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iPod Possibilites?
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iPods and band--branding is the ultimate statement in tackiness. SJ, why not start your own reality show, "Pimp my 'pod?" It's brilliant for teenage girls 16 and under, but does anyone seriously want "signature" 'pods with, say, the ultimate money making tackster -- P.Diddy? Yes, let me get my hands on a gold diddy-pod with a rotating, glow in the dark click wheel rims.... Next fall -- get the madonna pod in platinum blonde....and look for the angst-ridden Morisette pod with a pill case on the side...it goes on and on ... CORNY. Let's retain the class of Apple branding alone, before it devolves into a prepubescent demographic...
If Apple could come out with a cheap $99 player that EVERYONE could afford they would all but lock up the market. The reality is that there are a ton of people that aren't in the market for a hard drive player and the price of even an iPod mini is overkill. If Apple doesn't do something to close this hole they will face the same problem they are facing with their computer line vs cheap PC's. Apple advocates can bitch all they want about how this wouldn't aid Apple's bottom line. We aren't talking the bottom line here. We are talking about maintaining market share of iTMS which in return aids the iPod since we are talking about a complete system here. Since Apple has made the conscious decision of saying we are going at this alone (Dude HP is just a redistributer. They aren't making their own device.) Apple has to offer a total solution for not only the high end (60GB) Medium range (20GB) but also the low range. (512MB-1GB)
The low end is a viable market where Apple CAN make money. Just not nearly as much as the hard drive iPod. Time to face reality. Either build the product or face eroding online download sales due to these cheap players. Which will over time eat at iTMS sales.
The low end is a viable market where Apple CAN make money. Just not nearly as much as the hard drive iPod. Time to face reality. Either build the product or face eroding online download sales due to these cheap players. Which will over time eat at iTMS sales.
There are almost too many rumors out regarding the iPods (if that's possible!) Next Tuesday is going to be quite the event regardless now - with so many rumors, we can't lose! Now we just have to wait and see which ones will be true and which ones will be false...
Apple's been there already. Remember the signature-etched celebrity ipods? Madonna was one of them, as were Tony Hawk and a few others.djkny said:
In case you haven't noticed, Jobs LOVES celebrities pushing his products. I don't know if it helps sell computers, but the strategy seems to have worked in the iPod universe. The iPod, in the end, is about selling 'cool' as much as anything else.
No $99 iPod by christmas.
Unless Apple found a way to make them extremely cheap and they are feeling generous, I do not believe that they would debut at $99. I think they would sell for no less than $150 when they come out. Just because they can make something cheap doesn't mean they will charge less for it. When was the last time they did that. The only time their products get cheaper is when they are selling the 4th or 5th generation of the same design or when it is pro technology from 3 years ago repackaged in a more consumer product.
Unless Apple found a way to make them extremely cheap and they are feeling generous, I do not believe that they would debut at $99. I think they would sell for no less than $150 when they come out. Just because they can make something cheap doesn't mean they will charge less for it. When was the last time they did that. The only time their products get cheaper is when they are selling the 4th or 5th generation of the same design or when it is pro technology from 3 years ago repackaged in a more consumer product.
I could see Apple offering a 1GB or smaller flash based iPod for $99. EDIT: make that 1GB for $150 or smaller (or empty slot) for $99. The key is that the flash is removable. This would be popular for a lot of people who have flash cards for cameras. It would work really well for me as I would load up my cards with music as I went on vacation and then delete the music as I take pictures.
Plus, one could buy the iPod now, and buy bigger cards now or in the future.
I like this. Best of all for Apple, I think people would buy the flash iPods and then be inclined to buy hard drive based iPods once they get into the lifestyle of the iPod.
Face it, people are going to go to Walmart to buy their kids Christmas presents. They could disappoint the ones wanting iPods by giving them cheap flash players, or they could at least give them *an* iPod.
Plus, one could buy the iPod now, and buy bigger cards now or in the future.
I like this. Best of all for Apple, I think people would buy the flash iPods and then be inclined to buy hard drive based iPods once they get into the lifestyle of the iPod.
Face it, people are going to go to Walmart to buy their kids Christmas presents. They could disappoint the ones wanting iPods by giving them cheap flash players, or they could at least give them *an* iPod.
CubaTBird said:
Maybe because Steve is marketing first and foremost and only thinks practical second. I know that to some this is taboo to say but Jobs is full of hot air in many respects. Not all but many. The whole RDF thing.
Dinky appeals to some. Esp those on a budget. Not everyone has $250 to spend on a mini. Consequently Apple is locking out a whole segment of users from the iPod experience. A flash player priced around $99 would allow Apple to solidify the low end market as well as the high end.
djkny said:
Apple has already released a signature iPod with Madonna. It was a regular white iPod, but was laser engraved with Madonna's signature on the back. They also had models engraved with Tony Hawk's signature, Beck's signature, and No Doubt's logo. Apple also charged an extra $49 for the signature.
edit: beaten to it
I can't imagine Apple making any money on a $99 flash iPod when a 1 gb USB drive goes for $99. How do you add the battery, LCD, decoder chip, and a click wheel and make money off of a $99 player. No way in HELL this is gonna happen. If there is one thing Steve has established at Apple over the years is that he's not selling any product that they can't make money at. And Apple is also super-cautious about crowding their higher-margin products.Steamboatwillie said:
It's just not possible to make a well-built, well-designed player for under $100. Before the minis were announced, people were saying it had to be under $150 or they wouldn't sell. Well guess what, Apple's proved them wrong. I say NO on the $99 flash pod.
MacSlut said:
I don't see that happening. Apple is in the business of offering total solutions. Removable is a nice feature but it puts Apple into the position of allowing the user to upgrade to something like a 2GB CF card or something which could eat into iPod mini sales. As cards continue to get bigger (They now have 4GB CF cards on the market but cost an arm and a leg.) Users can "upgrade" their iPod without needing to purchase a new device. Apple's entire philosophy across almost all their product lines is to get the user to buy more from them as soon as possible. (We won't get into this philosophy when dealing with their *book line.) If they release a flash player it is going to contain a CF card or some sort but it will be built into the device.
desdomg said:
so are you a TROLL or what?! Apple makes real good money from the share of the computer market who has a taste of design and "headacheless" computing with the best OS of the market, I'm sorry if that population is limited...
Apple made and still making wonderful money on iPod, still making incredible money on iPod Mini so I'm sure they'll rock once more with whatever iPod X or xMac they'll release...
For my personal opinion, I dont see/ expect 60gb color iPods to release.. If Apple is going to release a color gadget, it should not be named iPod..
and I still think the 'iPod Micro" is the best name for the ram-based iPod...
djkny said:
Why do 14-year olds alone get to determine what's cool and what's not cool? Sure, that is definitely a market segment not to ignore, but it is by no means the major segment which "calls the shots", so to speak. Apple would be foolish to adopt such a narrow focus to cater to 14-year olds alone.
Elan0204 said:
What I would like to see is the next step in engravment. If possible.....pictures. I would love to upload a picture to Apple and have it engraved on my iPod.
Umm...
No one thought Apple could make money off of the minis either becuase the drives cost so much. They buy in bulk. Maybe they shave the profit margin to gobble up market share. I say 129.99, 1 GB.
2¢
No one thought Apple could make money off of the minis either becuase the drives cost so much. They buy in bulk. Maybe they shave the profit margin to gobble up market share. I say 129.99, 1 GB.
2¢
Market Share is the Game
I couldn't agree more. It is now a market share game from Apple.
Apple dominates the market for HD based players. They are now in a position to use the iPod brand name to gain market share in the flash/cheaper market.
In order to maintain their position, Apple will need to stay on the offence.
SiliconAddict said:
I couldn't agree more. It is now a market share game from Apple.
Apple dominates the market for HD based players. They are now in a position to use the iPod brand name to gain market share in the flash/cheaper market.
In order to maintain their position, Apple will need to stay on the offence.
TWinbrook46636 said:
lol
I, for one, hope the U2 iPod does not come out. I don't like the thought of iPods coming out that have some unique connection to a band, even if it is just their name on the back or something small. And yes, I remember the signature iPods. Notice how much they're advertised now? Obviously it didn't go over that well. They shouldn't repeat it.
I think Apple should try and tap into this market at the 512MB / 1GB level. That represents a signficant segment not catered for by the Mini. A lot of existing iPod users would probably get one as an additional device. Steve's previous comments were more aimed at the 128/256 MB players, which I would not expect Apple to make.
It also fits in with a longer term aim of growing iTMS revenue as much as possible. They really don't want to lose more of that to the other music stores, which are at least starting to get more serious.
It also fits in with a longer term aim of growing iTMS revenue as much as possible. They really don't want to lose more of that to the other music stores, which are at least starting to get more serious.
right on
you are so right.
if they intro'd a 1gb flash player and 60gb ipod i'd buy one of each and give my aging 10gb ipod to a friend.
oh i hope they do.
rlw said:
you are so right.
if they intro'd a 1gb flash player and 60gb ipod i'd buy one of each and give my aging 10gb ipod to a friend.
oh i hope they do.
TWinbrook46636 said:
Remember last week when Apple annoucned total Q4 revenue had increased 37% since the same quarter last year? Good times.