Apple Releases New Touch Screen iPod

JSM writes to tell us that Apple released a new version of their popular iPod music player today that boasts, among other things, an iPhone-like touch screen and Wi-Fi capabilities. "The iPod Touch will feature the Safari Internet browser and, like the iPhone, play YouTube videos. Apple also announced a new version of its iTunes music store that will allow users to buy songs wirelessly. iTunes will also sell customizable 99-cent ringtones for the iPhone."

Take That

[psychicsword (1036852)]

Take that Zune!

Re:Take That

[AKAImBatman (238306)]

The Zune just squirted itself.

(Sorry, sorry)

Re:Take That

[caramelcarrot (778148)]

Yeah, it's notable that they've kept the "iPod Classic", as well as this new model, which seems to be aiming for a market between the iPod and WiFi tablets like the Nokia 770. Also the new iPod Nano looks a bit... retarded.

Re:Take That

[senatorpjt (709879)]

It could be because the maximum capacity of the touch iPod is 16GB.

Skype that!

[EccentricAnomaly (451326)]

I bet Apple plans on keeping VOIP on the IPodtouch as a threat to keep ATT in line on the iPhone.

One key feature missing...

[Junta (36770)]

A microphone. VOIP with WIFI is kinda useless without a mic...

Re:One key feature missing...

[jdray (645332)]

Right. I think the comment was meant to indicate the threat of Apple installing a microphone would keep AT&T in line. I think it's more a matter of just not wanting to piss off their new playground buddy. OTOH, it probably won't be long (next week, maybe) before some enterprising fourteen-year-old cracks the iPod Touch open, finds the chip connector for "mic" and solders one on. From there, a minor hack into the software to enable the non-existent microphone (you know the driver is there), and the Apple WiPhone (tm) will be born.

It looks like an iPhone.

[zeromorph (1009305)]

Great. - I've always said something like this: one day they'll build cell phones that can do nearly everything except making a phone call, and now they did it. I'm speechless.

Here's an idea!

[Rob T Firefly (844560)]

While they're at it, they should build mobile phone capabilities into the thing as well. Then they'd have something!

Re:Here's an idea!

[UbuntuDupe (970646)]

Yeah ... then that would be an iPod, a phone,

AND A PORTABLE INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE! OMG!!!!!!!1111 lim(x->0,sin(x)/x)

(Someone link the Maddox piece)

4GB iPhone on sale for $299

[elysian1 (533581)]

For those that are interested, the 4GB iPhone is on sale for $299 while supplies last: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A ppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=BC784DCD&nplm=MA501LL/A [apple.com] The price of the 8GB iPhone dropped as well to $399.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

[Enrique1218 (603187)]

I feel sorry for those early adopters who paid $499 or $599. I am going to go now, I have to break the news to one.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

[hackstraw (262471)]

Yeah, and after years, Cmdr Taco finally has to eat his words about the iPod being lame because it doesn't have wifi.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

[senatorpjt (709879)]

If you didn't think the phone was worth $600, why did you pay that much for it?

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

[Kelbear (870538)]

Parent has a good point. Good things happened to other people, bully for them. No reason I should be any less happy just because others are now better off. Unless they're better off because they're taking something from you that you didn't want to give, why not just be happy for them? There's plenty of things to be upset about, no need to add to the list.

so close.. needs more GB

[acomj (20611)]

For a device that seems to play video well (and made for it) 8/16 GB doesn't seem like enough. Especially since the "ipod classic" comes in 80/160GB flavors at the same price point( with a small not so good for video screen).

Otherwise it looks nice.

Re:so close.. needs more GB

[njfuzzy (734116)]

I have an iPhone, and this isn't as much of an issue as I thought it might be. At these resolutions, with Apple's codecs, you get a remarkable amount of video into 8 GB. I tend to have a few podcasts, and a couple of DVDs, and I still have a couple of gigs to spare. You can't carry your collection, but you can carry everything you might want to watch until you get back to your computer to re-synch.

Supply, demand, repeat

[dazedNconfuzed (154242)]

Yes, 16GB of flash memory isn't enough.

Yes, they could jam a hard drive in there.

BUT ... by creating a huge demand for flash (or other suitable) memory, there's more motivation to produce higher capacity & lower prices thereon.

Yes, you might not have the capacity you want now ... but this tact will get you something better sooner.

Wasn't long ago the idea of a flash-based iPod was seriously scoffed at on /. ... but by creating the demand, the supply has appeared.

The bigger story of the day..

[jcr (53032)]

iPhone 8GB price drop from $599 to $399.

At that pricing, they could sell 5M units by the end of the year. That's a very aggressive move for market share.

-jcr

Have they started with the subsidizing?

[hypermanng (155858)]

That truly is a steep drop in price. Have their supply and production costs dropped that much, or are they sacrificing margin in the expectation of recovering it in subscription fees? I tend to suspect the latter, which amounts to subsidized pricing.

Of course, it's also possible that they inflated the initial sale price a little to allow for the steep drop. This would seem like a good way to make a little extra money and reinforce the exclusivity of iPhone ownership, but dropping the price now has to piss off existing customers, who must feel like they've been had.

Re:Have they started with the subsidizing?

[jcr (53032)]

During the earnings call, Peter Oppenheimer said that Apple expected to have lower margins this quarter due to "product transitions". I suppose that's what he was referring to, knowing that Apple was planning to drop the price (and the margin) on the iPhone by a hefty amount.

-jcr

No, they are selling at max willingness to pay ...

[AHumbleOpinion (546848)]

That truly is a steep drop in price. Have their supply and production costs dropped that much, or are they sacrificing margin in the expectation of recovering it in subscription fees? I tend to suspect the latter, which amounts to subsidized pricing.

No, Apple is maximizing revenue. It is called walking down the price curve. Everyone has a different willingness to pay, some much higher than others. If you make a product available to everyone at a widely acceptable price you lose revenue from those who would have paid more. So you introduce a product at a high price point that only a few are willing to pay and slowly reduce the price over time. This way all sales are closer to what the various individuals were willing to pay. Note that there needs to be an absence of substitute products. Sometimes this strategy fits in well with initial production and supply problems. However in this case I expect it is mostly revenue maximization.

Re:Have they started with the subsidizing?

[Pope (17780)]

No, that's an estimate by a single group on the cost of the components. Manufacturing, etc. never entered into their stupid calculations.

Will it be able to run the same 3rd party apps....

[Joe The Dragon (967727)]

Will it be able to run the same 3rd party apps as the iphone?

Re:Will it be able to run the same 3rd party apps.

[Spud Stud (739387)]

Yes. This also comes with Safari.

meh.

[TMonks (866428)]

So its got wireless, but still less space than a nomad. lame.

Boned and cool

[SilentChris (452960)]

Phatpod iPod Nano - Like your sleek device for workouts? Too bad, go get a Shuffle - BONED
$.99 ringtone on top of $.99 to buy the song (certain songs only) - BONED
Starbucks "integration" - now my iPhone will spend a few extra seconds every time I hook up to a Wifi access point looking for coffee music - BONED
We managed to fit really nice HDs in iPods, but not the new Touch iPod - but you get a few millimeters back - BONED
$599 to $399 price drop in 2 months - EXTREMELY BONED

iTunes Store wireless - kind of cool. Wish they'd do the same thing with TV shows in music (that's what I'd be inclined to buy in an airport somewhere)

All in all, a particularly boneworthy afternoon.

current round-up

[chriss (26574)]

iPod shuttle
just new colors
1GB, $US79

iPod nano
all new with 320*240 2" screen, can play video, coverflow, brighter display
4GB $149, 8GB $US 199
slighly wider, but much shorter, 20% heavier than previous model

iPod classic
like the old iPod, now with 80GB/160GB instead of 30GB/80GB, coverflow
80GB $249, 160GB $US 349

iPod touch
like the iPhone without the phone
slightly smaller and slimmer: iPhone is 45% thicker
8mm thin
WiFi, Safari
8GB $US 299, 16GB $US 399

iPhone
killed the 4GB version
reduced 8GB version from $US599 to $US 399
11.6mm thin

Re:current round-up

[sootman (158191)]

Yes, that's right--a 33% price drop after just two and a half months. Existing iPhone customers can bring their phone to their local Apple retail store and get a white-on-black shirt that says 'Chump' or 'Sucker', your choice.

(I bought a 4 GB refurb model last week for $399. However, that does not qualify me for a shirt.)

Not impressed with the new Fat Nano

[bogie (31020)]

Way to ruin the Nano Apple. It was in no way a good idea to bloat the Nano so we could have video on it. Honestly, most of us simply don't want to watch video on a 2" screen. We wanted a cheaper Nano with more memory.

Nice job on the other ipods though. Hacked Ipodtouch + Skype = Goodness? Boy would that put a stick in Apple's craw.

Best comment heard so far regarding the Nano: "Does it do the truffle shuffle?"

Re:Not impressed with the new Fat Nano

[blantonl (784786)]

You give it to your wife.

Overall, not a bad event

[Clockwurk (577966)]

Apple released some nice products today, but had some disappointing moments as well. First, the new ipod classic looks nice and the bump to 160gb is nice. The other announcements were not as exciting. The new nano looks ugly and didn't get a storage bump. The ipod touch looks very nice, but they should have used the 160gb hdd from the classic instead of flash.

The iPhone news was the biggest let down. For all the talk of Apple "redefining" the cellphone industry, the event today showed that they have no intentions of being anything other than just another gouger. The write-up was wrong. Ringtones aren't $0.99, they are $0.99 for songs that you purchased already from itunes, so they are $1.98 and you can't use music that you got from other sources.

The other nice move was dropping the price on the iphone. I personally think this is a great move, even if it is a slap in the face to all the early adopters (henceforth referred to as "suckers"). It was also a nice fuck-in-the-ass to all the ebayers who are sitting on $200 losses now.

There you go

[Spy Hunter (317220)]

All those people (you know who you are) who kept saying "I'd buy an iPhone without the phone", you better step up.

Direct competitor to the nokia N800

[dgerman (78602)]

Now we have a direct competitor to the N800, and the "Touch" is actually cheaper (at least in Canada) than the N800.

I am not suggesting a "Touch" will have an open platform, ready for hacking. But for the regular folk, who just
want Wifi, and an agenda/calendar, the Touch will be enough. Wifi, in my opinion, is the killer app for those who
don't want a cell phone (yes, we exist) but want an agenda. Others will prefer to continue to use a phone as a phone
and get an ipod for its wifi. The greymarket of iphones being shipped overseas (even before the hacks) are evidence
that there is a market for this.

Also, I own a N800 and an Ipod video, and in my opinion the sound quality of the N800 is lower than the ipod. But that is just my opinion.

--dmg

Transition

[Belgand (14099)]

Apple really seems to be in a state of flux right now with their iPod/iPhone lines.

The release of the iPhone went well, but it's really pricey and historically first gen Apple products do little more than set the paradigm and show future promise. By the time we get second and third gen iPhones they'll probably be pretty amazing and a lot cheaper. Just comparing my second gen iPod to the advances made in say, the fourth generation (third introduced major changes, but fourth is where it stabilized design, went color, and started to move more heavily into video) are pretty staggering.

At the same time they're trying to reconcile the popularity of the iPhone with their ongoing iPod line and their iPod Nano line, but without dropping the core functionality of the iPod to such a degree that they lose business (i.e. by cutting the space to make room for the new features). As a result we have a mish-mash of product lines going on right now each of them with flaws.

If anyone out there is interested in purchasing a device now is probably the worst time. Give Apple a year or so and we'll start seeing further consolidation into a more stable product line that better integrates the features of each of their currently available products. Eventually I expect we'll be getting an 80 Gig iPhone with wi-fi and third-party apps, probably in only a year or two based on the way things have been moving so far.

When they stop making changes and start introducing only gradual improvements (like when the video iPod simply came out in a model with more storage) that's the time to go grab it. Based on their past performance though, I'd suggest waiting until then.

Re:Transition

[vistic (556838)]

If anyone out there is interested in purchasing a device now is probably the worst time. Give Apple a year or so and we'll start seeing further consolidation into a more stable product line

If I like the product they are offering now, then just how does the "stability" of Apple's product line even enter the picture? Will I buy an iPod, take it home, only to have it fluctuate into a different product I didn't want when I'm not looking? Sheesh.

I think claims of not buying the first generation are pretty valid, but saying "this product isn't very good right now, because of other products the company is also selling at the same time" is the lamest excuse for now being the "worst time to buy" I've ever heard.

This is exactly what I've been waiting for.

[jbarr (2233)]

Having been a VERY long-time PalmOS PDA user (since the USR Pilot 1000), the prospect of a decent Apple PDA-like device very much anticipated. Palm PDA's were revolutionary, but their technological drive forward has long been stalled. This "phoneless iPhone" could prove to be a HUGE seller. My main desire for this type of device is simply because it is NOT a phone. Historically, my company has provided a phone to their specifications, and I never had a choice in the matter, so I've had to take a pass on all of the latest and greatest "convergence" devices because of the integrated phones. Now that the phone has been removed, this looks like an EXCELLENT opportunity for a new, more modern replacement to my old PalmOS PDA's. My only question is will there be third-party apps to enhance it?

Re:This is exactly what I've been waiting for.

[venicebeach (702856)]

My only question is will there be third-party apps to enhance it?

iPhone hacking has come a long way. I am currently running several native apps on mine, including a terminal with ssh, AIM, voice recording, IRC (needs some work), text editor, preview app, some games, etc., all through a nice little package management utility (http://iphone.nullriver.com/beta/).

I image it won't be long before people get things like Mail.app, google maps, and the other iPhone apps working on the iPhone Touch. I don't know of any reason it can't do everything the iPhone does with the exception of making phone calls and EDGE.

What about the OS requirements?

[cellocgw (617879)]

Apple's web page says 10.4.8 for the iPodClassic and 10.4.10 for the iPodTouch. I'm still very happy w/ 10.3.9 on my old iMac G4 at home, and would rather not have to shell out $$ for 10.4.x .
Can anyone point me to some info as to what functionality I'll lose if I don't upgrade my OS (not to mention upgrading iTunes itself)?
Funny how WindowsXP+SP2 is sufficient for all the new iPods but on Apple's own OS I would have to buy an upgrade. Grrrr....

Let me get this straight

[Relic of the Future (118669)]

After they buy a 99 cent (or $1.39) song from iTunes, people accept that they should pay another 99 cents to be able to have that song play when someone calls them? Why do people keep putting up with this kind of crap?

Re:Let me get this straight

[zaren (204877)]

From that point of view, it sucks.

But, try it from this point of view:

Buy a ringtone from AT&T / Verizon / etc. for $2.50. You don't get to pick specifically what you want to use as the ringtone from that download, and in addition, you don't get to have the entire song that you want to make into that ringtone.

So, for $2, you get an entire song, and up to a 30 second ringtone custom configured so you can hear what you want to hear
Or, for $2.50, you get a ringtone of a pre-determined length, and only that ringtone, no entire song

Re:AAPL down 3.5%

[Mononoke (88668)]

Due to pre-anouncement speculation, Apple stock always rises, then fall immediately after the event. Jobs could announce a cure for cancer, and the stock would still fall.

Re:AAPL down 3.5%

[Mattintosh (758112)]

Just some (attempted) profit-taking. Everybody buys AAPL right before an announcement, then sells shortly afterward to get some fast cash. Only the ones that buy several days in advance make anything, but the effect is tried-and-true. It's been happening around every Apple product announcement for the last couple of decades, with varying share prices of course.

5.12% at the close.

[jcr (53032)]

Anytime Apple announces a new product and omits the anti-gravity feature, the stock takes a hit for the next day or so. That's when I add to my AAPL holdings.

-jcr

Re:Why not update the official ipod site?

[clem (5683)]

That's nothing. Look what they did to the regular iPod [cnn.net]. It's as big as Steve Jobs! How am I supposed to take that on the bus?

Re:Why not update the official ipod site?

[Alzheimers (467217)]

Actually, that's just a SteveJobsNano standing in front of it. He's only 15mm high, but has nearly the same RDF as the classic!

Re:argh

[jcr (53032)]

That would be rather more harsh than the traditional coal in the stocking, I'd have to say.

-jcr

Re:argh

[UnanimousCoward (9841)]

Actually, there are three. You can set up your own GMail POP client instead of using the built-in GMail one--I chose Door #3 so that I could use my permanent email address, not my gmail.com one.

Yes, there are shortcomings using either the Safari or POP version of GMail, but (and maybe I'm fanboi rationalizing), POP works for me for my mobile email needs...

One more thing. I think the iPod Touch is very cool, but I'm not complaining about shelling out more for the iPhone--email (yeah, yeah, they could put the email client on the Touch), camera, sms, and...phone make it worth the extra bucks...

Re:argh

[AvitarX (172628)]

like m.gmail.com ?

Re:All I want for Christmas, or any day before tha

[waynelorentz (662271)]

I want a replacement for the crappy itunes app which grabs all my stuff from all my nice, neat little folders and throws them willy nilly into a screen which is extremely hard to use for re-organising.

2001 called. It wants its whine back. And throw in a little cheese while you're at it.

In other words -- get over it already. You're not unique or interesting because you developed a filing system in your head that's less intuitive for 99.9% of the rest of the world.