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RUMOR: Apple to update iPod as early as mid-August

Thursday, July 26, 2007 · 3:16 pm · 33 Comments

“Apple’s full-size iPod is being primed for an update that could arrive as early as the first-half of August, sources report. The revision will feature neither a touch-screen nor will run a scaled down version of Mac OS X like the iPhone, however—those updates are not scheduled until 2008,” Think Secret reports.

“Apple engineers are said to have shaved the height of the iPod while maintaining the same 320×240 resolution display and click-wheel as the current 5.5G iPod. The saved space will shrink about an inch off the device,” Think Secret reports.

“Sources also report the new black iPod will be less glossy than previous models and feature a finish that better matches the black MacBook,” Think Secret reports.

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33 Comments

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Eric

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:20 pm · Reply

What? I don’t believe it. The hint yesterday was a shakeup in the product line.
Reclaimer

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:24 pm · Reply

Yep, it’s true! In the pipeline!

Get a good hard case and AppleCare, children.
DogGone

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:25 pm · Reply

I’ve gotta say it, I’m holding out for a high capacity iPod with similar features as the iPhone but without the phone. WiFi and browsing would be a great bonus but not a deal breaker.

I’m sure Apple would still sell a lot without going widescreen, but it makes no sense to me. A widescreen iPod would sell like hotcakes. Maybe that is Apple’s problem – not enough component capacity available.

MW “slowly”
Mark Holoubek

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:33 pm · Reply

I wouldn’t get that excited…ThinkSecret is notoriously unreliable (remember their virtual guarantee that we’d see iMacs at (or immediately after WWDC??). I’ll stick with Appleinsider!
artric

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:37 pm · Reply

DogGone:
+1 on all points !
justified

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:38 pm · Reply

ThinkSpeculation or AppleOutsider

Educated guesses and fantasy predictions. Same diff.
Tom

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:38 pm · Reply

A 5.75G iPod? That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I just don’t see how the next high-end (i.e., 6G) iPod can’t have most or all of the iPhone’s iPod controls:

Rumored 6G iPod interface.

Why the 6G iPod will share the iPhone interface.
Liar Clinton

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:40 pm · Reply

Eric doesn’t believe todays rumor because it contradicts yesterday’s rumor.
@ DogGone

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:40 pm · Reply

+2

I want an iPhone sans phone. Until I can get that, the iPod I have works just fine.
R2

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:43 pm · Reply

Man, that would suck if true.

It sounds plausible if Apple wants me to get an iPhone, however, because I’d have no choice.
RC

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:45 pm · Reply

It won’t be a touchscreen like the iPhone, nor will it have built in Wi-Fi either, but I’d be shocked if it doesn’t have a widescreen display like the iPhone does. I’d take what Think Secret has to say with a large grain of salt. They haven’t been terribly reliable ever since the Asteroid fiasco.
Peter

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:50 pm · Reply

“I’m holding out for a high capacity iPod with similar features as the iPhone but without the phone. WiFi and browsing would be a great bonus but not a deal breaker.”

I gotta admit, I like the idea.

Sell an iPhoneless WiFiless iPod 30GB for $249 and 80GB for $349. Sell an iPhoneless iPod 30GB for $399 and 80GB for $499.

The only question I would have would be battery life. The iPhone gives you 7 hours of video playback, but it’s playing off Flash RAM. The current iPod gives you 6.5 hours of video playback on a smaller screen, so I’m not sure it would work.
Grrrilla

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:51 pm · Reply

This sounds like it could be true. Regrettable, not because it lacks a touch-screen, but because the display didn’t grow. People don’t need/want touch screen on an iPod as much as they think they do. An awful lot of people leave it on shuffle and just use the forward button to skip tracks, without wanting to look to find it, or mess with the Hold button to activate the touch screen. The tactile control still makes more sense than touch screen in this device.

But for those who like videos on the iPod, they’d like the CoverFlow GUI for track selection. Again, they’d like the larger screen more than touch screen.
Abdullah

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:56 pm · Reply

I think Apple faces a real challenge maintaining its iPod domination, simply because the iPods’ biggest competitor is now their own cousin, the iPhone. Steve Jobs himself said the iPhone is the best iPod Apple has made.

The challenge: How do you differentiate the iPod enough from the iPhone to be able to offer the buyer something that is not inferior to the iPhone?

About the only thing that is superior about the presently-configured iPods – specifically the top-of-the-line video iPods – when compared to the iPhone is the huge difference in storage capacity.

They are also considerably cheaper than the iPhone – if you take into account the need to sign up for a contract with AT&T – but I doubt too many buyers will try to save a couple of hundred bucks and get a product that does not offer widescreen video and full-fledged web access.

On the other hand, if the next-gen iPods incorporate all the features of the iPhone without the phone part, then Apple would be hurting sales of the iPhone.

It will be really interesting to see how Apple will handle the iPod line from here on in, especially because it is also a product that may just have passed its peak of popularity if we take the law of averages into account.

These concerns, however, may not affect the lower-priced iPods – the Nano and shuffle – where the price differential vs. the iPhone may by itself be enough to retain their market.
Glaken

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:58 pm · Reply

Man this SUCKS!!!! I SO want the full screen iPod. I’m not ever getting an iPhone (AT&T service SUCKS in this area) and I’d much rather have a hard drive based phoneless iPhone than the iPhone it’s self. Apple REALLY should put that out soon to capitalize on those that want all the iPhone functionality but won’t go to AT&T.
justsayin'

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 3:59 pm · Reply

well that sucks. I would rather have the iphone functionality without the phone for the Video iPod.

this version ThinkSecret is talking about could be iPod Nano version.
Terrorist Bush

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 4:00 pm · Reply

But isn’t that the way to dodge accountability? Contradiction after contradiction?
solid

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 4:09 pm · Reply

@DogGone says: “I want an iPhone sans phone. Until I can get that, the iPod I have works just fine.”
======================================
Exactly. I ain’t never goin’ AT&T, and I ain’t never goin’ with a device that holds a measly 8 GB. If Apple doesn’t come out with the phone-less iPhone (iPod Extreme?), then I will sit tight with my 60 GB iPod.

I’m a patient man (after all, I used a Mac Performa for 5 years!), but if Apple entices me with a widescreen, touchscreen iPod with wifi, I can be persuaded to part with the money.
Brau

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 4:23 pm · Reply

*IF* this rumour is true, then Apple’s domination with the iPod would be at a definite end. I can’t believe that Mr Jobs would allow such a small screen size on any new iPod because the press reviewers would crucify it as yesterday’s technology. Better hopeful explanation: The Nano line-up gets better with a bigger screen and the full sized iPod becomes iPhone sized. Anything less would be a severe letdown.
ken1w

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 4:25 pm · Reply

Sounds like one of those “fake” rumors Apple intentionally leaks. Making the iPod one inch shorter would make it almost square. I don’t think it would look very attractive. If Apple wants to improve the current full-size iPod without “going iPhone” on it, it should try to make it even thinner and lower the price another notch.

I can understand Apple not wanting to release an iPhone-like iPod at this time. iPhone should remain “the best iPod” for at least one holiday season.