Future of the IPOD?

[Damien]

Since there were no updates to the ipod at WWDC I have hit a problem. I am getting an Ipod this summer but now have to make a painful choice! See I really want an ipod and although I like the mini the size of the hard drive does worry me (My music takes up just over 1gb but if i buy another 20 albums it would be getting very close to the 4gb) so, price permitting, I will be getting a normal ipod.

Now the problem, Do I wait? I have had this problem with my powerbook and took the wrong choice. I decided not to wait to buy it and then a month later it was updated meaning I could have paid the same price and gotten twice the graphic card, a processor upgrade, more ram and even put the rest to an ipod!

Here are the questions!

So do I wait for an ipod or just get one now?

Will there be a ipod update soon? Maybe at the Paris expo at the end of august?

Will it be such a major upgrade to justify waiting? (i.e. The 4G IPod)

Or will it be a simple price drop?

If it is a major upgrade do prices go up/down/stay the same? If apple release a G4 will it be more expensive or the same or hopefully cheaper?

What of this 60gb Hard drive? (I dont want that one but it would mean a cheaper 20gb)

Finally, Any good guess/rumors into what the next ipod contains? (802.11 wireless is almost certain)

 

[BeoVir]

I feel your pain over buying a new PB and then seeing them all updated.

If you feel that the iPod fits into your budget and can fill a niche in your life then I would say don't wait.

You may run the risk of missing out on the next update but noone knows for sure what that update will be or when it will come. It's a hard choice but if I had the money to afford it then I would buy one now because I believe that the current iPod is worth the money Apple charges for it. Whereas the rumors are not worth anything.

 

[wordmunger]

My money's on a pre-christmas release of new iPods--maybe September or October. Apple doesn't want to miss out on an xmas buying frenzy for their new model like they did last year with the minis.

 

[Damien]

The problem is this, although the current ipods are in need of an update (or for my use a least a drop in price) apple will not want to detract users away from their mini range which is why i didn't expect a new ipod at WWDC. But the Paris expo seems more possible!

At first the ipod range is in need of a fundamental update, The 3rd generation ipod was released way over a year ago and even then the only massive difference was the form factor. Paris is the last 'big' apple consumer event before macword in london (am i correct on this?) therefor the christmas update would be in paris this also gives a good run in for the christmas rush in terms of sales and production (apple do not wanna see another ipod mini or G5 cock-up)

As for what will be inside, I think a smaller form factor as well as a 20gb, 40gb, 60gb line up. A color screen I think is possible and wont drain battery life (consoles such as the GBA SP, Run on a internal battery and get around 8 hours and that in theory uses a lot more power as it was a color screen, a backlight screen and the power involved with powering a game is a lot bigger. Wifi ipod are pretty much certain the technology exists with airtunes it seems a no-brainer

 

[hkriffraff]

I'm in the same woeful situation, only it's worse as an international customer. I started the year wanting to buy an ipod... then the minis were announced and I thought i'd wait till April for the international release. But on the last day of March, Apple says it's pushed back to July. Now July is almost here and I hear the wait is still indefinite...I thought I'd get a regular iPod if new ones were announced at WWDC, but they weren't.

So I guess i'm waiting around the 4th gen release, but are all the new bells and whistles only going to be featured in the highest end (60gb) model? I now understand that switching to Apple improves your user experiencee, but screws up your buying experience.

By the way, what's going on with the HP iPods?

 

[sinbushar]

anyone think that updated ipods could be late july/early august...airport express comes out in july...so that will need a controller of sorts, i see apple announcing the new ipod (bug-free) at around the same time airport express comes available

-adel