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OS X Based iPods at Media Event in September?

The iPod Mini will return !!!

rockthecasbah said:
YES THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):D;)

I cannot wait to ditch my 4th gen for a full screen! They say up to 4 new models, so that could mean Shuffle, Nano, Full Screen, and a new model? Perhaps maybe a NAND regular size model with a click wheel? Oh the possibilities! I'm so excited :D
Click to expand...

The iPod Mini will return and will be more like the current 5.5 generation iPod (same OS)... but all flash based and smaller and thinner... all flash based (8 gigs, 16 gigs)... the top of the line iPod will be full screen with hard disk based... 30 gigs, 80 gigs and maybe more...

The lineup at the end of september will be as follow:

iPod Shuffle: same as today

iPod Nano: same as today (2-8 gigs)

iPod Mini: 8-16 gigs, new form factor: smaller and lot thinner than current 5.5 G iPod, same OS as the current iPod 5.5G, video capable, etc.

iPod: hard disk based, OS X based, touch screen, iPhone interface, full screen... think of it has the current iPhone design but without the top and bottom black part... so smaller than the iPhone...

This new line up respond to the market demands: better high end feature, smaller capacity form factor with more functionnality (hence the return of the iPod mini)...

And by the way, iPod mini... MacBook Mini... pretty clean naming comvention...

JF
 
I, for one, am not terribly excited about an iPod that is essentially an iPhone sans the Phone. My primary use for my iPod is for listening to music in my (totally cute <3 ) car. My iPhone is WAY too complicated of a device for me to use for that. The last thing most people need is the added complexity of a touch screen device for listening to music while driving.
 
Proud Liberal said:
Unfortunately, this news doesn't excite me. I have a HUGE music collection that I want with me at ALL times (please - for the 13-18 year old crowd on this forum: don't tell me that I can't possibly ever listen to all that music. It's not for you to decide how I use MY iPod. I'm a business traveler & don't have time to decide what 8GBs of music I'm going to take with me from trip to trip. Nor do I want to.) Therefore, the thought of Apple going to NAND flash for all their iPods only means 1 thing: smaller capacity iPods. That's not an option for me. Nor is it negotiable. If they go this route, they will lose a segment of their customer base that IS willing to pay premium prices for a high capacity player.
Click to expand...


iAudio and creative have launched their 16GB Nano competitors priced at $250. Next year they will get the capacity bumped up to 32GB and the year after that 64GB and the capacity will be doubled every single year.

Sure there will be a slight halt for a year or so but then the capacity whoring will continue on. Apple will not lose customers at all. The dumped the HDD based 6GB iPod Mini in favor for a flash based 4GB Nano and they haven't had problems selling them at all. Flash will most likely debut in the big iPod at the end of next year in 32GB/64GB flavor which satisfying for most people.

Flash is the future and offer many benefits compared with HDD such as speed, lower battery consumption, durability and better reading times. The whole industry will in the next 24 months switch over to Flash for all their DAPs.

The revolution has already started.

Some times we have to take a small step backwards to make a giant leap forward.
 
homeboy said:
The dumped the HDD based 6GB iPod Nano in favor for a flash based 4GB Nano and they haven't had problems selling them at all.
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AFAIK, the iPod Nano has NEVER had a HDD - they have always been flash based players from their intro in 2005. Are you talking about the Mini?

I can assure you that those of us with large music collections (60GB & higher) who want to carry our ENTIRE collection are not going buy a lower capacity player just to have the latest iPod. And I can't see Apple consciously deciding to eliminate that segment of the iPod market. From a business perspective, it makes no sense. If there was no demand for 80GB iPods, Apple would not sell them. If there was no demand for 120/160GB HDDs, Samsung & Toshiba would not make them.
 
homeboy said:
The dumped the HDD based 6GB iPod Nano in favor for a flash based 4GB Nano and they haven't had problems selling them at all. Flash will most likely debut in the big iPod at the end of next year in 32GB/64GB flavor which satisfying for most people.
Click to expand...

There's a fairly large difference from making a small product smaller by dropping 2 gigs (not much) and taking a large capacity iPod (80gb) and making it more expensive (higher capacity flash modules are hella expensive) while decreasing capacity by a significant amount, instead of increasing.
 
Proud Liberal said:
AFAIK, the iPod Nano has NEVER had a HDD - they have always been flash based players from their intro in 2005. Are you talking about the Mini?

I can assure you that those of us with large music collections (60GB & higher) who want to carry our ENTIRE collection are not going buy a lower capacity player just to have the latest iPod. And I can't see Apple consciously deciding to eliminate that segment of the iPod market. From a business perspective, it makes no sense. If there was no demand for 80GB iPods, Apple would not sell them. If there was no demand for 120/160GB HDDs, Samsung & Toshiba would not make them.
Click to expand...

Yes I meant the Mini.

Believe me I have giant collection too over 35GB + family guy episode I want to watch on a wide screen iPod. I'm one of you guys too waiting for a new high capacity iPod. But there's more than just capacity Flash does have some very nice advantages.

Then there is the scarcity, especially amongs us music freaks. 32GB/64GB might seen little to some of us but the same can be said about 100GB. I could easily fill a 120GB iPod if I wanted just by ripping all my CDs in losseless and filling it will all my favorite artists album from the first one to the latest one.

As long as I can carry at least 10 000 songs with me I'm quite happy. Carrying more with me would be even more amazing but at the end of the day there's no capacity which can't be filled by any off us.

The consumption of flash memories in increasing and so is the production and in the near future the prices will be rock dropping and before you know it 64GB will become 128GB.
 
Virtual Click Wheel

The interface posted on the Internet will likely be used for both the Nano and the iPod Touch. In the case of the Nano, the click wheel will be as is; in the case of the iPod Touch, it will be virtual and displayed on the widescreen. When movies are played on the Touch, they will be displayed full screen as on the iPhone. That may be the only difference between the two except for flash vs. HD drive options. WiFi and Safari are doubtful at this point. Remember, these are "transitional" devices.
 
Does moving to OSX on iPods save Apple anything on licensing? I don't know what the terms of the deal were with Pixo (way, way, wayback when), or if there are any other licenses that can be superseded by this.

Just a thought...
 
tpavell said:
I was thinking Apple should put it's touch on a consumer digital camera. Imagine the entire backside as a touch screen. iPhoto runs right on the camera. It's one of those devices just about everyone has but the interfaces need help. Decent optics are easy to come by. It's all about the in interface.

Maybe they'd skip the camera and go straight to video.
Click to expand...

The best, easyst to use user interfaces for a camer are mechanical. Rings that you turn, buttons and so on. they need to be operable without the need to look at them because a photographer will have his eye on the subject. Anything that requires your eyes to use is not good.

Well, I'll take half of that back. There are two modes of camera use (1) while you are taking pictures and (2) after you have taken the pictures. Toutch screen and menues work well in mode #2 and are horrible in #1. So a mix would not be bad.

The problem with cameras is that they really are hard to make at least if you want to go past to point and shoot models. And as for good optics being easy to come by. The only good optics I see comes from companies that have been in the optics business for 50+ years
 
currentinterest said:
The interface posted on the Internet will likely be used for both the Nano and the iPod Touch. In the case of the Nano, the click wheel will be as is; in the case of the iPod Touch, it will be virtual and displayed on the widescreen. When movies are played on the Touch, they will be displayed full screen as on the iPhone. That may be the only difference between the two except for flash vs. HD drive options. WiFi and Safari are doubtful at this point. Remember, these are "transitional" devices.
Click to expand...

The interface posted a while ago was for the Nano. The iPod touch won't have a virtual clickwheel, it's completely useless when Apple has something better.

Here is the type of interface the iPod touch will have:

http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/90/apple-describes-new-interface-for-ipod
 
Taylor C said:
That patent application is from october of 2006. It's most likely for the iPhone.
Click to expand...

If you look a little more carefully at the illustrations the patent focuses on music, pictures and movies which is basically what the iPod is all about. Further more the interface is superior to the one on the iPhone, look at all the nice little shortcuts and the now playing screen. Some of it was off course used for the iPhone but will be featured on an iPod and fully optimized to offer the best music/movie playback experience possible with a touch screen.
 
A New Born Baby? lol!

homeboy said:
No it won't. The iPhone comes with a 2 years economical liability an iPod doesn't. Further more the iPod with touch screen will come with high capacity unlike the iPhone only offer 4GB and 8GB.

They are two different products. Further more Steve has said that the cell phone market is their third business after the iPod. With that being said I think people should stop treating the iPhone like it's a new born baby which should get all the attention.
Click to expand...

I agree with you homeboy. I am with you that a touch screen iPod is a different product than the iPhone. It is meant for a different market. Someone also said, 'An iPod without a click wheel, would not be an iPod!" WFT?? Kill the click wheel and bring on the touch pad iPod!! Old technology anyway......
 
I have been waiting for this ever since the iPhone was announced. I'm buying the top of the line model on the day they're released!
 
currentinterest said:
The virtual click wheel has been patented by Apple and may very well be seen in an iPod.

Also from 2006: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/apple-touchscreen-patent-documentation-154248.php
Click to expand...

But that's from Feb 2006. In September they showed us something even better:

http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/90/apple-describes-new-interface-for-ipod

But the click wheel main tool in the patents filed is for scrolling rather than navigating which is what most people have in mind when they think of a virtual click wheel.
 
I want a 30" portable, pocket sized iPod video which doubles as an exciting sex partner.

...well if you guys can ask for fantasy iPod stuff, why can't I?
 
Lesser Evets said:
doubles as an exciting sex partner.
Click to expand...


*Steve pulls out of his pocket*.............the new iDildo - Touch it!

It comes in glossy black & white + a Pamella Andersson version.

24 hours battery life, dock adapter and a wiping clotch to clean off any finger prints, kebab sauce or smudge.
 
currentinterest said:
The virtual click wheel has been patented by Apple and may very well be seen in an iPod.
Click to expand...

It just dawned on me that the iPod could have the virtual click wheel interface AND the iPhone like flick scrolling. You could just pick your preference under Settings or something. Didn't occur to me until just now. That could satisfy both parties and is as easy as a software switch.

johnmcboston said:
I'd like to see you operate your touch screen only interface while the device is in your pocket or bag...
Click to expand...

Without looking at the iPod, you can go next track, back a track, volume up/down, and pause/stop (from what I remember, never owned one personally). If it had the volume up/down switch like the iPhone (which is debatable, for aesthetic reasons) there's that, and if they released earbuds with the button on it there's pause and next track. All you'd lose is previous track, which to me could be solved on the earbud button: one click = next, two = previous, hold = pause.
 
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