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New Toshiba Hard Drives Could Boost iPod Classic to 220 GB

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Apr 12, 2001
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With all of the focus on Apple's flash-based iPod devices, it's easy to forget that the company still offers the iPod classic for users looking to carry around larger music libraries while on the go. Apple last updated the $249 iPod classic in September 2009, boosting the device's capacity from 120 GB to 160 GB, and some have wondered whether Apple will be discontinuing the device given the lack of updates since that time.

But as noted by Hardmac, a new line of 1.8-inch hard drives introduced by Toshiba earlier this week could breathe new life into the iPod classic and enable Apple to boost its capacity to 220 GB. Toshiba's new MKxx39GSL series (PDF) comes in 160 GB, 200 GB, and 220 GB capacities, all in a single-platter form factor matching the 5 mm drive thickness used in the current iPod classic.

It is unknown when Apple would make the shift to a 220 GB iPod classic if it indeed elects to adopt the new Toshiba drive. The company has in recent years shifted to a yearly iPod update cycle centered on September releases, meaning that the company would likely have to either wait another seven months to update the iPod classic along with the rest of the line or quietly release a mid-cycle capacity bump for only the iPod classic. With the iPod classic having missed the September 2010 update seen by the rest of the iPod line and the current model thus now being almost 18 months old, Apple could easily consider the mid-cycle upgrade if it is indeed planning on keeping the device alive.

Article Link: New Toshiba Hard Drives Could Boost iPod Classic to 220 GB
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/01/28/new-toshiba-hard-drives-could-boost-ipod-classic-to-220-gb/
I hate to say it, but I think the iPod Classic is dead. With all the focus on iOS, I seriously doubt Apple will update the Classic anymore. While it would definitely be a welcome upgrade, if there is an update, it'll be a quiet one. I just think that Apple thinks the Classic isn't sexy anymore.

nitropowered said:
does anyone really need to store 220gb of music?

I guess if you rip raw though
Click to expand...

Don't forget that the iPod Classic can still show videos, which take quite a bit of space.
 
I'm one of those customers that need 220G of memory, 50h battery life and a little smaller design, I can pay 199$ for that, can you hear me, AAPL:apple:?
 
nah, i'm waiting for an ipod with a 2TB hard drive, otherwise i'd have to leave some of my music at home and that would suck.
 
Does iPod classic even still exist to Apple?

At the September Music Event, Job said 'We have refreshes for every model of the iPod range'

The Classic was not updated.
 
nitropowered said:
does anyone really need to store 220gb of music?

I guess if you rip raw though
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah. I know at least one music enthusiast who currently uses the 160 gb, and would use more space if it were available. You have to be a real collector, though, not everybody obviously needs this. But I hope Apple keeps it for those that do, at least until equivalent flash storage can be provided for the same price.
 
It could be used in the iPod classic, but probably won't. Let's face it the iPod Classic's relevance to Apple's iStrategy is pretty near zero. They probably sell just enough to make it profitable to keep selling since the R&D costs were recovered eons ago but I guarantee you they don't have a single engineer assigned to it anymore. I'd bet the Classic gets KO'd before it gets upgraded. It's just not on Apple's radar anymore.
 
Would be nice to see a bigger harddrive. I have the 160GB and it's almost full (I have a ton of music and movies).
 
Yeah, I know it will get me some flak for saying so...but WHO CARES about the old school iPod anymore? -1 Macrumors.



If Apple were smart...theyd put this into a (thinner)redesigned MBP chassis, WITH a SSD module (MBA). Now that would be the *****.
 
toddybody said:
Yeah, I know it will get me some flak for saying so...but WHO CARES about the old school iPod anymore? -1 Macrumors.


Now, SB + standard SSD in the Macbook Pro refresh...bring me summa that news!
Click to expand...

Just :rolleyes:
I know many people who have iPod classics and refuse to buy anything else due to lack of storage space.

I personally have 66GB of music which my iPhone cannot handle all at once. I do miss my classic.
 
So it's normal for iPod owners to say "I must have all my music with me all the time", but when a photographer says "I don't have enough HD space because I keep all my photos on my internal drive" they say "you should only take what you NEED with you". I feel comfortable having everything with me all the time. You never know when you will need something...
 
NY to CA (and back)

It would be nice to keep the classic. My iPod jack for the car in in the glove box. A 220GB classic would be great for those LONG road trips.
 
It would be great if this does get put into a new Classic, but even if it doesn't, it should be able to be put into a current one as an upgrade.
 
iPod Classic is treasured by the small cult of the so-called audiophiles. As with people who are obsessed with every minor detail, lossless ALAC can easily fill up 220GB pretty quickly, not to mention the 'relatively meager' 160GB. So if it really comes to iPod Classic, this minor update is more than welcome.
 
I'd love a 220GB iPod. My 160GB gave up the ghost about a year ago, and I have to swap out music on my iPhone (which sucks, because I've been waiting on an updated iPod). Though while having a little music on my iPhone is nice, I'd much rather have a separate device just for music.
 
I used to want a Classic in addition to my iPhone for the storage, but after messing with my old iPod mini and iPod nano... it is very hard to go back to anything else to browse music after iOS.
 
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