Photo of the 4th Generation iPod Nano?

[Brien]

i dont think its necessarily re-using an old design. When you get to the size of the nano you are limited by the features you want to put in rather than the design 'statement'

also- does it look like the screen is flat an the body is curved??

d

Yeah, screen looks flat.

As for going back to the old formfactor, I think it has more to due with how easy the chrome back scratches, as well as to the usability of the device. Going widescreen with the current formfactor would result in a very wide nano, or something that isn't much smaller than the classic.

Plus I hear complaints all the time of how hard it is to keep hold of the current nano when running, cycling etc.

WHY, oh tell me WHY do we need ANOTHER ipod revision? Isn't the current line up perfectly fine (except prices and capacity)?

What about the Macbook Pro!? That's what needs all the attention!

Because Apple already saturated the market, and the only way to make money off the iPod line is continual innovation.

 

[mechasquid]

If this is a mock-up of what we are going to get... hmm.

Personally i am not a fan, i think it is a step backwards. Also, the screen looks very tight with the top of the case form factor. Where is your left-hand thumb supposed to go if you hold it width-ways when watching video?

 

[jk000]

It doesn't matter if this is real or not, this can EASILY be mocked up in less than an hour on a simple CAD application. The fact that it has a dock connector if NOTHING to talk about as well? It would obviously have a dock connector.

 

[peterlobl]

underneath - cell phone too ?

would be neat to have touch screen - and simple cell phone capabilities...

for those who may want to "slim down" from two devices into one... i can think of several i know for whom regular iPhone is overkill and daunting... they use std moto or nokia, and carry iPod as well.

introducing 8gb/16gb iPod with basic cell capabilites (pay as u go or thru at&t) and hmmm... how much would someone pay... $149-199+?

extra revenue for each monthly bill... & download songs thru cell network...

 

[unlokia]

You're all just putty in the hands of Apple; hypocritical putty at that!. If it's at the rumour stage then you have NOTHING to base your opinion upon, except for mere SPECULATION.


Funny thing is, whatever Apple's new design will bring, even those who "hate" it will convince themselves to love it, through sheer blind lemming-like loyalty to Apple.

I *HATE* and I mean *HATE* iTunes; the biggest POS Apple ever conceived, but that doesn't mean I am disloyal to them (wtf ) or hate ALL their products. They won't disable your hardware because you bad mouth some of their design concepts - if you REALLY dislike something, say so, and don't be such sheep!.


I still can't understand all the fuss about a flippin iPod - go outside and gaze into the horizon... it's a big world, and iPods matter VERY VERY LITTLE!.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Thanks for posting the sales chart. FYI- the reason why the quarters seem off is because Apple's fiscal calendar don't mirror the calendar year. But that chart seems to be be correct, as it's likely based on Apple's fiscal calendar- that's why the huge holiday season sales are in Q1, instead of Q4.

Note: in this image from wiki they've seemingly labeled the wrong product dates below in the wrong quarters, so disregard the products they've written in each column and square it up with the product release dates from the other image below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:IPodsales_2008Q3.svg

 

[ucfgrad93]

I think it looks pretty nice. Can't wait to see the real thing on Tuesday.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Hi Derwood,

Many seem to be flummoxed, but I think your post basically points at the answers. The physical shape of a device is only half of the equation. But everyone seems to be judging it solely on these mockups alone, without even considering what Apple might be doing with the interface, both software and hardware. I am personally fine with the shape (this photo is probably a mockup but also probably pretty close to the final product), but am waiting until Tuesday before throwing my arms up (in joy or frustration) or anything like that.

With all of the Apple hooplah in the press and all the great advances they've made with the iPhone and the iPhone OS, I really don't think Apple is JUST going to turn the Nano screen sideways and call it a day. If so, what are they going to call it? The iPod Nano Classic? Remember that the iPod line is still one of Apple's main cash cows, and will be for the forseeable future. It has represented half of Apple's profits for a long time, you don't dismiss that overnight.

I think we'll see something new in terms of interface or features for sure. They know more than anyone else, that just the physical shell alone looks just like the old 2G Nanos, and is also very reminiscent of the flash Zune. So I don't think they would introduce a product like this unless there were other significant changes under the hood. On Tuesday, I am pretty sure we are going to see a Nano that will be considered a new upgraded product by most people, regardless of whether you think this new shape is to close to the old one or not.

I just don't understand it at all. All the leaks thus far seem to demonstrate nothing more than a change of form factor.

To me, the much hinted at curved surface would be an aesthetic and ergonomic disaster. How to incorporate a flat screen and flat click-wheel without recessing them or having them protrude from the enclosure? If they put a flat display behind a curved piece of plastic, or even glass, it will look horrible.

Where is the added functionality? Still got a click wheel for navigation. It has to be the guts: new chips, better battery life, higher capacities. Maybe an accelerometer to allow for access to (some) of the iPhone/iTouch games through the AppStore? They could have already forewarned developers that this would be coming. This would admittedly require a major overhaul to what is currently under the hood in terms of available processing power. Would make sense in a way though, because the move back to a vertically oriented screen problematizes Apple's previous introduction of CoverFlow to the Nano - which requires a horizontal aspect. Hmmm...

Won't be any major software changes I wouldn't think as Apple couldn't possibly allow for the Nano to have a richer feature-set than the Classic (which, according to rumor build up, will not be seeing any major changes on Sept 9th).

I am flummoxed. Well and truly. Despite the fact that it's holiday season upcoming, this seems to me - at the moment - like a tough sell, especially if the remaining stock of Nano 3G's are discounted after launch. Unless, they somehow open up the AppStore to the entire iPod family.

My tuppence worth, Derwood

 

[alhasa]

Maybe we're wrong though? I think that this and other images we've seen are mockups because if you think about it, when the images of the current iPod Nano showed up, Apple Legal flipped it's ****. They don't seem to care about a weeks worth of pictures and mockups. This is why I think we are in for a bigger surprise than you think.

very good observation. but considering how leaky apple has become recently, maybe apple doesn't care anymore?

personally, i dont care about the nano... just waiting to see what they do with the ipod touch (ADD A MIC PLEAAAAASE)!

 

[qualidad]

Just so you all know, the new iPod will indeed have cellphone capabilities. That is the reason for the new shape.

 

[bluedog3401]

How about this?

I know this is just a mockup, but while we are all speculating on the new designs, wouldn't this be something to "Rock On"?

The display could be touch, with a 'soft' touchwheel or simply use the interface from the iPod Touch. Anyhow, downloadable via wifi would be awesome across the board for iPods (and support their 'retail' business like at Starbucks).

 

[125037]

Looks like a mockup to me. The click wheel seems to be indented quite a lot and the click wheel is also out of proportion with the dock connector and headphone jack. Either that or this is going to be a large ipod nano!

What if there is a certain "department" or something where "apple people" are told to "leak" images. FAKE images. like mockups or something....just a thought....

LOL i just realized i quoted something 3 times...

 

[wavelayer]

Glad you finally came to the indisputable truth! Buggy Leopard, iPhone, MobileMe, Air... All released to make a buck in shortest time possible. Facts is facts. Actually the iPod products have probably been the most reliable of anything they've thrown out the door lately.

It's like you expect the miraculous around every corner. Come on! Apple has been engineering incredible hardware and software continually. I use their computers, software and tech gadgets everyday. Technology is buggy. Competition is fierce. I believe that Apple is a very smart company and they make great products.

I run my Mac heavily all week at work with graphic design, compositing video and 3D rendering. Barely ever do I have even a hiccup.

The ipod touch is how old? It's simply a breakthrough.

The Macbook Air is an engineering marvel. Because of Apple's success, they can take risks like this. It will only lead to far greater products in the future.

Nothing is perfect. Not Apple, not anybody. And yes they are in business to make money. Like everyone else.

 

[50548]

Just looks like a 3rd gen nano that needs to go on a diet. How boring.

It's kinda odd to see Apple coming back to previous designs...this looks almost exactly like a crossover between an iPod Mini and a 2nd generation Nano...Apple must have its reasons, for sure...

 

[dam0dred]

I'm totally NOT sold on the proportions of this redesign, but then I was very dubious of the Nano fat until I got it in my hands so we'll wait and see before I make a judgment here.

 

[Virgil-TB2]

a theory (nano iPhone)

If this is the shape of the new nano, Apple *could* have, (knowing that the design would leak out from the case manufacturers), misled them without causing any serious damage to their business. By misled, I mean that the details might be different, as in the click-wheel might be not a click-wheel.

If in fact the click-wheel is not a click-wheel but rather the one in a recent Apple patent, it can also double as a phone dialer and thus could also be the shape of the nano iPhone. According to the patent this kind of click-wheel can change it's interface/button orientation by means of it being essentially a round screen and not a mechanical device at all.

We already know that this 4G iPod (again assuming it actually exists), has a sideways screen which would be difficult to use with the traditional click-wheel because it cannot change it's orientation. To be used really effectively, the click-wheel would have to rotate around 90 degrees when you are watching a movie or how could you scrub through the movie? You could of course, but wouldn't that be terribly awkward?

If the click-wheel is actually able to change (ie - it's a screen) then as well as changing orientation by 90 degrees, it could also change to a rotary dialer. So this may indeed be the new iPod *form* but the "surprise" will be that the click-wheel is the totally new changeable click-wheel and the iPod can possibly even make calls.

This would require more power for the screen(s), an accelerometre, and a cell antenna inside which kind of stretches the engineering spec and plays havok with the battery life, but it seems in the realm of possibility to me. It's something to hope for anyway, as opposed to this slightly boring reality.

 

[beeh]

I know this is just a mockup, but while we are all speculating on the new designs, wouldn't this be something to "Rock On"?

The display could be touch, with a 'soft' touchwheel or simply use the interface from the iPod Touch. Anyhow, downloadable via wifi would be awesome across the board for iPods (and support their 'retail' business like at Starbucks).

This is what I was hoping for...it's just gotta have some awesome features.

 

[garyhoare]

e-paper?

Maybe the click wheel is slightly inset because it's a square of e-paper like in the Amazon Kindle. It's flexible enough to be able to click through it. The center button might be adhered to the surface of the e-paper and that's why it appears slightly raised.

Add an accelerometer and the play/pause/menu buttons can change when you turn it 90 degrees to watch a movie in wide screen.

 

[rhett7660]

Reminds me of a fat shuffle. I like the old nano thou.

 

[Roessnakhan]

Reminds me of a fat shuffle. I like the old nano thou.

Then don't buy the new one (if you're referring to liking the current gen.).

 

[freebooter]

All the Nanos have been great--I have owned all three gen.s and the Mini as well.
I think going back to tall format is a good idea--bigger screen, easier to slip into pockets.
I'll be buying one, most likely. I'll definitely buy one if they extend battery life and up the storage capacity. A 12 or 16 GB Nano would be very attractive to me.

ps: Sure a lot of whiners and knockers on this site.

 

[Roessnakhan]

What I love about the fat nano is it fits in that small pocket in most jeans.

 

[mjtomlin]

I know this is just a mockup, but while we are all speculating on the new designs, wouldn't this be something to "Rock On"?

The display could be touch, with a 'soft' touchwheel or simply use the interface from the iPod Touch. Anyhow, downloadable via wifi would be awesome across the board for iPods (and support their 'retail' business like at Starbucks).

I think a touch screen is a little over kill for a simple media player, especially one as small as the nano. Touch is an input method, too complex to implement just to select items from a list and control the playback of media content. Besides, the nice thing about having physical buttons on a device is that you don't have to look at it to push the correct button.

I'm guessing designs aren't going to change much this time around. More than likely a lot more flash memory at reduced prices; 8GB nano @ $99, 4GB @ $79, 2GB shuffle @ $39, 1GB shuffle @ $29. Or something along those lines.

Also think the touch will receive GPS and possibly a 3G radio, more memory all for a cheaper price.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Maybe the click wheel is slightly inset because it's a square of e-paper like in the Amazon Kindle. It's flexible enough to be able to click through it. The center button might be adhered to the surface of the e-paper and that's why it appears slightly raised.

Add an accelerometer and the play/pause/menu buttons can change when you turn it 90 degrees to watch a movie in wide screen.

I had actually thought of that too.

But...all these various schemes to have an adjusting clickwheel- everything from epaper to physical rotation to touch display- seem like overly complex Rube Goldberg type devices.

It's a flash music player. Worse comes to worse, we'll all just have to suffer the agony of dealing with a sideways clickwheel now and then. But I think there will be some tricks to the software interface with this new design.

I guess we'll see on Tuesday. Even if this long Nano with taller screen is the real deal (I assume it is), there's still plenty we don't know.

 

[BettyBad]

Fake

These images of the Nano are fake. Apple throwing you off the scent. It is blatantly obvious by the amount of info out there about this new Nano.