Colour iPod (merged thread)

[Ceroc Addict]

So mark my words, if a color iPod is announced in the next two moths (I doubt it though), initial buyers will have to wait almost four months to receive one ordered just after announcement. Now, I am a firm believer that this will result into lost sales! Their is just to much competition now for some initial (first time digital audio device) consumer buyer.

Not entirely sure I agree with your conclusion.

Ok, Apple has supply problems relative to demand. However, quite a number of people seem perfectly happy to wait for their iPod (i.e. this demand hasn't suddenly vanished as people chose another player) because the iPod is perceived to be the best.

On the other hand, how long can Apple hope to maintain this status lead over the other players (a few of which are starting to come out with decent video capabilities)? My view is that if they don't move within the next year to add significant new capabilities to distinguish the iPod they'll start to lose major ground. That's what will result in lost sales long term.

I'm a die hard Apple user, but even I'm having trouble keeping my eye off the
latest Archos player.

Kap

 

[applewhore]

I'm a die hard Apple user, but even I'm having trouble keeping my eye off the latest Archos player.
Kap

Go for it! I'm afraid I don't agree...

 

[Ceroc Addict]

Why would Apple have two different kinds of iPod line (i.e. iPod vs iPod mini) long term?

Something which I haven't heard discussed anywhere, but which I think is perfectly clear. In the future, Apple intends to:

• Bump up the capacity of the iPod mini (6 to 10 Gb) and use it as it's digital audio player offering. It's smaller size and weight make it ideal for jogging and basically taking it with you anywhere.
  
• Add to the capabilities of the iPod and (I hope) use it as it's digital video player offering.

Kap

 

[Ceroc Addict]

Go for it! I'm afraid I don't agree...

I'm not saying that I don't want an iPod more (otherwise I would have just bought the Archos by now). I'm saying the digital video, etc lead the other players have will eventually make people jump ship (as their design improves as well) if Apple doesn't start keeping up.

Kap

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

I'm not saying that I don't want an iPod more (otherwise I would have just bought the Archos by now). I'm saying the digital video, etc lead the other players have will eventually make people jump ship (as their design improves as well) if Apple doesn't start keeping up.

Kap

I disagree. The iPod was most definitely not the first portable MP3 player on the market (it was a few years late), but it certainly rose to the head of the pack quickly.

*If* there is a video iPod, it won't matter whether Apple's first or last -- as long as it's the best, it'll rise to the top.

Plus, a video-enabled portable player won't be competing with the iPod. That's like saying that if I don't get to market with my new microwave first, then all the refrigerator users out there are going to jump ship.

A video iPod could still play music, no doubt, but for those that want simply music, the iPod will be there. For those that want video, the "vPod" will be there. Those are two different markets that just slightly overlap.

 

[Captain Code]

This has been talked about before here. But I will say what I think again, which is, who would want to watch video on a 2 inch screen.

 

[fryke]

Gotta agree with you here ElDiabloConCaca. I _really_ hope that

a) Apple _will_ do a vPod (or whatever it'd be called) and
b) Apple will do it _right_ from the beginning (the others quite obviously don't imho).

The history so far with portable digital media players is quite simple:

1.) Sony Discman
2.) Sony MiniDisc Players and Recorders
3.) Flash-based MP3 players
4.) iPod

iPod's success was _so_ overwhelming that the competition has yet to find away to start eating into iPod's market share. They're certainly trying everything they can (that's how evolution works...), but haven't yet managed. Somy copy, some invent. The 'pro' points which made iPod's success have not really changed since the introduction of the very first iPod. Actually, that 4G 40 GB iPod is _remarkably_ similar to that 2G 10 GB iPod I've given my girlfriend. There have only been small changes, really. The basic use is still the same, the look is practically the same and even the finger-moving is the same (ignoring the 3G iPods that put the buttons where they didn't belong...). It has more space, but that just went with other company's successes (i.e. Toshiba delivering the drives with more space).

Video _is_ the next step. Apple (and many on this forum) can say what they want, it's Apple's competitors and the buyers that will change the field. In fact, Apple's competitors _have to_ bet on video and colour screens, since it's basically the one currently feasible thing Apple _doesn't_ seem to do.

Apple doesn't have to kill the 'normal' iPod or the iPod mini. But in order to not get washed away in a wave of portable media centers (be it MS PMC or other - better - solutions), Apple has to face the competition. And in the best of all worlds, Apple will adhere to points a) and b) in above list.

(Yes, I'm a fan of lists, no need to point that out to me. They make such a post much easier to read, I think.)

 

[ApeintheShell]

The video iPod appears to be a combination of a tablet pc/pda on a small screen. I think if the movie industry turns to Apple that this device be designed to compete with the portable DVD players available from Airports and various electronic stores.

A colour iPod is similar to the colour Nokia phones that are available except with mass photo storing capabilities according to this rumor.

The Arcos player reminds me of the N-Gage. Too many buttons, lack of good games, and not pleasing to the eye.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

The video iPod shown here in this thread is an artist's rendition of what it may look like -- however; I think we can all safely bet that the UI will look nothing like what is shown. The iPod is not a computer -- it doesn't nor should it run OS X or any kind of operating system other than one that controls the functionality of the iPod.

 

[ScottW]

See... I wasn't yanking anyone's chain on these things... My sources were authentic on this matter. Hope to see it soon... I like the idea of being able to show pictures. Awesome!

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Hehe... you were right! Now let's focus our energy on finding out whether the color iPod will be a losing () video iPod, or, rather, will just have a color screen and include iPhoto/digital photo integration!

 

[Satcomer]

This has been talked about before here. But I will say what I think again, which is, who would want to watch video on a 2 inch screen.

Thank you for saying that. At least I know there are some others in the world thinks small video won't cut it. I just look at the file size of good picture quality (I say this because most people will not want their batteries to fail on an iPod after a two hour video) so a video out to TV should be a must. This in turns require good picture quality so a large video file is needed. Most iPod users I know use their iPod for music on the go and their hard drive (20G and up) are almost full just with music files. Now with iPod integration into cars, compressed musics files are cutting it in serious car audio enthusiasts. So audio files on their iPod (for the car) are huge! Video files would be even larger. So, I can't quite see video in the iPods near future. Color video screens maybe, but no video. The largest change might be pictures compressed easily uncompressed when transfered to a computer.

The big thing the ipod need is even longer batteries than the iPod has now. Back light video would kill the battery life the iPod has now. There is no getting around that.

 

[Convert]

My dad has some Archos video player thingy, and to see him and his friends crowd round it watching a movie, is hilarious.

To be honest, a small video player is fairly pointless.

 

[Macsith]

Yeah, when Im traveling i would hate to watch a video....I would rather stair out into space like im in a coma for hours on end.

 

[~~NeYo~~]

This has been talked about before here. But I will say what I think again, which is, who would want to watch video on a 2 inch screen.

On trips to the airport in the past i've watched movies on my SonyEricsson P900. It was actually really quite nice, widescreen too! It's never gonna be as big as listening to music portably, but after doing it one time, each coach trip thereafter, i've made sure i'd fill up my MS Duo with a movie or two... Great way to pass the time. Music does getting boring after so long...

 

[ScottW]

The (2) lines is very like Apple. Look at the iBooks and Powerbooks. The iMacs and PowerMacs. Two different lines for each.

Interestingly, reports of the new 60GB is to have the form factor of the iPod Mini, just slightly thicker. Although this may or may not be the case, it would really cause speculation on future enhancements of the iPod evolution.

With the migration to the click wheel in the "Pro" line of iPods, the top of the line iPod taking on the mini-ipod form factor, speculation would be that Apple either has no intention of limiting itself to two seperate lines or Apple is migrating to the smaller form factor for the entire product line.

 

[Macsith]

Lets face it, the iPod range cannot 'just' play music forever.

 

[Ceroc Addict]

The (2) lines is very like Apple. Look at the iBooks and Powerbooks. The iMacs and PowerMacs. Two different lines for each.

Good point.

However, I'd dispute it (although not very vigorously) with one observation - the two lines generally have very different price points and capabilities, to suit a particular market.

When the mini was first released almost everyone said (and some people still say it, although I'm not one of them), "Why wouldn't I just pay the extra $50 and get 11Gb more storage?" Once the mini gets a 2+Gb storage bump, the answer (in the long term) becomes "because you get more functionality with the iPod".

Kap

 

[theed]

Why does Apple have 2 lines? Because it can. Seriously. If you're selling a million of each you've already reached the benefit of mass production. If you can slightly vary your product to slightly expand your market with negligible increase in cost per unit, you do so. I think the two lines would allow Apple to try something insane with one line that might not be terribly popular without destroying the entire iPod line, so I agree that the two lines increases the chances of Apple playing with video out. I just don't agree about the cause and effect scenario mentioned.

Apple used to have many many lines of computers. It stopped that because the cost per machine was too high. Trimming the lines made things manageable and brought the cost to produce each machine way down. If iPod sales were lower they'd only have one line. They have two because they can.

 

[macgeek]

The idea of two iPod lines with different functionality seems like a little too much speculation. I would bet they liked the idea of making a smaller one because first of all, they could, and second, because they knew people would prefer to have the player be as small as possible. It seems more like they provided a couple options so they could capture more market.

Now, as for video... Everyone seems to agree that watching a movie on a 2" screen is ludicrous. No kidding. I would bet Apple is more likely to use it as portable storage for all your multimedia needs -- Movies On The Go, as it were. Couple that with audio playback and personal organization software, and you've got something worth carrying around. The problem is that they are competing with a growing cell phone market. And I hate to say it, but if I had the choice of carrying the same functionality around in one piece of gear rather than two, I'm going for the single piece of gear. So, my guess is they are trying to turn the iPod into a gi-normous storage unit for audio/photo/video portability and viewing. Soon enough, you'll be able to connect to some AV point of access and playback your files on a big screen or a big stereo. So, rather than lug your laptop around, you have it all in the palm of your hand. You have your cell phone to take pics/video, you sync that with your computer (and consequently with your iPod), and then you have an organized AV library. The value added is the organization done by the mac -> iPhoto Albums, playlists, etc, as well as the increased storage capacity. You always have the iPod Mini for personal audio.

Soon, we won't have to worry about all this anyway, because we'll all have an iPod that connects wirelessly to wi-fi networks and serves as our portal to the electronic world. We'll have personal servers and stream everything when we want to access it. Not only will every computer be connected, but every person. This is gonna rock!