market research.
IPod Shuffles
I think the iPod Shuffle fitts great as a Flash Drive and it is also great for excising and working out in the gym, the iPod shuffle is by far the smallest iPod in size and is light to carry around which makes it even more great. You can easy update your iPod shuffles with sound you like to add or delete from your libary, shuffle it or keep it in order and you are on your way. If Apple decides to discontinue the iPod Suffle it is ok with me, because I know to myself that I have one of Apples fine Products.
I know the the shuffle may seem a little oxward not having a sceen, but think about it, when you are in a car listening to the radio do you see what the radio is about to play next, I don't think so, but as I said before once you have arranged your music in the way you want it to play then you should not have any problems knowing what comes next.
I think the iPod Shuffle fitts great as a Flash Drive and it is also great for excising and working out in the gym, the iPod shuffle is by far the smallest iPod in size and is light to carry around which makes it even more great. You can easy update your iPod shuffles with sound you like to add or delete from your libary, shuffle it or keep it in order and you are on your way. If Apple decides to discontinue the iPod Suffle it is ok with me, because I know to myself that I have one of Apples fine Products.
I know the the shuffle may seem a little oxward not having a sceen, but think about it, when you are in a car listening to the radio do you see what the radio is about to play next, I don't think so, but as I said before once you have arranged your music in the way you want it to play then you should not have any problems knowing what comes next.
Yes, first I owned a 4g 20 gig ipod, but i used it to heavily (i.e, dropped it more then a few times) so when it finnaly gave up, i wanted another. I was a bit short on cash at the time, so i bought a shuffle on ebay for $70.(Of course, If I had waited 2 weeks, I could have bought it NEW for that much. Oh well.) I like it, becuase even though it has no screen, I dont need too much space. I mean, Ive got a libary with about 200 songs, but only about 50 I listen to a lot. the 512 meg shuffle is perfect for a person with a smaller libary, and the battery life is awesome. It's durable, lightwieght, eficcient and it gets the job done. The perfect iPod.