iPod The Death of the iPod Mini... big mistake.

[furryrabidbunny]

No more colorful, fun mp3 players from Apple. Instead we are stuck with a white or black bland player with a color screen. Not to mention the horrible price point... yesterday you could buy an extra two gigs for 199, with the cooler case. Glad my first gen mini is still truckin with poorer battery life.

 

[Lacero]

Apple probably realized creating too many colors creates inventory problems. Silver minis probably outsold all the other colors 5 - 1 and so it was probably a marketing and financial decision to drop the colors. At least we have black, which will be a big seller.

 

[miloblithe]

I think more than anything else Apple is trying to avoid standing still (and therefore being an easier target). By introducing a new player it makes it harder for competitors to catch up. I agree that the mini was nice, and that the colors were an attraction, but it's not like Apple can't reintroduce colors in the future. Keep changing.

In the long run though, I think Apple realizes that iPods will become less and less important as mobile phonese become effective music players. Dominating that market is the real competition in years to come.

 

[the_freddinator]

I'm sure Apple, along w/ other companies, will come out w/ skin's galore just to milk people a little more. Business-wise, I agree that it probably would've been a good idea to keep the array of colors, but at the same time, you're gonna get people spending way too much money for a skin. Don't believe me? Belkin was selling y-cables (tagged w/ the iPod name) for 15 dollars at my local circuit city early this year. I don't think that Apple will regret this decision that much.

 

[ipacmm]

I think that Apple will reintroduce the iPod Mini when the new normal iPods come out.

 

[furryrabidbunny]

on thing to comment on the feature on the ipod that i would like to see is faceplates. I own a green mini, so i have some individualism there, but people owning a nano or ipod have white (or black) and are faced with cases to set them apart. Why not take from the phone and develop an ipod with faceplates.

 

[the_freddinator]

on thing to comment on the feature on the ipod that i would like to see is faceplates. I own a green mini, so i have some individualism there, but people owning a nano or ipod have white (or black) and are faced with cases to set them apart. Why not take from the phone and develop an ipod with faceplates.

I think faceplate's would be nice- but wouldn't sell as well as skins. People like skins because they:
a) set their iPod apart
b) Protect the iPod

All of us are well aware that iPods scratch like none-other. So I don't think faceplates will be coming any time soon. Even if they did come out, how would they attach to one's ipod? you can't very readily attach it in to the headphone jack and the dataport...

 

[QCassidy352]

I think that Apple will reintroduce the iPod Mini when the new normal iPods come out.

I highly doubt it. You really think they would discontinue a line just to bring it back a short time later? What would be the sense in that? No, nano is the new mini.

 

[mwpeters8182]

Another reason that getting rid of the mini might not be the best idea is the fact that it now costs $50 more to get a 4GB player. I really like the look of the nano, but I don't know if I'd want a 2GB player.

MP

 

[furryrabidbunny]

Faceplates could do as good a job as skins... maybe better if done right. I had that old t-mobile workhorse phone the nokia 3595. The Faceplates for those actually covered the LCD with plastic, so you would scratch up your faceplate and not the LCD. This is also my speculation on the mini: it was the best iPod in one's hands, its shape and size was perfect. As microdrives advance we will see the mini formfactor adapted as the standard iPod. I'm not saying it will feature four colors or other odd mini features (i can't think of any but color body right now), but it will feature that great feel, metal body, perfect hand fitting form-factor.

 

[solvs]

No reason they can't use those new 8GB mini drives in some other iPod-type device.

 

[ipacmm]

I highly doubt it. You really think they would discontinue a line just to bring it back a short time later? What would be the sense in that? No, nano is the new mini.

True, after thinking about it, you are right; I doubt that they will bring it back.
Hopefully we will see some different colors for the new nano.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

i really like the ipod nano, but i do agree that the colors of the minis probaly really helped their sales, because it made them stand out more

 

[lpshean]

What makes me think that the iPod nano would eventually replace the original iPod like how the iPod photo did?

Think about it.

 

[rlsrox@mac.com]

I just don't get it...

Getting rid of the mini is problems on more than just one level. If I were over at inCase I'd be SCREAMING right now, because they just developed five thousand cases and accessories for the Mini and with it gone, they've got to scramble now to make user accessories for yet ANOTHER model. It was bad enough with the shuffle, but every time they do this it's another accessory nightmare.

I think plenty of the colored minis sold, and the smaller they go, the more nervous it makes some people. I have a 60 photo, a pink mini, a shuffle (a gift, I never use it) and honestly, as cute as the nano is, it's expensive and I'd seriously worry about losing it. At least the shuffle has the little top that you can use with a lanyard or something. I seriously see people losing the Nano all over the place--it's TINY for such a major item, I don't know...I imagine eBay is about to go nuts with pricing on a Mini...I'd be all over picking up the ones that go on sale at The Apple Store.

 

[Sun Baked]

And you have to pay an extra $29 for colored silicone nano Tubes...

Don't know if this is the step up from socks.

 

[mrzeve]

Well the minis are still online: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?family=iPodmini

But it doesnt really work.

 

[pdpfilms]

I honestly don't think this will do anything bad to apple's image or sales. These new iPod nano's are exactly what people who buy the mini are looking for, and more. TINY, 1000 songs, look and function like an iPod... and are color with more features than a normal iPod.

 

[EJBasile]

I think their mistake is that they downsized.

Before:
4gb and 6gb Mini

Now:
2gb and 4gb

I really wish they had a 6gb. I think the price is a little steep too. I think it would be better if the 2gb was $149 and the 4gb was $199. I would also get rid of the shuffles, or just keep the 1gb and sell it for $99. I have yet to meet someone who owns a shuffle.

I like the black and white. Notice how apple had the colorful G3 iMacs but after the G4 they switched to white.

 

[antrabbit]

It's only a 1000 songs if you have have them at 128 kbits/sec I have all mine ripped at 192 kbits/sec which is why I went for a 6gb mini so I could still get 1000 songs on it. I didn't need to carry any more than that around, but less would be annoying.

 

[26139]

Riiight...

Getting rid of the mini is problems on more than just one level. If I were over at inCase I'd be SCREAMING right now, because they just developed five thousand cases and accessories for the Mini and with it gone, they've got to scramble now to make user accessories for yet ANOTHER model. It was bad enough with the shuffle, but every time they do this it's another accessory nightmare.

I think plenty of the colored minis sold, and the smaller they go, the more nervous it makes some people. I have a 60 photo, a pink mini, a shuffle (a gift, I never use it) and honestly, as cute as the nano is, it's expensive and I'd seriously worry about losing it. At least the shuffle has the little top that you can use with a lanyard or something. I seriously see people losing the Nano all over the place--it's TINY for such a major item, I don't know...I imagine eBay is about to go nuts with pricing on a Mini...I'd be all over picking up the ones that go on sale at The Apple Store.

Yeah...I'm sure that InCase is pissed because they have to design another top selling item...how dare apple expand their product line!

 

[joepunk]

I too think that the price of the iPod Nano is a bit to steep. Especially since they are replacing slightly larger capacity/lower cost Minis.

I don't know if the mini's were scratch-able like their big brothers but I hope that the Nano are not as scratch-able.

 

[Sun Baked]

If it's polycarbonate (which is Apple's preferred plastic) it'll scratch real easy.

Especially with a shiny finish.

But this also makes it a whole lot easier to sell 3rd party covers.

 

[rockthecasbah]

It's only a 1000 songs if you have have them at 128 kbits/sec I have all mine ripped at 192 kbits/sec which is why I went for a 6gb mini so I could still get 1000 songs on it. I didn't need to carry any more than that around, but less would be annoying.

see the thing is that most people i know can't even fill an iPod mini with the amount of music they KNOW let alone would have the money to buy...I'd say the majority of mini owners carry their players about 1/2 to about 2/3 full. Thus for that marketshare you really don't need more than 1000...if you do then go with the regular iPod and you'll be just as happy. People will buy the Nano for the sheer style and size, even if there are better valued players out. Im sure as flash becomes even larger capacity and cheaper, the Nano will again be 4gb and 6-8 or whatever. Right now its the sexy look that will sell them, not capacity.

As for the accessories issue, BOO HOO. How many cases do you need for an iPod for christ's sake. There are so many fourth gen. iPod cases i would lose my mind if i had to choose one...the accessories will be added as time goes by, but i am positive that you won't have to wait very long to get an extra piece of crap for your Nano..

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Thoroughly Pissed Off

Hi,

I read about the new iPod Nano last night and I couldn't help but feel pissed off that they've cancelled the Mini. The Mini only had a one year shelf life and will now look old. If there was a new model of the mini out that still looked roughly like the older one then the Rev As and Bs then it wouldn't be as bad but as it is there is nothing out there that looks anything like the minis. The Nano looks like a squished iPod Photo, the Shuffle looks like a super-squished iPod Photo and now nothing looks like a Mini.
Of course I can understand why they cancelled the Mini - a lot of people would rather have bought a Mini with a higher capacity for a less amount of money and they'd rather people buy Nanos for more. That doesn't stop me feeling angry though. I bought my Mini four months ago thinking that since they were so popular they would last a while - maybe even outlive its big brother but now its old.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Nano looks great. I don't think it looks as good as the Minis did and I'd rather it were wider and shorter with a larget click wheel and screen but the thin-ness of it is rather cool.


Phil