Toshiba To Supply Apple With Flash Memory?

[pbook15]

It could pay off in the long term, people want the iPod and start with the cheaper flash based ones. As their music collection grows, hopefuly through the iTMS, they will upgrade to the 20+GB version. It will also create even more brand awareness and exposure for apple and a little bit of publicity is never a bad thing. As people become more familiar with what the Apple name has to offer they will be more inclined to switch if they have not already done so.

A flash based ipod would probably hamper sales of normal ipods a bit.... Can we say flash based Powermac?!?!... ?Flash Powerbook G5?

 

[pbook15]

Apple, please do what you did to cell phones what you did for mp3 players. Show companies how a cell phone should function and look like.

And get rid of those stupid built-in cameras! 😱

 

[pbook15]

Does your home network have gigabit ethernet? Would you even be ABLE to use that?

Can the internal HD keep up with speeds like that? I have a 15" PB but have never used the gigabit ethernet or firewire 800, would i see the full transfer rates even with the 5400rpm HD?

 

[shompa]

Can the internal HD keep up with speeds like that? I have a 15" PB but have never used the gigabit ethernet or firewire 800, would i see the full transfer rates even with the 5400rpm HD?

I use Gigabith ethernet between my computers:
Powerbook 1.25ghz, Powermac G5 dual 2ghz, PC AMD 3500+, and my old G4 MMD dual 1 ghz.

You will get aprox 20 meg sekond with giga instead of 10.

 

[TWinbrook46636]

I don't think Apple will release a third iPod design just because it uses flash memory. More likely they will announce 1GB and 5GB iPod mini models at MWSF. Both will feature the same design but the 1GB will use the flash memory. Maybe the 1GB model will be thinner but I don't buy into these rumors of a keychain device with no screen.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Wow it’s amazing how many short sighted, ignorant, jaded, self indulged jerks there are on this board. Yep Apple doesn’t know a thing and you guys know Apple’s business better then they do. Oh wait. I’m sorry. You don’t. My bad.

 

[desdomg]

Didnt Apple recently announce that it didnt think it could make any money selling cheaper iPods? And as soon as you look at price points that would make money for Apple you quickly realise that the iPod mini already competes well in that segment.... if Toshiba will be selling Apple flash memory in future I think it will be for something else.

 

[fraggle]

Sounds like my "iBook mini" idea:
- Widescreen 8" 860x480 or 10" 1024x600 LCD display
- 800MHz to 1GHz G3 with Altivec (IBM)
- Radeon Mobility 9200/32MB (or whatever 3D chipset is low-power)
- 1.8" 60GB HD
- 256MB RAM (256MB on-board, 1 free SODIMM slot, max 768MB or 1.25GB)
- wireless
- one USB2
- one Firewire400
- S-Video out
- headphones jack
- DVD-ROM or ComboDrive (only if size allows. The unit could be thicker but not larger as a result)

Comes with the full version of OS X, iTunes, iPhoto, Safari, etc.

Only 499$US.

This is not going to happen. The 60GB iPod photo sells for more and what you described sbove is far more than "just" an iPod. Making things smaller costs a lot of money so I would be bet the price would be more like $1499...

 

[virividox]

didnt toshiba get in hot water for announcing their intent to supply apple with 60s

showuld they keep their trap shut this time!!!

 

[dejo]

Wow it’s amazing how many short sighted, ignorant, jaded, self indulged jerks there are on this board. Yep Apple doesn’t know a thing and you guys know Apple’s business better then they do. Oh wait. I’m sorry. You don’t. My bad.

As the river bank once said, "My sediments exactly."

 

[JFreak]

You know, if Apple did release a flash iPod, they would have four different models--the iPod Photo, the iPod, the iPod Mini, and the iPod flash. Starting to remind me of their Mac lineup back in the 90's *shudders*

four models is not much, it would in fact be comparable to their computer line:
#1: the powermac
#2: the powerbook
#3: the imac
#4: the ibook

(plus the emac for schools and the xserve for corporations, but those can be left out as they are not primarily designed for consumers.)

 

[dstorey]

I don't see a flash iPod just to release a flash iPod, after all no one buys a mp3 player because it has flash or a HD, they buy it because of what it offers. Thus I doubt we will have a flash iPod in the mini skin, just with less storage space and a fraction cheaper. It needs to offer something new to appeal.

Apple doesn't do cheap, so a likely iPod flash would be 149 - 199, so there would have to be another advantage. Flash players are usually smaller, lighter and don't skip, so it would have to take advantage of these points.

Two markets that would take advantage of this would be the Japan/Asia market, that love smaller gadgets (and i heard i|Pods don't do as well there as they are too big) and the sports market. The latter is probably more likely as I doubt they will design a new ipod just for one territory, but an iPod sport could do well in both segments. They could do something pretty unique here, having a very small size that goes round the neck or on a arm/wrist band and having some form of protection to make it durable, such as a harder case, and splash proof or water proof so it can be used while skiing for example (i doubt they'd get it suitable for canoeing but you never know). They'd need new clip earphones too, to make sure they don't fall out easily (well i can't keep earphones in while jogging at least). It would be good idea to make it roughly keychain drive shape with a usb connector so that people would buy it as a high capacity removable storage device as well. Its much better to have the usb connector built in so that you don't have to carry and hunt round for cables just to transfer a few files to another computer, and not all computers have firewire.

Other than iPod sport, the only other flash based iPod I see is an iPhone, with motorola. However I'd bet it would use the iPod brand and be something like the iPod phone/comms/mobile whatever and be co-developed by the iPod division and Motorola. We already know Apple are developing iTunes for Motorola, so it would make sense to use the iPod brand awareness to go hand in hand with the iTunes brand, and use Apples design skills. This would probably be the high end model though, with other Motorola phones also using iTunes. This i would suspect would have a suite of Apple apps that link with OS X, such as iCal/AddressBook/iPhoto, and possibly iChat. An apple designed gui for a high end phone could really show what Apple could do and get it a lot of lime light. I'd hope that either the iPod sport or mobile would have 1 gb flash to give it enough room to hold a fair amount of songs. Should be enough to listen to while at the gym, or when you only wnt to go out with one device.

 

[macidiot]

Er.... that would be 1. 50,000 2. 280,000 3. 1,400,000 and
4. 2,800,000 new Mac users that is.....

And that is exactly why some people are saying Apple stock is going to $100. One analyst is projecting that "conservatively" the conversion rate will be about 6%. Possibly as high as 10-15%. And the estimates are for sales of about 14 million ipods next year, bringing the installed base to about 20 million or so. Using 6%, that's about 1.2 million NEW Mac owners.

Of course, if Apple introduces a flash player, numbers could skew up. They could sell 20 million flash players alone next year, assuming the player is on par with the current ipods, design and usability-wise. Especially if they sell for $99. And if the flash players also have to ability to be used like a keydrive, even better.

Personally, I'd love to see a 2GB ipod cameraphone...

 

[iGary]

I take it back.

I'd buy a smaller, lighter iPod. Even flash-based for running.

I've run about 2,000 miles with my current iPod, and I would have preferred to do it with something lighter and smaller.

That said, it actually looks like this will happen.

 

[zelmo]

I have a 4G 20GB iPod, which I love dearly - goes everywhere I go. However, it is a pain in the butt to cart it around in running pants or sweats. Something smaller/lighter would be fantastic, but I can't see paying $250 for a mini that isn't quite small enough or light enough. A 512MB or 1GB flash iPod micro, whether it had a screen or not, would be ideal, especially if it had 12-15 hours of battery life. Give it the ability to connect to my iPod so I can manage playlists (much rumored secret 4G feature perhaps??) on the micro, sell it for $149-$179 or so, sign me up for one or two. Perfect for walks in the park, jogging, biking, working in the yard, short commutes, whatever you can think of.
Inexpensive enough that kids can buy them. Parents will be willing to buy them for their kids, too. Start 'em out with AAC, and keep them as they grow up and have more $$ to spend. Heck, just use them to get people into the Apple Store (free iPod micro with CPU purchase promo?), and let them see a Mac in action.

There is definitely a niche for this device. With it, Apple would cover the spectrum of portable music players quite nicely, and hopefully ensure that iTMS and AAC/AAC+ will be a widely accepted format for years to come.

Now, about those G5 PowerBooks, Steve...

 

[JGowan]

Why are they doing this? Won't this kill iPod sales?

Of course,... maybe... The Mini certainly cut into people buying the regular ipod, but it filled a need that the regular one wasn't meeting. Perhaps if the Mini hadn't been made, Apple wouldn't have sold the regular version to the same person because they were looking for something "stylish & small" and would've bought something from someone else.

Now, there is another market that has been asking for a flash-based ipod for a long time and Apple is going to give them what they want and make money doing it. This is just their way of keeping the customer. If the regular ipod isn't working for some people, maybe something else will. They are going after every dollar in every market. Sounds smart to me.

 

[ASP272]

With a new baby at home and just my income to support the family, I can't afford even the $250 iPod Mini. I would definitely be able to invest in a $100-$150 flash based iPod, especially since I like to run a lot. Yeah, you can run with the iPod mini, but eventually I think you could do some hard drive damage from all that rough use. The Flash based iPod makes sense. It fills my desire to have an iPod, at a cost (potentially) I can afford. I'm all for it! 🙂

 

[jholzner]

Wow it’s amazing how many short sighted, ignorant, jaded, self indulged jerks there are on this board. Yep Apple doesn’t know a thing and you guys know Apple’s business better then they do. Oh wait. I’m sorry. You don’t. My bad.

You said what I was thinking.

 

[hughdogg]

If the flashPod materializes it may very well take a bite of the mini´s share, but not in the long run. Some people will from this scenario purchase TWO iPods.

Hints of the above in the recently released (12/3) Applecare KB article Here

Cheers,
hughdogg

 

[ioinc]

theoretic halo effect. people who get an ipod/ipod mini/ipod micro are so impressed with it and/or itunes and/or the apple store, when it comes time to buy their next computer they buy apple.

It is naive to think that it works this way.
I know people that don't use apple computers that bought the iPod because it was so nice... that will still never buy an apple computer.

My monitor broke a few days ago. I happened to have a new dell monitor that I was not using, and set it up as a replacement. Let me assure you... my next computer won't be a dell... it will be an apple.

It works the same way in reverse.... just because someone likes the iPod.. even loves the iPod... there next computer will still be windows based.

 

[mfethers]

The real target market of the Ipod flash

The real target market of the Ipod flash is my ten-year old son. He desperately wants an Ipod, but he's TEN, he only knows 50 songs . . .

I will not spend $250 for a mini, and a $100 -$150 flash-based ipod would be perfect. And daddy might borrow it (or buy his own) for bike rides. I won't use my ipod, or my wife's mini, for fear of breaking it. And of course, I will have to buy one for my nine-year old, too . . .

There is a market for this, and it won't dilute sales of traditional Ipods. Period.

And for those of you who want Apple to focus on other things, please remember: Apple is a profit-based company, and everything they sell allows them to continue to make profit and exist, which is the main thing I want Apple to do -- continue to exist.

 

[jackieonasses]

Sounds like my "iBook mini" idea:
- Widescreen 8" 860x480 or 10" 1024x600 LCD display
- 800MHz to 1GHz G3 with Altivec (IBM)
- Radeon Mobility 9200/32MB (or whatever 3D chipset is low-power)
- 1.8" 60GB HD
- 256MB RAM (256MB on-board, 1 free SODIMM slot, max 768MB or 1.25GB)
- wireless
- one USB2
- one Firewire400
- S-Video out
- headphones jack
- DVD-ROM or ComboDrive (only if size allows. The unit could be thicker but not larger as a result)

Comes with the full version of OS X, iTunes, iPhoto, Safari, etc.

Only 499$US.

Marketing blurbs: "Your iLife to go", "Desktop companion", etc.

You end up with a very small, very low-power, long battery life palmtop computer that would sell like hotcakes, and that people could easily carry around everywhere.

NOt to harp on your idea. But my girlfriends bottom of the line ibook. (next to last revision) cost $999, but your 500 dollar computer had a twice as big hard drive, same video card, same speed (even though its a g3?!?!) AND its smaller. I see apple doing something like this, but it has to cut alot of that stuff down. And that will never be 500 bucks.

 

[ftaok]

It is naive to think that it works this way.
I know people that don't use apple computers that bought the iPod because it was so nice... that will still never buy an apple computer.

And there are people that don't currently own a Mac and love their iPods that WILL buy a Mac. So what's your point?

 

[zelmo]

And there are people that don't currently own a Mac and love their iPods that WILL buy a Mac. So what's your point?

Well said. If Apple gets 5% of the iPod buying PC users to switch to Mac for their next computer, that still leaves 97% who won't.

Say, are there any numbers on what percentage of iPod owners are PC users??

 

[kenaustus]

An analysts at Smith Barney has estimated 22 million flash iPods would sell in the first 2 years - that's an indication that there is a huge market for an iPod that a lot of people can afford - and a LOT of people cannot afford a HD iPod. A flash iPod is not intended to take away form HD iPod sales - it is designed to open up the iPod line to people who have more limited funds and, I think, is a great idea. I think a flash iPod would also cause a major bump in Apple's stock - the market would be very happy.

As for R&D, Apple spends around half a billion dollars a year on R&D - putting them at 91 in the top 100 companies R&D spending. Not computer companies - all companies, including aerospace, autos, pharmaceuticals, etc. We're talking big dollars here and there will be a lot delivered for that money. Software? Tiger plus continual upgrading of Panther and all of the consumer & pro apps. The new iMac wasn't cheap to design & engineer, work on iPods isn't cheap and there is going to be some very heavy work by some very bright people on the Gx line. I would be at least 25¢ that Apple is working on prototypes of a G6 PM in their skunk works as we write. What we are seeing today isn't the end - it's the beginning.

An Apple phone? Apple isn't gong to build a phone. What may be in the works is Apple lending it's design talents for someone like Motorola to design, manufacturer and sell an iPhone. Expect that one to be GSM so it can be sold around the world - if it reaches the market.