Apple has responded to reports of iPod nano screen issues:
“Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller said there are two completely separate issues going on here. One is the broken screen and the other is the complaint about the iPod screen scratches,” Jim Dalrymple reports for MacCentral.
Regarding the broken screens:
“This is a real but minor issue involving a vendor quality problem in a small number of units,” said Schiller. “In fact, this issue has affected less than 1/10 of 1 percent of the total iPod nano units that we’ve shipped. It is not a design issue.”
Contact AppleCare and the iPod will be replaced, Dalrymple reports.
Regarding screen scratches:
Dalrymple reports, “Apple said that the screens on the iPod nano are made with the same material that is found in the company’s fourth-generation iPod, which, to date, is complaint free. ‘We have received very few calls from customers reporting this problem – we do not think this is a widespread issue,’ said Schiller. ‘If customers are concerned about scratching we suggest they use one of the many iPod nano cases to protect their iPod.'”
Full article here.
Good news about the cracked/broken screens issue!
As for the “scratched sceens” issue, from SteveJack’s opinion piece, “Are iPod nano ‘screen issues’ really just FUD?” in which SteveJack focused on the issue of scratched screens:
All I know is that the screen surface seems very similar, except for size, to the iPod and the iPod mini’s screen. I could scratch the iPod or the iPod mini’s screen to the same effect as I could scratch the iPod nano screen, that much seems “clear” to me. Not that I’m going to go scratching up my screens. You see, I keep my iPods in cases right out of the box. I’m funny that way; I like to protect my tech gadgets and I don’t expect them not to get marred up if I mistreat them.
Now, I’m not saying that people are mistreating them, but from using iPods, iPod minis and iPod nanos (and cell phones, Palms, etc.), I can tell you the screens can be scratched. And scratched pretty much with equal force in my opinion. I wonder, have the alleged iPod nano owners who claim to be having problems with their screens ever owned an iPod before? …I’m sitting here looking and poking at a 3G iPod screen, a two-month old iPod mini screen, and a 4GB iPod nano screen and they all seem pretty much the same “hardness” to me.
More in SteveJack’s full article: iPod nano ‘screen issues’ really just FUD? – September 26, 2005
MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews are Apple Store and Apple iTunes Music Store affiliates. If we did not believe in the quality of any Apple product, we would not advertise that Apple product and we would tell you about it. That is not the case with the iPod nano which we can confidently recommend for users who wish to own a very light, very tiny digital audio player that holds up to 1,000 songs. We do recommend protective cases for all iPod models, unless you don’t care about cosmetic changes including scratches, fingerprints, etc. to the iPod case. Do not eat iPod shuffle.
Related articles:
flawedmusicplayer.com website alleging iPod nano ‘screen flaws’ hosted on Apple’s .Mac – September 26, 2005
SiliconValley.com editor: ‘The iPod nano is fast becoming Apple’s next Cube’ – September 26, 2005
Alleged problems surfacing with Apple iPod Nano screen – September 26, 2005
Site reports iPod nano screen failures – September 23, 2005
Thurrott: Apple iPod nano is almost perfect – September 23, 2005
Inside Apple’s iPod nano; how healthy are Apple’s margins? – September 22, 2005
CNET iPod nano review: ‘Sets new standards, stretches boundaries of tech, Apple’s done it again’ – September 16, 2005
The New York Times’ Pogue states iPod’s Law: the impossible is possible – September 14, 2005
Associated Press praises Apple iPod nano, takes swipe at Microsoft WMA-based also-ran music services – September 14, 2005
Apple’s music competition having tough time and the iPod nano won’t help them – September 14, 2005
One of big stars at Microsoft’s PDC show: Apple’s iPod nano; Microsoft reps ‘in awe’ – September 14, 2005
Piper Jaffray: Apple seeing high demand for iPod nano – September 14, 2005
Australian IT: Apple iPod nano ‘a little bar of techno-joy’ – September 14, 2005
Apple iPod nano takes a beating and keeps on beating – September 12, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano: The ‘thin lady’ sings unwelcome iTune to competitors – September 09, 2005
Hands on with Apple iPod nano – September 09, 2005
Mossberg: Apple iPod nano ‘beautiful, incredibly thin, and exceeds Apple’s performance specs’ – September 08, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano will make competitors whimper, Motorola’s ROKR inexplicably bland – September 07, 2005
Tech pundit Enderle: ‘iPod Nano is a hit,’ Motorola ROKR ‘simply doesn’t have enough Apple in it’ – September 07, 2005
Jupiter analyst Gartenberg: ‘the market is going to go for Apple iPod nano in a big way’ – September 07, 2005
Analyst: iPod nano ‘could be Apple’s next home run’ – September 07, 2005
Video of Steve Jobs introducing iPod nano, ROKR iTunes phone now available online – September 07, 2005
Apple’s Steve Jobs predicts ultra-thin iPod nano ‘will become the highest volume iPod in the world’ – September 07, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano will make competitors whimper, Motorola’s ROKR inexplicably bland – September 07, 2005
Apple introduces iPod nano – September 07, 2005
I am glad that is cleared up. I guess I won’t be cleaning my iPod Nano with the same steel wool that I used on my 4th generation iPod. Darn.
Good to see a response from Apple at this stage clarifying the issue.
“‘If customers are concerned about scratching we suggest they use one of the many iPod nano cases to protect their iPod.'”
— they aren’t selling the cases yet..(still 2-4 weeks i think)
The only problem I see with the response is the mention of using a protective case with the Nano… since the cases were not available when the product was shipped. People will harp on this incessantly.
It is nice to see Apple respond, however.
I, myself, have experienced minimal scratching from daily use since I received my unit. Standard unprotected iPod “wear & tear”, which I expected.
Bring on the complainers.
opps… its 4-6 weeks still
I scratched mine but it was all my fault. You see I had on my diamond wedding ring and was fishing around in my hubby’s pocket looking for the biggie and scratched the mini. Darn shame too, the biggie is self-repairing.
I can’t believe people haven’t worked out what’s going on. It’s because the black model is by far more popular than the white one, and the black glossy finish shows scratches much more than the white one.
Go into an Apple Store and look at the two side by side – all the store models are pretty scratched – and the black units look much worse. As black nano salers overwhelmingly outnumber white units, and apart from the U2 ipod there’s never been a been a black iPod, the higher visibility of the scratches on black has never been a matter for complaint before. Now that they’re in circulation in massive numbers, people think that they scratch easier simply because the scratches are more immediately obvious.
Stop whining, get a case. Or better still, do what I did and buy this:
http://www.theinvisibleshield.com
Its fantastic! Renders the iPod scratch-free with an invisible coating.
My third generation 40GB iPod’s face can be (and has been) easily scratched if I don’t watch it when around hard, pointy things.
However, I now use a high quality paste silver polish on the entire exterior of the case at least once a week, and now it looks ALMOST like new!
I bet bucky at flawedmusicplayer.com is going to patting his own back on this one. (I like the idea of someone raising awareness on issues, but he was way too proud of himself.)
1/10 of 1% sounds very low. In quality manufacturing terms, its 1000 parts per million. This is, seriously, an unacceptable defect rate.
6-sigma quality programs go for 3.4 defects per million.
I hope Apple isn’t passing off “1/10 of 1%” as acceptable.
“they aren’t selling the cases yet..(still 2-4 weeks i think)”
“opps… its 4-6 weeks still”
There are already about a dozen third party vendor products… It doesn’t have to say Apple on it… Remember, Apple doesn’t actually make these things… They just design and market them.
Oh wait, never mind my last comment. I was being an idiot. Obviously Apple WASN’T passing 1/10% off as acceptable. If it were, it wouldn’t have issued a statement to address the issue, promised to replace defective units, and explained that it’s a vendor issue.
Do the test yourself
Go to an Apple store and compare the demo models – the iPod that has been there for a couple of months being handled daily by the public shows considerable less scratches than the Nano.
MDN word = “deal” as in deal with it Apple.
I don’t think he is saying that 1/10th of 1 percent is not a problem. He is just trying to clarify that it is a manufacturing problem and not a design problem. This reassures shareholders that Apple’s design is okay and does not need to be changed which would be a recall of all the devices sold.
This should mean that people will be able to get it replaced and that the manufacturer will be held responsible for the issue that caused the cracked screens.
Yep, I did the test. Went into my local Apple store with a Brillo pad. Took one iPod Photo and one iPod nano, and scratched the hell out of both of them. Scientific-like. Sure enough, they’re both a mess.
Then I shoved a red hot poker up my nose, to sort of illustrate another point, the particulars of which I seem to have forgotten in the searing agony that ensued.
“I hope Apple isn’t passing off “1/10 of 1%” as acceptable.”
Did you miss “Contact AppleCare and the iPod will be replaced, Dalrymple reports.”???
That clearly shows they aren’t passing it off as acceptable… They are acknowledging the problem and will replace it if it cracks…
Everyone seems tot forget how modern manufacturing works… Apple uses other companies, under contract, to make their products. This is SOP for an ever growing percentage of of companies these days…
“Go to an Apple store and compare the demo models – the iPod that has been there for a couple of months being handled daily by the public shows considerable less scratches than the Nano.”
Good point Marcie, except that I have been in Apple stores numerous times over the last 6 months, and have never seen as much activity around the larger iPod as I have the iPod nano… It is simply getting a ton more attention, and thus tons more handling… more handling, more scratches…
The out of control thread over at Apple discussions is now locked. It hit 704 posts.
“Then I shoved a red hot poker up my nose, to sort of illustrate another point, the particulars of which I seem to have forgotten in the searing agony that ensued.”
Nose? Damn… I shoved the red hot poker up the wrong end… now I can’t sit down!
I think it’s because the nano is such a masterpiece that people want it scratch free. The other iPods scratch as much, but nano has become a design object
SteveJack was right. All of the iPod nano screen scratchers either never owned an iPod before or work for Creative, Microsoft, and/or Napster.
Case closed. (pun intended)
MW = “within” – keep your iPod nano “within” a case and shut yer yaps.
I am impressed with how fast Apple has responded to this issue, usually it would take a lot longer for them to admit any type of issue. Considering how critical it is that the product not be perceived as having issues, it was in their best interest. It also shows how fast people are to jump on Apple…the problem with being number one is you always have a target on your back.
As far as scratches, I think my 20GB iPod scratched way too easily period…so I don’t think the Nano is any different. As long as the stores have cases (which they didn’t at launch) I think it is 100% necessary to get one. Then you have no issues. Either that or get plastic polish, the same they use on the rear windows of convertable car tops. Does the job very well.
This is obviously another Rovian trick issued from the bowels of the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Jeez, don’t you guys follow the news ?
They closed the thread at 704 posts because they were being bombarded by dubious posts from new users with zero previous posts. When you say something obviously ignorant like “I only placed it in my pocket ONCE and it looks like it’s been raked over with a nail file” you know they aren’t telling the truth.
While the screens are the same between the iPod nano and the iPod, it may have something to do with where people keep their nanos.
If I stick an unprotected iPod in my pants pocket, it would probably be “screen up” (ie, the screen would be at the top of the pocket) and the screen would, therefore, be safely away from my keys, change, and anything else I might have in my pocket.
The iPod nano, on the other hand, probably goes “screen down” into a pocket because the audio jack is on the bottom. This puts the screen right down there with my keys and spare change and adds to the potential for scratches.
So, yes, the screen is just as prone to scratches as an iPod, as Phil Schiller said. It’s just that because of the placement of the headphone jack at the top of the iPod, there’s less possibility that the screen will be exposed to junk. In other words, while I’d certainly agree that the people with scratched screens should know better, Apple shares at least part of the blame by designing the device so that the most delicate part ends up exposed to the most abuse.
Generally, I expect Apple to be smarter about things like this. It’s the sort of goof I’d expect to see from Creative…