Independent sources in contact with MacDailyNews agree on the specs and prices of the new 4G Apple iPod line supposedly to be formally announced on Monday and they continue to stress (emphatically) that there will be a 60GB model. MacDailyNews cannot confirm the veracity of these multiple sources, but the fact that they agree on the hard drive sizes allows us to report the following three configurations:
Apple 4G iPod 20 GB – 5,000 Songs:
– Apple Earphones
– AC Adapter
– FireWire cable
– PC FireWire adapter
Retail price: US$299.00
Apple 4G iPod 40 GB – 10,000 Songs:
– Apple Earphones
– AC Adapter
– FireWire cable
– PC FireWire adapter
– Wired remote
– Carrying case with belt clip
– iPod Dock
Retail price: US$399.00
Apple 4G iPod 60 GB – 15,000 Songs:
– Apple Earphones
– AC Adapter
– FireWire cable
– PC FireWire adapter
– Wired remote
– Carrying case with belt clip
– iPod Dock
Retail price: US$499.00
MacDailyNews Take: Rumors these are, and we are basically totally confused about the hard drive specs at this point, but our sources “guarantee” that there is a 60 GB model. Unfortunately, these same sources can’t tell us whether this will be “one more thing” to be announced tomorrow alongside the other two models noted in the Newsweek coverage or if the 60GB will come later this summer. Uncle Steve does like his surprises, though, doesn’t he?
If there are no 60Gb iPod 4G models for Christmas shopping season 2004, at the latest, these sources shall be marked “Dvoraks” and will be added to our Mail.app’s Junk Mail filter faster than you can say “We don’t care what Newsweek says, we guarantee you there is a 60GB iPod 4G model!”
Note: in the earlier RUMOR report, these sources were a bit off-target on the suggested retail prices, quoting US$50 less than what Newsweek is reporting for the 20GB and 40GB models. Also mentioned by some of these sources is that Apple on Monday will release “iPod Update 2004-07-19,” but the claimed support of all iPod and iPod mini models introduced before July 19, 2004 is now in question. While we are leaning more towards a release date later this year for the 60GB model than tomorrow, we’ll know for sure only when Apple formally announces the new iPod models and/or posts new iPod software.
Related MacDailyNews article:
New 4G iPod photo surfaces on Newsweek cover; hits newstands Monday – July 17, 2004
RUMOR: New Apple 4G iPods coming on Monday – July 17, 2004
RUMOR: Apple 4G iPod’s hard drives get larger while prices gets smaller – July 17, 2004
Newsweek details new Apple iPod with 12-hour battery life, $100 price cut – July 18, 2004