iPod Thoughts about next gen. iPod

[OCOTILLO]

I think Apple is going to continue the "impossibly small" theme with the next gen. iPod. Here are my projections for a new iPod:

1. Size: similar to the iPod mini except thinner.
2. Display: same size as iPod photo except rotated 90 degrees. iPod would be viewed and controlled horizontally instead of vertically.
3. Click Wheel: same as iPod nano.
4. Storage: at least 40GB (Hitachi 0.8" drive?)
5. Features: same as iPod photo plus video, with video output to TV.

This would replace all other iPods except nano and shuffle.

What do you think?

 

[bursty]

I think Apple is going to continue the "impossibly small" theme with the next gen. iPod. Here are my projections for a new iPod:

1. Size: similar to the iPod mini except thinner.
2. Display: same size as iPod photo except rotated 90 degrees. iPod would be viewed and controlled horizontally instead of vertically.
3. Click Wheel: same as iPod nano.
4. Storage: at least 40GB (Hitachi 0.8" drive?)
5. Features: same as iPod photo plus video, with video output to TV.

This would replace all other iPods except nano and shuffle.

What do you think?

I think those are all pretty good guesses except rotating the display. I'm pretty sure Apple will keep the same basic layout until they come out with a totally new product a few years down the line.

 

[jholzner]

I think those are all pretty good guesses except rotating the display. I'm pretty sure Apple will keep the same basic layout until they come out with a totally new product a few years down the line.

I agree, it would be much more difficult to control with one hand if you were holding it horizontally. However, the only way they can make it around the size of the mini is if those drives are avaialbe. I think the largest drives to date are 8GB...not even close to the 20GB needed to replace the iPod line.

 

[steve_hill4]

Does anyone know if Sony own/have a patent pending on the rotating screen design of the HD5? If not, perhaps this would be one solution to the argument on screen orientation.

 

[caps_Lock]

I agree for the most part. Until apple comes out with a new product that supports video or a huge harddrive, the ipods will probably keep getting smaller.

 

[steve_hill4]

I think the nano is too small for a main, everyday iPod. If they made a thin-ish, full-sized iPod that had a long battery life and reasonable storage through flash, then that would be a killer. I do however think that while all the competition has just about caught up in terms of technology and features, apple have now just set out their targets for the next couple of years, "try and create flash based mp3s that have colour screens and still operate as the full sized do". Right now, those zen micros look extremely old technology.

 

[Matt_vn]

My invision of what I want to buy is something with a screen big enough to watch full length movies, a battery to get through a few of those movies at least, and massive storage. The main thing being the movie playback. Personally a 20, 30, and 60 gigs is way too big for just music and photos alone for my pesonal use. Maybe other peope have 10,000+ songs they actually like, but I sure don't. So untill I can easily play full lenght movies on an ipod I am going to hold off buying a large memory unit. Some sort of PSP like thing would be nice maybe.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I'm one of the alleged minority that wants an 80gb min model for music alone -- I couldn't care less about movies and photos.

Wasn't there some market research showing that the majority of people only wanted or needed x number of songs on their iPod? These people will need to be convinced to upgrade by the addition of extra capacity-consuming features.

 

[clayj]

1. Unscratchable crystal screen, as found on high-end watches like TAG Heuer. Seriously, I'm tired of having to protect my iPod with a layer of silicone and plastic, and my nano's screen gets a scratch on it if you even look at it cross-eyed.