“Apple Computer is expected to launch soon a new iPod that supports wireless capabilities so as to compete with Microsoft’s planned year-end launch of its Zune-branded MP3 players, according to market sources,” Yen-ting Chen and Steve Shen report for DigiTimes.
According to the report, Apple has begun dispatching staff members to its major markets in Asia to teach local sales how to demonstrate the new products.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “LinuxGuy and Mac Prodigal Son” for the heads up.]
Wireless iPod or iPhone or are they one and the same thing? Oh, yeah, almost forgot: Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
Related articles:
Microsoft to sell single Zune model this fall, rumors of Wi-Fi capability were greatly exaggerated – August 10, 2006
RUMOR: Apple’ ‘true’ video iPod unlikely to arrive in time for Christmas (forget about Wi-Fi, too) – July 14, 2006
Can Microsoft hit a fast moving target? Apple likely to debut wireless iPod this year – July 07, 2006
Patent application shows iPod capable of live wireless video conferencing – June 13, 2006
Apple patent application filed for wireless iPod+iTunes distribution – May 04, 2006
Apple applies for ‘smart’ touch-screen virtual keyboard, wireless iPod remote control patents – April 28, 2006
Generator Research: Apple to Ship $4.2bn in Wireless iPods (WiPods) by 2010 – March 14, 2006
Ready for your wireless Apple iPod? – February 09, 2006
Wireless iPod? CSR and PortalPlayer to bring wireless connectivity to personal media players – February 08, 2006
Analyst: Moto SLVR’s impact on iTunes will be negligible, Apple prepping ‘wireless-enabled product’ – February 02, 2006
Wireless Apple iPods coming in 2006? – December 09, 2005
first!
iphone?
YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!
How do you say, low battery life.
Since when do companies compete with non existing (or better: not yet released) products?
wow. putting the cart before the horse, hm?
Apple’s worried about Zune? not likely. and what do we want a battery life killing feature like this for? *shrug
iPod phone sounds a billion times more interesting than “Apple kicks MS’s butt in digital music. Again.”
iPod is a platform. If this happens, it’ll be a self-powered add-on.
I wish MDN and everyone else would piss off with the “wireless iPod” crap!
It is a stupid idea because of the technical aspects.
You show me 15,000 songs in your pocket, 16 hours of battery life and the same sleek design and i’ll listen.
Anything less (or more for this matter) and you can shove it and quit perpetuating this stupid idea!
“so as to compete with Microsoft’s planned year-end launch of its Zune-branded MP3 players”
Here goes that stupid statement again. The iPod
product line-up doesn’t have sh!t to do with
Zune.
You know my friend Bob Sacamano?
he knows a guy that knows a guy that heard that Apple is sending techies to train some Asian dudes how to work the new battery hog – according to his sources.
Hey, Pennypacker . . . relax! Nobody really needs your overwrought villification of what we say and write here. Either take some more Prozac, or GO SCREW YOURSELF!
If people want to dream a bit on the MDN site and throw out a few ideas for discussion, it’s our right. And it’s not YOUR job to pee in our Cheerios.
Hope you’ve calmed down now. Still, if not–GO SCREW YOURSELF! (It’ll take the edge off.)
Forget Zune, the biggest challenge Apple will face in the next few years is topping themselves. The beauty of the iPod is its simplicity – the scrollwheel. They then simplified it by moving all the buttons onto the scrollwheel itself. If they’re gonna add new features, be it a phone, wifi downloads, whatever, then they will have to add more buttons. This will mean losing the inherent simplicity of the design. Even if they add back buttons like the 3G’s had to give them 8 they’re still in a way taking a step back. They’ve in a way designed themselves into a corner. They may have to pull something entirely new out of their hat.
“so as to compete with Microsoft’s planned year-end launch of its Zune-branded MP3 players”
Man that was fast. Just think, MS announced their new MP3 players will have wi-fi, and within just a few short weeks Apple has copied it, designed it in, and is now showing it their sales staff.
The truth be told, what’s a lot more likely is that MS caught wind of Apple’s new (wi-fi) iPod and THEY are the ones scrambling to compete with Apple. I sincerely doubt that Apple has done anything “so as to compete” with an MP3 player from MS. They probably took a look at Zune and added a couple more things NOT to do with a player.
M.X.N.T.4.1, they won’t have to add any extra buttons if they release the phone.
All they need to do is what the LG Chocolate phone is – a click wheel is only visible at first, and when the phone “slides”, the dial keys will pop out. Very simple and space-saving.
Thanks Al a bit of lateral thinking is all it needs otherwise the Mac itself would have a dozen keyboards, half a dozen screens and hundreds of buttons by now as compared to the original to fulfill the greatly increased functionality.
OK then pickle packer (if that’s how you like it) make your case then.
Show me where I am wrong.
What roadblock does “wireless” help the user get around?
How does it enhance the users experience?
The inherend problems with Wi-Fi – Battery and space (have you opened an iPod lately?) – how do you account for them.
Go ahead, appease all of us and let us know how and why it will work and translate into revenue for apple and improved satisfaction for the end user?
We’re all waiting
Re the Zune: I don’t think it can even be assumed that the finished device will boast wi-fi. Wasn’t there a story a few weeks back about Microsoft having to ditch its video playback capability? Seems to me like more features could get pulled the closer it gets to shipping. Now where have we heard this before…?!
Unless Apple has some whiz-bang feature that utilizes wireless – I’m completely NOT interested right now.
What is the benefit? Isn’t it still illegal to share songs? Updating my calendar? iPod radio broadcasts? Buying songs while away from home – maybe? I’m not seeing the benefit so far.
I’m definitely no mind reader but I would think Mr. Jobs would see this as a practically useless feature.
We’ll see.
How about the ability to sync with your mac and itunes without any wires at all??? Now thats something I wouldn’t mind.
ORDER OF EVENTS:
– September: iPod Nano now with video, better resolution, larger storage, same price. Again, the best value/price performance in the market place. Possible bluetooth ear buds…
– October: iPhone, with iTunes built-in. email, web, video – streaming video via iChat. Apple becomes a virtual carrier. Bluetooth ear buds.
– January: iPod video. True video iPod, full-screen, no-touch sensing. 720p capable. Same price points, more storage. Possible bluetooth ear buds…
MS = Cooked and ready to be eaten.
utzaki,
If you get first post, everyone can see it’s the first post. There’s no mistaking it for the second or third. So why do you write ‘first’?
It’s very silly.
If you have a red bicycle, do you hang a sign on it with ‘red bicycle’ printed on it?
Could you please stop being infantile.
So, let’s see. Apple has a new iPod product that’s wireless? And they’re going to focus sales and training efforts in major Asian markets and no word of the US market?
Sure, that makes sense.
Either Apple’s totally lost it, or the authors haven’t found it.
It stands to reason that Apple will add some sort of wireless capability so that the iPod nano can communicate with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit without using an add-on receiver that the kit now requires…And their must be other ideas for wireless products in the works…
Geo
No it does not stand to reason – period
You add wireless because a small percentage want an iPod/Nike kit? That’s why it’s seperate, because of the small percentage of demand. Why should it be added in and pass the cost to every one else, just for the runners. I think not.
Second, jobs has already said the bluetooth is not yet feasible to add BT for wireless listening. The quality is not yet there. You are dealing with compressed music any way, why would you want less quality than that, just for no wires?
Third, then there is the battery issue. Anyone that has a BT phone and headset knows all about that. The battery does not last long with BT on.
@ Charko
Please visit http://www.crazyapplerumors.com
You will get a different view on posting “first”
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To me, to begin with I see limmited benefit to adding the Bluetooth Feature. Call me simple, but to be honest I don’t even see much advantage to putting the iTunes/iPod format onto a phone.
To me, I like them separate, I like the ability to go to the gym and just take in my iPod. Leave the rest of my life outside if you will. Also, I like my 20 hours of audio playback battery. I don’t see how the iPod’s battery could compete with most mobile phone battery lives if it functioned as a phone as well.
Perhaps I’m just putting my own personal bias against cell phones into this (I have one now, but was adamently opposed to them for years).
Now, a none-touch iPod, longer video playback life, better widescreen support, ability to download videos to DVD via iTunes, lighter iPod, better video quality, bluetooth ear-phone support, new combined video-hookup to hifi speaker sort of approach (Turning the HiFi into more of a DVD player as well) these sort of features are the type of products I’m interested in.
Oh, and that Mac Tablet (Newton 4.0) for about $600 wouldn’t hurt either…