“Apple Computer is preparing to unveil the 4th-generation of its flagship iPod music player, reliable sources told AppleInsider last week. Excluding the introduction of the iPod-mini in January, over half a year has passed since the company last update the iPod product-line on September 8th,” Kasper Jade reports for AppleInsider.com.
“While sources could not pin-point a specific day or month of introduction, they said the soon to be released player would boast a 50GB hard disk capable of holding 12,500 songs and carry an approximate cost of $499,” Jade reports. “Unlike the recent capacity-centric revisions to the iPod line, the 4th-generation iPod will host a number of architectural advancements and new features. Most apparent, sources say, is the presence of a 2-inch color screen for displaying photos stored on the pod, from the palm of your hand.”
Full article here.
I’ve heard that a 4g iPod may be ready to launch in conjunction with the 1 year anniversary of iTMS…
I heard this rumour was started by a rival MP3 player manufacturer to try and slow sales of the iPod.
Where there is smoke there is usually fire, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if some of these specs are slightly exaggerated. Either way, when they come it will only cement Apple’s market leading position. Dell and the other rivals haven’t even come close to matching the 3G or mini models yet, muchless what a 4G will bring.
A color screen? I wonder how much that’s going to affect the battery life?
“Well, it certainly ties in nicely with the recent “Moving pictures. Moving sound. Moving the industry,” invitation Apple released for the special event on April 18.” – pscates from AppleInsider board
I don’t know about this invitation, but if there is one, it may be to launch the new iPods. Also, IIRC, Apple will have the next gen iPod while HP will get the current gen iPod. So, it is not too hard to believe that this is true. As always, a grain to a tablespoonful of salt is needed to digest a rumor. Besides, I think (IANAL) it is illegal to start a false rumor to ruin your competitor. SEC or whoever is in charge may not be pleased about that.
Nobody: it may be illegal for competitors, but what about your run-of-the-mill mac hater? It’s not exactly slander.
I wonder what the video out is for? They couldn’t fit an mpeg decode in there, could they? Probably just for the photos, and maybe that funky screen saver from iTunes that goes along with the beat.
i dunno about a rival mp3 player starting the rumor. Wouldn’t the rumor slow the sales of all mp3 players and not just the ipod?
Keep in mind the biggest battery drain on the current iPods is the backlight. They would have to completely redo the display. I’m not saying it isn’t possible, but it may be more likely for them to release an entirely new product to cover visual things.
I would think something more Earth-shattering would be to slowly fade out the older larger iPods and upgrade the mini line; doing this all in conjunction with a more global iTMS.
Images are not a passive entertainment. Steve has already nixed the idea of portable video, and you certainly do not need a color display for music other than displaying album art.
Now, if you place the sensor of the iSight into the mini iPod and make it a camera, you might have something that people would WANT to travel with.
Glick7 awaits patiently… praying that the darn thing has an integral microphone and voice recording capability…. That’s an INTEGRAL microphone and voice recording capability.
Business would scoop ’em up by the boatload if ONLY the iPod had this simple ability. It would drive sales into outer space.
Please, Apple….
Seems like a 2 inch organic LED display would be perfect for the next gen. iPod, it uses little energy and has good contrast, Cambridge <http://www.cdtltd.co.uk/ > a British company is manufacturing them and I think the 2 inch organic LED display was used in a digital camera last year. Seems like I read that OLED don’t need backlights, further reducing the weight of a device.
DonR writes:
Where there is smoke there is usually fire…
You’ve obviously never been to the great smoking hills of Metuchen. All smoke, no fire.
Glick 7, Sony makes mini recorders for about $50. Buy one, save some money and quit posting that same post here over and over.
Al: A good internal mic would be awesome. I’ve looked at lots of voice recorders … have really, badly wanted one for years … and they are all worthless JUNK (judging from reviews and user comments). Which is why I still don’t have one. The world needs a reliable, digital, Mac and PC compatible, USB+FW connected voice recorder. I don’t know if Apple has this on their agenda, but I think Glick7 is right, an iPod so equipped would be even more attractive than it is. Especially if they also come down on the price, and/or add new features.
Glick 7: “[…] praying that the darn thing has an integral microphone and voice recording capability […] Business would scoop ’em up by the boatload if ONLY the iPod had this simple ability.”
AI: “Sony makes mini recorders for about $50.”
Thank you. Keep in mind, these are businesses that buy Intel machines because “they’re cheaper.” You really think businesses will buy $299 mini recorders when they can buy $50 mini recorders? I don’t think so.
Don’t get me wrong–I’d like to see it, too. But I don’t think that what’s holding back iPod sales (sarcasm) is it’s lack of a built-in microphone.
Me: If you need one so bad, why don’t you have one? If you don’t need it bad enough to settle for what is available, then you don’t need one at all.
What Glick 7 is really saying is that he won’t buy an iPod until he can write it off as a business expense. No big business would scoop ’em up for their employees, but business owners would buy them for their daughters and claim them as a legitimate business expense.
The beauty of the ipod is its simplicity. When you try to do too much its ussually when products start to falter or plateau. I am not saying an internal microphone would not be nice, because it would. But basically how bout an internal camera next. And how bout it just becomes a newton and does everything. I mean – the ipod is a mp3 player. I think it should stay that way. And I would appreciate it also if glick would stop posting that every time it comes up. We get it – you want to hear youself on your ipod.
My prediction: The iPod mini is the new iPod. The big iPod will get bigger as Apple adds functionality. Eventually it will be considered an entertainment-focused PDA. The iPod mini will get smaller (physically) and stay focused on playing music.
I’m much less interested in pictures on an iPod than I am with it rounding out it’s audio capabilities.
It would seem a natural to build in a good internal mic and I really want it to incorporate AM/FM radio (& TV/weather if it’ll fit). We’ve seen it on other units so it doesn’t seem to add much overhead in size or weight and before I spend several hundred dollors to add something to my belt, I want it to take something off of my belt:)
I think the airline rules are rather silly regarding electronics. Still, when I fly with my iPod I am compliant because I’m neither trying to pick up a signal (am/fm radio) or sending a signal (fm transmitter). You start adding features and the flight crew may tell you to turn it off.
I have the add-on voice recorder for the 3g iPod. I used it at a public zoning hearing – worked great! I fits nicely in my brief case when not in use.
I deducted my iPod because I use the contacts & calendar features, voice recording and as a back-up device – all for my business.
The iPod brand enjoys a mind-share only equalled by Sony’s Walkman! The 4G model sounds (no pun intended) a natural evolution of the species.
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http://homepage.mac.com/johnhood
Slow rumour month over at the rumour sites, so guess what they do? Yes, you got it – role out the video iPod rumour.
It wont happen.
This is NOT a video iPod rumor. It is a photo iPod rumor. We already have a calendar iPod, so… maybe so.
Three things I for one do QUITE often:
1. Show friends photos on my business-card-sized camera’s tiny 1.5″ screen
2. Show friends photo slideshows on TV from my camera’s video jack
3. Wish I had photos on my camera to show, but my camera’s empty
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So yes, I would use a photo iPod if this turned out to be true. Time will tell.
I liked the idea of Aryugaetu of having the album art displayed when a song is playing. This would be a good reason to have a color display.
Also digital Cameras is a booming business, you can download your pics now to an ipod. Think of the possibilities if they expand this ability and let you view, review, and sort them on the fly.