As its stands, iPods have way too high an entry price point. Personally, $300-350CDN is my entry price point. $440CDN is too much. A lot of people are in the same boat as me: the iPod is a fun toy that would be nice to have (especially since I'm now officially a Mac user after a recent switch), but we're not going to pay out the ass for one.
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Cheaper iPods at MWSF?
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Originally posted by TomSmithMacEd
Yeah, my parents won't get me one because they think they are too exensive. But I don't know if 5gb would be big enough for me seeming my music collection is at 7gb+ and growing rapidly, but beggers cannot be choosers I guess.
Get a 10GB refurb from Apple or smalldog.com
I myself use a 40GB which was major bucks but I've already put my entire ripped CD collection on there and thats almost 11gigs now. Need the extra space for some more CD's and online music I intend buy in Jan. and Feb. It also allows me to store some data on it as well.
I believe a 5GB will cure people of the cheaper flash MP3 players.
Also if this rumor holds true then I only need 3 more to have be 100% accurate on my predictions.
You are right, no one has time to listen to 30G's of music in a day, the number dont make it possible.
Don't make a liar out of me Apple.
I've successfully convinced a hand full of people in the office I work NOT to get a Dell Jukeboxes and wait for January because of the possibility for a 5GB iPod. If this is true it's going to be huge but in reality this should have been done this summer. Apple was/is just being greedy. There hasn't been any massive change in tech that just now allowed the iPod to drop in price.
I'm going to be interested in the long run when Dell/Toshiba and the like all introduce 20GB Jukeboxes in the $250 range. It isn't going to happen for a bit but the 20GB model is already at $299 which already undercuts Apple. Apple better pull something out of their hat in January and it better be more then a $199 iPod.
I've successfully convinced a hand full of people in the office I work NOT to get a Dell Jukeboxes and wait for January because of the possibility for a 5GB iPod. If this is true it's going to be huge but in reality this should have been done this summer. Apple was/is just being greedy. There hasn't been any massive change in tech that just now allowed the iPod to drop in price.
I'm going to be interested in the long run when Dell/Toshiba and the like all introduce 20GB Jukeboxes in the $250 range. It isn't going to happen for a bit but the 20GB model is already at $299 which already undercuts Apple. Apple better pull something out of their hat in January and it better be more then a $199 iPod.
While I'll never have 20gigs of music, I use my 'pod a lot for back-up and as an external hard drive.
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
This is horrible.
Making a sub $300 (US) iPod will completely ruin the cachet of being seen with one of these babies. Apple better make them look different and obviously cheaper to distinguish them from the beautiful luxury-class walkman we know and love.
Why should Apple stoop to compete with the likes of Dell?
This is a sad, sad day...
- For those a little slow on the uptake, this is not meant to be taken seriously.
Making a sub $300 (US) iPod will completely ruin the cachet of being seen with one of these babies. Apple better make them look different and obviously cheaper to distinguish them from the beautiful luxury-class walkman we know and love.
Why should Apple stoop to compete with the likes of Dell?
This is a sad, sad day...
- For those a little slow on the uptake, this is not meant to be taken seriously.
Now that we're all certain a budget iPod is a set-in-stone lock, time to conjure up some specs that we can all convince ourselves of!
Isn't it true that there's really no difference between the cost of manufacturing/selling 5GB iPods vs 10GB models? So would an "ePod" be cheap because of a simpler mobo - no PDA functions, just a tiny box that plays music?
Isn't it true that there's really no difference between the cost of manufacturing/selling 5GB iPods vs 10GB models? So would an "ePod" be cheap because of a simpler mobo - no PDA functions, just a tiny box that plays music?
yeah this is the only point that makes me question AtAT speculation. What's the point of releasing an 'entry level' product after the biggest shopping season in the year? People who're in the market for a cheap mp3 player will get one this Xmas, whether it's a Dell DJ or a flash-media-based player. Makes zero sense to me.
The only reasons I can think of is that 1) they're waiting to add more functionality into the higher-end iPods or 2) component prices won't come down much until after this year.
Can Apple really hit the $199 price point (which seems to be a magic number for a lot of people) and still make some sort of a profit? It'd be a pretty radical move on Apple's part. My guesses:
$199 5GB
$249 10GB
$349 20GB
$449 40GB
Too conservative, do you think?
But if current iPods are selling well already, no need to introduce cheaper models for Xmas.
There IS a need to head off the glut of cheaper knockoffs & flash players out there. Apple would be very wise to stick a toe in the low end sooner than later....especially with the Pepsi promotion due in a few months. Imagine winning a song, then finding out the awesome player that works with it is only as much as a Playstation 2....it's like some kind of marketing synergy or something.
Apple actively going after markets...competing on price....it almost boggles the mind....
There IS a need to head off the glut of cheaper knockoffs & flash players out there. Apple would be very wise to stick a toe in the low end sooner than later....especially with the Pepsi promotion due in a few months. Imagine winning a song, then finding out the awesome player that works with it is only as much as a Playstation 2....it's like some kind of marketing synergy or something.
Apple actively going after markets...competing on price....it almost boggles the mind....
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
personally..
I could care less about market trends and price wars with dells and such... I just know that this would be the price point that a lot of folks (read me, my brother, wife, etc) have been waiting for. I have wanted an ipod from the beginning, but my funds are tied up in the G5 fund. This is (would be) an easy to justify price. I think it would be a great move... It's not 'stooping', rather paying attention to the not so l33t Macintosh consumers. I want to sell the idea of the ipods to my co workers, but they are more into price to perceived punch... As Mac folks, we can preach the joys of Mac till we are blue in the face, but if dell under cuts apple, even by a few dollars, the PC camp reverts back to the "see... I told you mac was expensive" comments... Forget the fact that the other guys product is usually crap... anyway...just my .02
I could care less about market trends and price wars with dells and such... I just know that this would be the price point that a lot of folks (read me, my brother, wife, etc) have been waiting for. I have wanted an ipod from the beginning, but my funds are tied up in the G5 fund. This is (would be) an easy to justify price. I think it would be a great move... It's not 'stooping', rather paying attention to the not so l33t Macintosh consumers. I want to sell the idea of the ipods to my co workers, but they are more into price to perceived punch... As Mac folks, we can preach the joys of Mac till we are blue in the face, but if dell under cuts apple, even by a few dollars, the PC camp reverts back to the "see... I told you mac was expensive" comments... Forget the fact that the other guys product is usually crap... anyway...just my .02
I'm sure if Apple introduces a lowend model it will probably be a Gen 3 iPod with a 5GB HD while the rest of the line goes Gen 4 with bigger HD's and better batteries with more features.
If the ePod sells well which it will probably do they will probably release a 2GB and 10GB version as well. Because by then the prosumer iPods will be in the 20-40-60GB iPod range if not slightly higher.
I could see the pricing on the ePods being:
$149 = 2GB
$199 = 5GB
$249 = 10GB
Then for the pro line:
$299 = 20GB
$399 = 40GB
$499 = 60GB
and if they make one
$599 = 80GB
$749 = vPod combines 80GB iPod with colour screen and video playback and input and output ports for camcorders.
This is only my opinion so no one get up tight about this.
If the ePod sells well which it will probably do they will probably release a 2GB and 10GB version as well. Because by then the prosumer iPods will be in the 20-40-60GB iPod range if not slightly higher.
I could see the pricing on the ePods being:
$149 = 2GB
$199 = 5GB
$249 = 10GB
Then for the pro line:
$299 = 20GB
$399 = 40GB
$499 = 60GB
and if they make one
$599 = 80GB
$749 = vPod combines 80GB iPod with colour screen and video playback and input and output ports for camcorders.
This is only my opinion so no one get up tight about this.
I think you might want to look at their track record. Nearly ever rumor they have posted has come true! I know they rarely post rumors but they are spot on when they do. Also, thye always post them in this fashion. No sources just what is going to happen. My money is that they are right. They only post rumors when they know them to be true and they also give the disclaimer that they dont' know nothin' but they have a reliable source somewhere that comes through for them once in a while.
xmas?
well, what iTunes marketing will be coming out soon? pepsi? is McDonalds still a question?
how many free songs are they giving away?
now if they have a 5 gig model with no backlight or maybe no PDA functions, or other things to differentiate it and make it an "ePod," how much can they bring it in at? cheap enough that someone who didn't get a player for the holidays who now has some free songs might think, "hey i can get one of those $500 Ipod things for how much? the down side is less music? i don't have much anyway...."
and if you buy a 5 gig, and a few free songs, and then hey, ITMS is easy and you don't want that whole album anyway, so why not a few songs, and a year later you have spent $300 on ITMS and it is about time to get a new iPod now (i can give my brother the old one, right? he will be so happy!) anyway, and wow look what the new one does! maybe i need a laptop to go with that, cause i never noticed before but OSX is pretty slick and windows still doesn't work and they haven't even updated XP yet, and.....
more than a few people have become Mac zealots by similar routes.
well, what iTunes marketing will be coming out soon? pepsi? is McDonalds still a question?
how many free songs are they giving away?
now if they have a 5 gig model with no backlight or maybe no PDA functions, or other things to differentiate it and make it an "ePod," how much can they bring it in at? cheap enough that someone who didn't get a player for the holidays who now has some free songs might think, "hey i can get one of those $500 Ipod things for how much? the down side is less music? i don't have much anyway...."
and if you buy a 5 gig, and a few free songs, and then hey, ITMS is easy and you don't want that whole album anyway, so why not a few songs, and a year later you have spent $300 on ITMS and it is about time to get a new iPod now (i can give my brother the old one, right? he will be so happy!) anyway, and wow look what the new one does! maybe i need a laptop to go with that, cause i never noticed before but OSX is pretty slick and windows still doesn't work and they haven't even updated XP yet, and.....
more than a few people have become Mac zealots by similar routes.
Re: This is horrible....whatever
To survive. If Apple stays in the upper crust of the digital music players they are going to end up with 5% of the market just like they are dealing with in the computer market. Apple will become marginalized if they play this game.
PS - and for those who say Apple has done just fine up to now. Consider the fact that up until now Apple has had no competition in the HD music player market. Its Dell/Toshiba where the competition is now coming from. January we will see how well Apple has successfully fended off their devices.
To survive. If Apple stays in the upper crust of the digital music players they are going to end up with 5% of the market just like they are dealing with in the computer market. Apple will become marginalized if they play this game.
PS - and for those who say Apple has done just fine up to now. Consider the fact that up until now Apple has had no competition in the HD music player market. Its Dell/Toshiba where the competition is now coming from. January we will see how well Apple has successfully fended off their devices.
Bad Timing
iPods are going to be hot sellers this Xmas, so why wouldn't Apple release these less expensive ones now, to increase sales even more? Or do they just want to soak the public for lots of money now, and then after Xmas, lower the price? That's business I guess...
To me, it makes sense to make a price cut and annoucement like this during the Xmas season when people are actually buying these things, and not at the beginning of January. Who is going to be buying iPods in January who didn't buy one for Christmas?
I think a price reduction would be great, but I question the timing.
iPods are going to be hot sellers this Xmas, so why wouldn't Apple release these less expensive ones now, to increase sales even more? Or do they just want to soak the public for lots of money now, and then after Xmas, lower the price? That's business I guess...
To me, it makes sense to make a price cut and annoucement like this during the Xmas season when people are actually buying these things, and not at the beginning of January. Who is going to be buying iPods in January who didn't buy one for Christmas?
I think a price reduction would be great, but I question the timing.
iPepsiPod?
I'm guessing it will have a tie in with Pepsi ITMS giveaway, like 5 Gig for $199, but Pepsi-Blue in color or white with the pepsi logo on circle control wheel.
Edited:
And of course you'd get 30 free ITMS downloads with every purchase and a 6-pack of Pepsi.
I'm guessing it will have a tie in with Pepsi ITMS giveaway, like 5 Gig for $199, but Pepsi-Blue in color or white with the pepsi logo on circle control wheel.
Edited:
And of course you'd get 30 free ITMS downloads with every purchase and a 6-pack of Pepsi.
Re: Bad Timing
if this rumor is true, then i think you hit it right on the head. apple essentially has a captive audience with holiday shoppers and why undercut the more expensive models? i would assume as part of the hype that pepsi will bring, it would be even greater if they introduced a cheaper 5g ipod, just to make everyone go bananas and go buy an ipod.
if this rumor is true, then i think you hit it right on the head. apple essentially has a captive audience with holiday shoppers and why undercut the more expensive models? i would assume as part of the hype that pepsi will bring, it would be even greater if they introduced a cheaper 5g ipod, just to make everyone go bananas and go buy an ipod.
