Apple today announced a new 8GB model of the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition in response to outstanding customer demand. The new 8GB iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition holds up to 2,000 songs and is available for $249, joining the 4GB model priced at $199. Both models come in a beautiful red aluminum enclosure and feature 24 hours of battery life, Apple’s innovative Click Wheel and an incredibly thin and light design. Apple will contribute $10 from the sale of each iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.
“Customer response to the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition has been off the charts,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing, in the press release. “We’re thrilled to add a second model with 8GB of capacity, enough for 2,000 songs, so customers have yet another choice in supporting this important cause.”
MacDailyNews Note: Yes, Apple execs are universally “thrilled” and, these days, they have every right to be.
(RED) was created by U2 lead singer Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage business in the fight against AIDS in Africa by getting the world’s most iconic companies to make uniquely branded products. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was established in 2002, with the support of the world’s leaders and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world’s most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need by supporting locally-driven strategies. To date, the Global Fund has committed $5.2 billion (US) to more than 363 programs in 131 countries. For more information about (RED) please visit http://www.joinred.com
The new 8GB iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED will be available through the Apple Store beginning today and in Apple’s retail stores this weekend. All iPod nano models include redesigned earbud headphones providing superior comfort, fit and sound quality, and a USB 2.0 cable. The second generation iPod nano features up to 24 hours of battery life and completely skip-free playback.
More info: new 8GB Model of iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition.
I was just wandering about the name…. what’s with the (product) red? All the other products are (red).
I personally think they are by far the nicest colour of the new Nanos. There’s just something really eye-catching about that red, and the gentle luminosity of the aluminum. Man, I love gentle luminosity. Especially when it’s red. Ok. Time for my morning coffee now.
Do we think the demand for a red 8GB was because of the colour, the fact money went to charity, or both? I can imagine that people like the idea of money going to charity but I can’t see them buying a red iPod just for that, they’ve got to like the product enough otherwise they’d just donate some money. In that case, has there not been a demand for the other colours? I don’t see Red, even with the charity element being that much more popular.
Red is definately cool! Bought a silver for my wife, two weeks before the red came out. She’d love a red one, but I can’t run around with “I love you, Joe” on the back of a silver nano, can I?
Sweet! Good publicity and it looks nice.
Yes, this is cool. And I’m sure the other sizes are to follow. But I still think they would sell a boatload, literally, of Product RED iMacs.
And Joe, just have “From (wifes name)” inscribed after “I love you , Joe”
Or take a pocketknife to it…
There was an analyst who said that the 8GB black wasn’t selling that well. May or may not be true; Amazon doesn’t really support that.
So if red is driving lots of purchases (color or charity), then getting people to move up to the 8GB one (which I think has a few extra dollars of profit when compared to the 4GB) is smart for Apple.
What? No brown?
4Gb @ $199 with a $10 donation = 5%
8Gb @ $249 with a $10 donation = 4%
I heard $10 of every brown Zune will go to the
SF diarrhea fund?
Who wouldn’t want to drive a red convertible sports car? Like a Porsche or Ferrari? This is the red Porsche of MP3 players – only cheaper. And it helps fight AIDS. What’s not to like? I think I’ll buy one for each person in California.
Steve
Yuck. Awfull colour.
That’s perfect….I was about to buy my wife a 4gig red, but wasn’t sure if it was enough space. The 8gig is perfect so there is no longer any decision – just have to find out when they are available in the nearest Apple store….
A darkish bright green – a bit darker than Lincoln green – would be the ideal colour for me.
First this isnt a [red] Porsche, it’s a Ferrari, in blood-red, as they should be. Porsche’s as other German-mfrd cars like BMWs and MBs look best in Teutonic silver.
Second, this isn’t a 4 or 5% donation. Don’t use the “top-line”, sales to do the math, use the bottom-line, profit, to do the calculation.
You have to look at Apple’s profit. Last quarter Apple made a profit of about 10% on sales. If one were to apply that percentage to the iPod, one gets:
$200 x 10% = $20 net profit
$250 x 10% = $25 net profit
If Apple is giving $10 then they’re giving about 40 to 50% of their net profit to charity, which is much more than companies traditionally give to charity, usually in the low single digits.
Having said that, Apple likely does not make $20 to $25 net profit on the nanos. Their gross margins, about 20% are smaller than their other products like Macs and software, about 30%. And, Apple spends much more on marketing iPods, which eats into that gross margin.
The bottom line is I would feel comfortable saying that the [Red] iPods make more for charity than they do for Apple, which says quite alot.
golf clap deedubya
For any of you losers like Po that think Apple isn’t donating enough from each sale, nothing is stopping you from donating your own fair share. Put your money where your mouth is before you come on here bitching at Apple for not doing enough. The fact that they are participating at all in this cause should be good enough for you. For anyone that wants to gripe, post copies of the receipts for the personal donations that you have made yourself first.
Like Wondering Joe – I’d like an answer to this also (did Apple infringe on a copyright or trademark? It’s conspicuous in it’s strangeness. If it’s cutsey marketing – nobody gets it.
I was just wandering about the name…. what’s with the (product) red? All the other products are (red).
If you will allow me pull off my blue collar wife-beater and slip into my analrapist thong for a moment, many have said that Bill Gates would be more sincere if he gave money to charities anonymously. Then many turn around and gripe that Steve Jobs is not as charitable. hmmm.
Maybe Steve is a good enough person that not only does he give, but he doesn’t wear it on his sleeve like a sewed-on halo.
Or not.
Wow, these things bind up easy, don’t they Frank?
I love the red, but I miss white and am sick of aluminum, especially silver. The white nanos were elegant. Aluminum looks cheap.
Hi All,
I agree with TowerTone. If Apple could find a stylish way to sell a (Product) Red iMac it would fly off the shelves. By stylish I mean, you might not want to see the whole dang thing in red, but maybe a red halo stripe or ribbon or something. Heck, all red would work too, it’s such a discreet design to begin with.
I agree, the red color is by far the nicest and it definitely is cool to be contribing to charity and the symbolic movement to help in Africa.
This is a vibe and a culture you could never imagin seeing from Redmond, no pun intended.
Go Apple!
Man… just bought the 4 Gig model of this… Why didn’t they release in 4 gig and 8 gig at the launch of the Red Nano? The red color they used is the hotness! Bummer, I’d rather of had the 8 gig model.
Towertone – I agree…
While I will say that BG is charitable with his giving – I find it peculiar that people don’t donate anonymously.
Whether anon or not – the $$ get to where they are supposed too (most of the time) – I thinks its a little tacky – definitely unsincere.
um… sorry RC. Have another read of my original post.
Did I say Apple wasn’t doing enough? Was I bitching?
I don’t think I put a negative spin on anything. I was just stating the percentages. Somehow, you saw the plain and simple facts as negative.
Interesting.
(BTW – this post isn’t negative either)