Think Secret is reporting that Apple’s redesigned iPods are set to be launched around the end of April. The iPod2 will come complete with dock and 15 and 30GB hard drives. Below the display, the new iPod2 has four new round buttons. Think Secret has an artist’s impression of the what the new units may look like.
The 5 and 20GB models are rumored to be discontinued and the new iPod2 release date will reportedly coincide with the launch of Apple’s new online music service.
According to Think Secret, iPod2s will ship with a Dock for FireWire docking and recharging as with a PDA. USB 2.0 will supposedly also be on-board all iPod2s, for Windows users, we surmise. Units are rumored to be in production and due to be announced around the last week of April.
10GB iPod2 SRP is rumored to be US$299, the 15GB iPod2 will be US$399, and the 30GB iPod2 will be $499. Think Secret article here.
No 40GB? Oh well, I’ll settle for a new 30GB. I’ve been waiting long enough with my original 5GB still going…
A less expensive, 5GB model would’ve been nicer, I think.
I too was hoping for a 40 gig model. The 30 gig will have to do but I sure hope they have the AAC/MPEG4 included (along with an update to iTunes for AAC encoding) which will make that 50% jump from 20 to 30 gigs seem more like 100% or more (higher quality in less space).
If Think Secret’s sketch is correct, then this is more like iPod 1.1, not 2.0. Moving the buttons from around the track wheel is a major mistake, as is not having a bigger screen (for video and image support). Looks like Apple has dropped the ball in a major way…something that was first hinted at when they added PDA features instead of taking the sound features to the next level.
USB 2.0 support is bull. How will the iPod charge itself? USB doesn’t carry enough power to charge the unit like Firewire does. That in itself is enough to debunk the entire article.
A 5GB model is still attractive to those that just put music on their iPods. However, cost to manufacture is probably the same across the board for all models, save for the cost of the HD. So the 5GB would have a (slightly?) lower profit margin compared to the 15GB and 30GB models.
I have a 20GB and just got it to half full of music. The other files are mostly school work. It is really great to walk into a lab and plug my iPod in to a machine, instead of carrying my PowerBook and all it’s parts to do class work.
In reply to the message above, complaining about how “Apple has dropped the ball in a major way.” If you don’t know how to take rumor sites with a grain of salt, get off the internet. Don’t complain about Apple’s mistakes based on ThinkSecret’s reports. If Apple ships something and you have problems, complain then.
why have a dock for firewire when there is a firewire lead? this doesn’t make sense. sounds like a bogus rumour
Hopefully ThinkSecret is wrong, judgeg by the sketch, the new iPod will be a huge step backward compared to the “old” iPod. The four buttons in a row above the scroll wheel is something you expect find from clumsy iPod-wannabes from competing manufacturers…
check out the LA Times, Apple is in talks to buy Universal Music…