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Have an iPhone. Why need a Nano too?

I

ICEBreaker

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 12, 2007
270
3
Hi Apple fans,

My friend, an iPhone user, uses the Nano to listen to music all the time. She never uses her iPhone for that purpose. I tried enquiring why she would carry something redundant, when her iPhone is in fact a superior music player. She wasn't able to give me a satisfactory answer, except that the Nano "looks pretty". She also observed that almost all her friends use Nanos despite also all having the iPhone too.

So what I am interested about is whether anyone else have this odd habit. And if so, can you shade some light? Is there a purpose I am missing?

Thanks!
 
ICEBreaker said:
Hi Apple fans,

My friend, an iPhone user, uses the Nano to listen to music all the time. She never uses her iPhone for that purpose. I tried enquiring why she would carry something redundant, when her iPhone is in fact a superior music player. She wasn't able to give me a satisfactory answer, except that the Nano "looks pretty". She also observed that almost all her friends use Nanos despite also all having the iPhone too.

So what I am interested about is whether anyone else have this odd habit. And if so, can you shade some light? Is there a purpose I am missing?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

She probably just likes the pretty nano.
From my perspective, its because if you have the means to listen to music from another device, do so, because it saves battery life on your phone for emergencies.

If the nano dies, no biggie, just you cant listen to music. If your phone dies, no biggy until you need it in an emergency. Ive been thinking about getting a touch for that reason. Cell phones dying can be scary in a bad situation.
 
To listen to music without phone calls interrupting it or having to unplug and plug-in to the stereo constantly.
 
I don't see the need. Back when I first bought my iPhone, I continued to use my iPod. The battery life was the main reason, but then common sense won out and using one device made more sense. :cool:
 
I never, ever use my iPhone to listen to music. I've got a nano in the car, and a classic connected to the sound system in my house. I never listen to my iPods through headphones or while I'm on the move, as I'm usually either on the phone or with people. It's unlikely I'll ever use the iPhone for music. I just use it as a great smartphone.
 
Having two devices is actually more convenient for some people. Nothing wrong with that.
 
You can take the nano to the gym.

I'm trying to justify the nano to myself right now. I used to have a 4th generation nano, but it went through the washing machine, so I got the third generation shuffle. Now I want another nano, but I can't give myself a reason since I have a 3rd generation shuffle, 6th generation classic and an iPhone 3G.


Anyone got a good reason? Or situation that would be best for the iPod nano above the iPhone/iPod shuffle/iPod classic.
 
Ha, I don't just carry a nano and iPhone. I hulk around a video and occasionally even a mini.

I think the old school basic iPods make better music players, the clickwheel is so much more intuitive to me. The iPhone interface looks pretty, but there are a couple of things that they've done with the interface which are just strange to me. I consistently expect buttons to be in different places.

My mini also has an incredible battery (I replaced it) and even my 3 year old video on its original battery gets better life when used than my iPhone gets even if you just use it as an iPod.

The video also has more than 3 times the storage space of the phone, and if the video dies I can up the mini's storage space for £25. I bought the iPhone for texting and the internet, not to be an iPod.
 
i have a blackberry storm, but i still have an ipod that i much rather use, simply because it saves battery life on my phone and when i get a call, it doesnt ring loud as **** into my earphones in the middle of a good track
 
instaxgirl said:
Ha, I don't just carry a nano and iPhone. I hulk around a video and occasionally even a mini.

I think the old school basic iPods make better music players, the clickwheel is so much more intuitive to me. The iPhone interface looks pretty, but there are a couple of things that they've done with the interface which are just strange to me. I consistently expect buttons to be in different places.

My mini also has an incredible battery (I replaced it) and even my 3 year old video on its original battery gets better life when used than my iPhone gets even if you just use it as an iPod.

The video also has more than 3 times the storage space of the phone, and if the video dies I can up the mini's storage space for £25. I bought the iPhone for texting and the internet, not to be an iPod.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks like this. I have a 5th gen video iPod and a 1st gen 16GB Touch. I use the 5th gen for my music and a lot of my podcasts. I think the click wheel is a better interface. My biggest gripe is that battery life still not great, even after I replaced the battery. When it finally dies, I will probably get a Classic instead of a 32 or 64GB Touch. Even though I don't have an iPhone, I could see how someone would want a different device for music and podcasts.
 
The only reason I'd get the Nano is for the flashy colours. I really would like to have an iPhone like that, but oh well.

Then again I hardly ever - ever - listen to the radio these days. If you'd listen to the radio and don't want to get an extra gadget, then sure it would be worth it. My mum wants one a Nano for the camera (she needs a new camera) and since it just happens to double as an iPod she figured that would be fine. She's waiting for the refurbed store to pick them up though, which may take a few months.
 
Probably for battery life.

Some people like different devices for different functions.

velocityg4 said:
To listen to music without phone calls interrupting it or having to unplug and plug-in to the stereo constantly.
Click to expand...

Actually when you listen to music on the iPhone, if a phone call comes in, music fades out, pauses and phone starts ringing (at a decent volume).

When you are done with the phone call, music starts and fades back. It's really great.
 
Before my iPod nano went in the wash, I used both that and my iPhone. I allowed me to free up some battery life on my iPhone. I was able to have the ~cute look of my pink nano. And I could use some of the extra safe on Christopher (the iPhone) for television shows and movies since I only have an 8GB one. Let me just say that now I'm down to only my phone, the space limitations suck. When I'm reemployed, I'm going to definitely going to grade to a 32GB iPhone and a 16GB. The separation works for me. I guess it's the same for your friend.

/cool story, bro.
 
Consultant said:
Probably for battery life.

Some people like different devices for different functions.



Actually when you listen to music on the iPhone, if a phone call comes in, music fades out, pauses and phone starts ringing (at a decent volume).

When you are done with the phone call, music starts and fades back. It's really great.
Click to expand...

But that seems to be an inconvenience, at least to me. I would rather have music continuously playing.
 
I like the idea of having a radio in my ipod actually--though I'm not sure that alone is worth $149. There are rare instances when there is a public emergency and one really needs to have access to live broadcasts. Also, having a nano would prevent wear and tear on my more expensive iphone--since now I take the iphone into the gym with me when I work out and am constantly dropping it. hmmmmm
 
Hey guys, thanks a lot for all your input and feedback. So it does seem that a significant number of people prefer to use the Nano for music playback over the iPhone, to the extent that they will carry two devices on them. Interesting! I want to consolidate the reasons put forward, and to respond to them at the same time.

Battery Life: Yes, I had expected this to be one of the main reasons and it certainly is valid. However, I just wanted to point out that according to Apple specs, the iPhone can play up to 30 hours of music. Needless to say, we shall half that in a realistic environment. That's still 15 hours of music. My friend (and I assume most people too) only listens to around 1-2 hours per day. That's less than 15% of the battery capacity. So is battery really such an issue?

Interface / Click wheel: I think this is a pretty good reason. Some people prefer physical buttons. Moreover, before the introduction of multi-speed scrubbing in iPhone OS 3.0, it was pretty frustrating to scrub half a cm and jump 5 mins ahead / backwards on long Podcasts.

Storage Capacity: That would apply to the iPod Classic. But I thought the iPhone and the Nano had the same capacities? Or perhaps even less. Doesn't the Nano only have 16GB?

FM Tuner: Yes, the new Nano is probably the world's most sophisticated portable radio, but I was referring to the older Nanos.

Wear and Tear (gym etc): Another good reason. But in my friend's case, she just listens to it while going out. And both the iPhone and Nano are in her handbag.

Phone call interruption: I was a little surprised by this. Isn't this a point against the Nano? I thought that's why people prefer to use the iPhone since one can answer calls easily and conveniently. I wouldn't think people would rather listen to music and miss phone calls!

Pretty colours: Is this really a reason? I suppose... That's her reason anyway.

And I want to respond to Melrose: You said your mum wanted a camera. I hope she is aware that the Nano doesn't take photos, just video. And don't expect good quality videos either.
 
Another reason if I was in her spot I would do it is I like my portable media player to be separated from my phone.
 
ICEBreaker said:
Battery Life: Yes, I had expected this to be one of the main reasons and it certainly is valid. However, I just wanted to point out that according to Apple specs, the iPhone can play up to 30 hours of music. Needless to say, we shall half that in a realistic environment. That's still 15 hours of music. My friend (and I assume most people too) only listens to around 1-2 hours per day. That's less than 15% of the battery capacity. So is battery really such an issue?
Click to expand...

Well at home I listened to my iPod for a minimum of 3 hours a day - commute to uni - and then I also listened to it whenever I was in the library which was a lot, so really an iPod needs to last hours and hours for me.

My mini actually really honestly truly gets about 25 hours of battery now. My iPhone I don't even trust to make it through 2 days in a row without touching the iPod. At home I texted a lot on it and since I moved abroad I use the internet/camera on it a lot. Both kill battery.

ICEBreaker said:
Interface / Click wheel: I think this is a pretty good reason. Some people prefer physical buttons. Moreover, before the introduction of multi-speed scrubbing in iPhone OS 3.0, it was pretty frustrating to scrub half a cm and jump 5 mins ahead / backwards on long Podcasts.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily prefer buttons, but I honestly find the iPhone interface annoying for music. It's just not intuitive. You go from using the controls on the lock screen to unlocking it and the controls jump to the bottom of the page, the now playing button and the one that shows you the album track listing are just too high up the screen for them to be a comfortable distance for me to reach and the fact that the bottom of the screen only shows about 3 or 4 options (albums, playlists, artists etc) and you've then go to go into another menu to get the rest annoys me.

The only thing the iPhone does better than my old iPods are audiobooks and on the go playlists.

ICEBreaker said:
Phone call interruption: I was a little surprised by this. Isn't this a point against the Nano? I thought that's why people prefer to use the iPhone since one can answer calls easily and conveniently. I wouldn't think people would rather listen to music and miss phone calls!
Click to expand...

The headphones I like don't have a microphone so I have to take the headphones out of the phone and my ear and mess about with all that to answer the call (or wander round holding the phone to my mouth which I don't like so much).

With my iPod I just flip the headphone out of my ear. It seems silly, but it bugs me having to mess around with yanking the headphones out of the phone before I answer. And I always have my phone on vibrate, so I don't miss calls.
 
I'd carry around a secondary device. Especially so since the iPhone couldn't hold my music collection. Even if I did have an iPhone I'd probably just use it for video and photos, and keep the music on the Classic.

But eeeven if there was an iPhone big enough I just don't like the iPhone/iPod Touch as an MP3 player.
 
I use my iPod classic to listen to music in the car as well as laying down ect. I listen to iPhone music when I'm running (don't have to carry two devices), while at work (same reason).

I like jawing iPhone for more strickly phone uses. But will listen to music on it, just not exclusivly.

If my classic stops working eventually, I'll likely get the new nano.
 
I use a nano in the car because it's easy to feel for the clickwheel without taking my eyes off of the road. I'll be getting one of the new nanos as soon as the local Best Buy gets 'em in to use for the same thing, at which point I'll probably give my old (4th gen) nano to my mom.
 
I would argue that size and battery are my reasons for owning both. I can go to the gym for a week (leaving it in my car) without the battery dying. Also when using an armband the nano has many more comfortable bands available.
 
I have both an IPhone and a Nano. I take the Nano to the gym - it is much easier to slip into a pocket. Also, I don't want to clog up my iPhone with alot of music - I just keep some small playlists on it, the Nano is packed. I never purchased a tiny shuffle because I prefer over the head headphones at the gym because the buds fall out during a workout. Apple has announced that they will allow third party headphones on the new shuffle - if ones I like appear I think I'll phase out the Nano for a Shuffle.
 
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