my next ipod
I think this is a great idea, and it makes tons of sense.
If they're releasing an ipod at $149 it will have no screen. Look at the prices of other mp3 players in that price point. 1gb is a lot for a small player. 149 is cheap, apple is not in the budget electronics market.
For those who say that there's no market for this, I would hardly call the everyone who commutes or exercises small target group.
A screenless ipod with a few playlists and a random feature (I'm positive you would be able to listen to stuff in order if you want to) at the right price point would fill a void, and be unique enough to be mac branded.
I would also say this would become the second ipod for a lot of mac users. I would buy one for running and the commute, (only if I could play stuff in order, so I could listen to audio books).
I would no longer worry about if I'm kicking the crap out of my ipod when I run, and I wouldn't worry about having a $400 ipod in my pocket every time I put my jacket down.
I also have someone at work here who would buy one in a second and use it only on the random function, like his own personal radio station.
It totally fits apple's marketing strategy IMO. It fills a market they weren't in before, and I think the idea of a player that becomes an extension of your itunes playlist with really simple controls is quintessential apple. How hard is it to wrap your head around the idea that, if you want more..buy the ipod mini.
The only reason I could imagine going to flash, would be for shock proofing, size and most importantly, price. Otherwise what were you looking for? A smaller mini? There's no way they would do it for under $200 and even that would be a stretch. If RCA, Sharp, Philips, Creative and whoever else makes it for over $250, do we actually think apples going to jump in the flash market and undercut everyone price-wise? That would be a first.
I think this is a great idea, and it makes tons of sense.
If they're releasing an ipod at $149 it will have no screen. Look at the prices of other mp3 players in that price point. 1gb is a lot for a small player. 149 is cheap, apple is not in the budget electronics market.
For those who say that there's no market for this, I would hardly call the everyone who commutes or exercises small target group.
A screenless ipod with a few playlists and a random feature (I'm positive you would be able to listen to stuff in order if you want to) at the right price point would fill a void, and be unique enough to be mac branded.
I would also say this would become the second ipod for a lot of mac users. I would buy one for running and the commute, (only if I could play stuff in order, so I could listen to audio books).
I would no longer worry about if I'm kicking the crap out of my ipod when I run, and I wouldn't worry about having a $400 ipod in my pocket every time I put my jacket down.
I also have someone at work here who would buy one in a second and use it only on the random function, like his own personal radio station.
It totally fits apple's marketing strategy IMO. It fills a market they weren't in before, and I think the idea of a player that becomes an extension of your itunes playlist with really simple controls is quintessential apple. How hard is it to wrap your head around the idea that, if you want more..buy the ipod mini.
The only reason I could imagine going to flash, would be for shock proofing, size and most importantly, price. Otherwise what were you looking for? A smaller mini? There's no way they would do it for under $200 and even that would be a stretch. If RCA, Sharp, Philips, Creative and whoever else makes it for over $250, do we actually think apples going to jump in the flash market and undercut everyone price-wise? That would be a first.
