iPod classic. to buy or not to buy

[sushi]

I don't see this happening. Apple sold the 80GB and 160GB Classics side-by-side, but no one was buying the 160GB version so they streamlined the two into one model: the 120GB version. That suggests to me that there is very little demand for super-high capacity iPods, and that in turn suggests that once the iPod touch reaches a given threshold (64GB? They might wait until it reaches 128GB.), they will kill the Classic entirely.

Yes it would appear that the large capacity iPod Classic was not in demand.

I listed the 240GB option to cover all possible options that I could think of.

Personally, I see the Classic going to 128GB Flash memory.

I could be wrong, but I see the Classic's time as limited. The touch will replace it as "iPod" in time...

You may be right one the touch reaches 128GB.

But for this iteration (this fall) I see the Classic as still being available.

I agree. I think that HDD based ipods are coming to their end. They will remain a little longer as HDDs are the most economical for storing large amnts of data, and the customer base that requires a large amount of storage is still out there. So i dont think any major updates are being done to the classic at this point, relativley close to either its denise or overhaul.

I think the classic will turn flash in time, or that apple will create some sort of "Classic" interface on the touch, if the classic is discontinued and the touch becomes the main ipod. That or they will add more hardware buttons to the touch.

Agree with you except with your last part of the Classic interface being put on the touch. The Classic interface is tactile in nature. The touch doesn't provide for this feedback so I don't see it happening.

I have the 160gig classic. I like the fact I can use it as a portable drive.

Cool.

Unfortunately, the demand for large capacity iPod Classics has decreased over time.

 

[JesterJJZ]

I don't see how they can nix the classic until they give us a flash based 128gig ipod at the same cost of the current classic. Even then I hope they keep the same type of form factor. The classic should remain "classic."

 

[ucfgrad93]

I think they will keep the classic line until they can get 128GB into an iPod touch at a reasonable price. Once that happens, Apple will ax the classic lineup. By this time next year is my guess.

 

[sushi]

I don't see how they can nix the classic until they give us a flash based 128gig ipod at the same cost of the current classic. Even then I hope they keep the same type of form factor. The classic should remain "classic."

Agree.

Some prefer the Classic tactile wheel interface which cannot be duplicated on the touch.

I think they will keep the classic line until they can get 128GB into an iPod touch at a reasonable price. Once that happens, Apple will ax the classic lineup. By this time next year is my guess.

That definitely is one possibility.

I guess that it boils down to the question, how much memory is enough?

 

[Shownarou]

I bought an 80 gig classic in 2007, as I put all of my music and three or four audiobooks on it to take to work, I really need the space. It's starting to have parts not work after the abuse I put it through and about time to replace it.

Looking at iPods at the store is really sad. Does no one need the space for their music anymore? I always thought they were going to get bigger and bigger as time went, but the classic is the only thing at a decent price point that you can store much of anything on. Pathetic.

 

[Bjohnson33]

Some suggest that the Classic will get SSD. Others, like myself, believe that we'll see Flash based Classics.

I hadn't even thought of that, but it would be pretty cool. I just don't know if they'd bother having two types of iPods (Touch and Classic) co-existing at the same capacity levels. I would think they would both top out at 64GB for this year, maybe going to 128GB in a year or two.

 

[Corrode]

I bought an 80 gig classic in 2007, as I put all of my music and three or four audiobooks on it to take to work, I really need the space. It's starting to have parts not work after the abuse I put it through and about time to replace it.

Looking at iPods at the store is really sad. Does no one need the space for their music anymore? I always thought they were going to get bigger and bigger as time went, but the classic is the only thing at a decent price point that you can store much of anything on. Pathetic.

Dude, kids these days need enough space to put 40, 128kbps on their iPods. They don't have the attention span for a "music library", I believe someone called it. They also don't have enough of a music taste for one. Time to make an iRadio for these kids that lack any reasonable taste in music.

 

[tabasco70]

I say wait until September, when the iPod lineup is due to be refreshed, so you see what the next generation of iPods holds.

But if you can't wait, get the iPod Classic. I got one March of 2008 and it is an amazing device. I can't live without it.

 

[sushi]

I hadn't even thought of that, but it would be pretty cool. I just don't know if they'd bother having two types of iPods (Touch and Classic) co-existing at the same capacity levels. I would think they would both top out at 64GB for this year, maybe going to 128GB in a year or two.

The new iPod touch is expected to have 32GB x 2 chips for 64GB.

The Classic could transition to Flash memory construction. Due to the larger case Apple could use 16GB x 8 chips to give us a 128GB Flash memory this year. Going to Flash memory across the iPod line up provides Apple economy of scale.

If they go the SSD route, due to the cost, I agree that we won't see 128GB until next year.