Touch Screen iPod Nanos?

[MacRumors]

Businessweek's Cliff Edwards speculates that Apple may introduce a touch-screen iPod nano in time for the holidays. He bases this prediction on analyst expectations and other recent whispers, but also reports that he saw a similar device in the wild:

Out in the wild the other day in San Francisco, I saw a guy whip out and change his music on a black touch-screen device that looked suspiciously like an iPhone, only smaller. Apple often has key employees test new devices for bugs before rolling them out, so it’s not out of the question.

Apple is widely expected to revamp their iPod line in the coming months with talk of a taller version.


Article Link

 

[Apple Ink]

Fake..... and as for the device... (if what Ed says is true) might probably be the iPhone nano!

But I refuse to believe that Apple's replacing the click wheel with a touchscreen any time soon!
Also, this supposedly will destroy the essence of the word "nano" for iPod!

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Very speculatative article with pretty much not a single fact (I'm still trying to find one).

Yes we know that touch screen is the new big thing and it won't only be limited to iPhone/iPod Touch. We also know that iPod Nano tends to get everything the best iPod does one generation later, so that would indicate that touch will be coming.

Other than that, who knows? And music subscription? Please... when are people going to stick that one to rest....

 

[nagromme]

I can believe it.

I fully expect there to never be another iPod Classic. Makes more sense just to add thicker, HD-based Touch models. And I can see SOME chance of touch-based nanos coming too--and the clickwheel vanishing forever. It's iconic, but something better has come along (and thanks to the iPhone, pretty iconic in its own right).

My guess about a touch-based Nano:

* Just SLIGHTLY smaller screen (maybe 5% smaller, same res) so that typing etc. is still possible. (I'd expect the touch nanos to run the SAME software as Apple's other touch devices.)

* But almost no margin around the screen.

* No giant empty space at top and bottom of screen. Home button could even be a long thin bar built into the margin instead of a large circle.

* Face dimensions would then be a lot smaller than an iPod Touch--and somewhat bigger than the current nano, but not THAT much. And with good reason to accept the increase.

* Could still be thin like the current nano, or a bit thicker for battery life, but still thinner than a full Touch.

* The tiniest end of the lineup would not be lost: that's the Shuffle anyway.

* This sounds likely to be the REAL truth behind the iPhone Nano rumors. Not a phone at all.

Alternative possibility: same screen as the Touch but with less surrounding margin. The nano, touch and classic merge into ONE new product (probably called touch). Super-thin flash models and thicker HD models.

 

[pmppk]

Must've been a samsung instinct.

 

[wizard]

Guys use your imagination and read the patent sights!!

I'm not sure why people have such a hard time imagining a small touch sceen iPod in a Nano form factor. Given the right aspect ratio it would allow Apple to deliver a larger screen on a physically smaller device. Think the old Nano dimensions.

Apple already has patents in place to cover the interface. That interface could still have a click wheel just in a virtual sense. Or something else altogether it just won't have all of the current Touches features simply due to size. I can easily see a device with one third the area of the current iPhone's screen.

Dave

 

[t0mat0]

Does the iPhone have a click wheel to do it's iPod function?

Exactly.

Image from
http://applecia.com/wp-content/uploads/ipod-evolution.jpg

 

[carlitofox]

does anybody remember a few months ago apple had a paitent that had the touch surface on the back of the device !!!!

I think the nano will go one of two ways

Just a storage boost and maybe Bluetooth this time round

Or

Same size but all screen with a touch surface on the back

 

[illitrate23]

hahahah - those iPhone Nano and iPhone Shuffle mock-ups are cool

but why would the shuffle have the email icon on it? how would you be able to make any use of it?

 

[johnnyjibbs]

And I can see SOME chance of touch-based nanos coming too--and the clickwheel vanishing forever. It's iconic, but something better has come along (and thanks to the iPhone, pretty iconic in its own right).

What's funny is that the click wheel was invented to solve the problem of having to keep moving your thumb again and again (like using a mouse to scroll a very large area so that it always moves to the edge of the desk and has to be replaced). It was an elegant solution, since moving your thumb around in a circle is infinite.

Now touch has come along, which has better potential, but with the iPhone we're back to the bloody linear scrolling model and so large lists - particularly non-alphabetised ones - become very laborious to navigate...

Besides needing the obvious iPod search on iPhone (I know I've said that 1000 times), why can't they add a virtual scrollwheel option?

Does the iPhone have a click wheel to do it's iPod function?

Exactly.

Which is exactly why iPod song navigation has stepped backwards with iPhone.

 

[freddiecable]

think it is quite viable! why stick to the click wheel for its own sake? with touch - you get more screen value...

I am aware of the advantages of click wheel though...

 

[thecrackerjack]

I have had a iPod Touch now for a couple of months and I have to say aside from using it on the web I find the touch screen to be frustrating compared to my iPod Video.

For example, pausing a music track. You have to look at it. With the click wheel you didn't even have to take it out of your pocket.

I think turning a small music player that could stay comfortably on your hip or in your pocket into a device that you have to take out and look at every time you want to press a button would be... well ... simply stupid.

I'll buy another iPod Video again before I buy another touch screen device.

 

[freddiecable]

I agree with you on that one. If you "only" want a music player touch wheel is quite good as it is.

For example, pausing a music track. You have to look at it. With the click wheel you didn't even have to take it out of your pocket.
.

 

[0098386]

I have had a iPod Touch now for a couple of months and I have to say aside from using it on the web I find the touch screen to be frustrating compared to my iPod Video.

For example, pausing a music track. You have to look at it. With the click wheel you didn't even have to take it out of your pocket.

I think turning a small music player that could stay comfortably on your hip or in your pocket into a device that you have to take out and look at every time you want to press a button would be... well ... simply stupid.

I'll buy another iPod Video again before I buy another touch screen device.

I know what you mean. At first I was over the moon with the iPhone/iPod Touch interface, and everything worked perfect on it -- except music control.
Also not happy having to bring the iPod out of my pocket to just change track, volume etc. With the clickwheel I can operate it through clothing, or if need be, use the remote.
But for everything else (internet, video, email) it's fantastic.

My next iPod will likely be a Classic with the biggest drive and an iPhone for video playback.

does anybody remember a few months ago apple had a paitent that had the touch surface on the back of the device !!!!

I think the nano will go one of two ways

Just a storage boost and maybe Bluetooth this time round

Or

Same size but all screen with a touch surface on the back

Why Bluetooth? I can't imagine the iPod Nano getting Wifi, let alone Bluetooth. Apple aren't going to rush all their music products into iPhone style mini computers. They've already shown an interest in keeping the iPod as a fully dedicated music/video player with the Classic.

 

[Apple Ink]

I have had a iPod Touch now for a couple of months and I have to say aside from using it on the web I find the touch screen to be frustrating compared to my iPod Video.

For example, pausing a music track. You have to look at it. With the click wheel you didn't even have to take it out of your pocket.

I think turning a small music player that could stay comfortably on your hip or in your pocket into a device that you have to take out and look at every time you want to press a button would be... well ... simply stupid.

I'll buy another iPod Video again before I buy another touch screen device.

I think I agree! (Probably thats the reason I didnt get one). And for that...... I dont see why Apple'll set out to cannibalize its own iPhone or nano sale.

P.S.: I see the iPod Touch's market share decreasing like hell because the iPhone is simply better, has the buttons and...... its the same price!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

All they need is a physical pause/play button that you can feel.

...

Of what about if the entire touch screen becomes a play/pause button when it detects that you've put the iPod in your pocket? Actually... I like that idea...

Ok! New idea I just came up with (although it's highly likely someone else already put it somewhere else and I never read.)

Blind Touch Controls:
Purpose: To be able to control your music without pulling out your touch screen device.

Play/Pause: Single Tap

Volume Up: Reverse Pinch/Spread

Volume Down: Pinch

Next Track: Double Tap

Previous Track: Two Finger Tap?

Blind Touch Controls could probably automatically come on when the ambeint light detector notices it's dark... or maybe instead there should be a button you should press just before putting it in your pocket to put it in that mode. To exit BTC you just press the home button I guess.

 

[0098386]

P.S.: I see the iPod Touch's market share decreasing like hell because the iPhone is simply better, has the buttons and...... its the same price!

No it isn't.

The 8gb iPhone will end up costing £640 on the cheapest tariff.
The 16gb will end up costing £789 on the cheapest non-gimped tariff.
The 16/32gb iPod Touch is £242/295.

Even the PAYG iPhone on o2 requires you put at least £10 on it per month (which kinda breaks the point of a PAYG phone IMO).
The iPod Touch can be sold side by side with the iPhone since once you buy the product you need not spend another penny for it.

 

[Orng]

I'm not an analyst and I hate to speculate on things I know nothing about, but I sort of expect that the portable music player platform and the handheld computing platform will remain separate, maybe even differentiated further.

 

[Apple Ink]

No it isn't.

The 8gb iPhone will end up costing £640 on the cheapest tariff.
The 16gb will end up costing £789 on the cheapest non-gimped tariff.
The 16/32gb iPod Touch is £242/295.

Even the PAYG iPhone on o2 requires you put at least £10 on it per month (which kinda breaks the point of a PAYG phone IMO).
The iPod Touch can be sold side by side with the iPhone since once you buy the product you need not spend another penny for it.

Sorry very inconsiderate of me to just look at US
And you are very correct in your hypothesis......

But in the end, both Apple and it's customers (us) know that the iPod T was just rip off the iPhone launched to serve both needs: calm the non-iPhone countries/keep carriers happy (for trying to reduce unlocking) and increase total iPod sales.

But now..... its quite clear that unless SJ deals something extraordinary to it (which Im sure he will).... the iPod T is eventually going to sink!

 

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5B108 Safari/525.20)

I can see this happening and possibly even be called the iPod Touch Nano or may even just be a Nano. We will have to wait and see. Doesn't Apple traditionally have an iPod event in September?

 

[Apple Ink]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5B108 Safari/525.20)

I can see this happening and possibly even be called the iPod Touch Nano or may even just be a Nano. We will have to wait and see. Doesn't Apple traditionally have an iPod event in September?

Yes... its generally been September - October!

And I think we'll all agree that Apple prefers a 'nuclear family' rather than a joint one!

 

[Yvan256]

It's even more simple than that, really

If the iPod nano gets the same features as the iPod touch (minus perhaps Safari, Mail, Google Maps) then it can run iPhone/iPod touch apps too.

Apple gets a 30% cut from the sales of those apps. And if their near low-end iPod model can also run the mobile apps then it means more money.

It's as simple as that, IMHO.

The iPod touch gets a capacity bump (32/64GiB), and the iPod nano gets the 4/8GiB or 8/16GiB capacities.

In the meantime, there's still no Mac mini updates or Mac nano replacement.

 

[Yvan256]

I'm not an analyst and I hate to speculate on things I know nothing about, but I sort of expect that the portable music player platform and the handheld computing platform will remain separate, maybe even differentiated further.

The merging of the iPod with a phone would seem to prove the contrary. People don't like to carry multiple devices.

Also, Apple is going forward with the iPhone/iPod touch as a mobile computing platform, which is obvious when you look at the SDK/App store.

 

[Apple Ink]

If the iPod nano gets the same features as the iPod touch (minus perhaps Safari, Mail, Google Maps) then it can run iPhone/iPod touch apps too.

Apple gets a 30% cut from the sales of those apps. And if their near low-end iPod model can also run the mobile apps then it means more money.

It's as simple as that, IMHO.

The iPod touch gets a capacity bump (32/64GiB), and the iPod nano gets the 4/8GiB or 8/16GiB capacities.

In the meantime, there's still no Mac mini updates or Mac nano replacement.

Not unless SJ's wife buys him a new tilted dictionary which tells him "nano: LARGE" and he decides to put up a 3.5" screen on a NANO product!

 

[FuuFuu]

my god did anyone see the post on 9to5mac? they display an iphone nano and a iphone shuffle. its ridiculous in a negative way. who is going to be able to text message through that? let alone any type of we browsing or email.