So... the Mac Store online is chock full of iPods, all sizes, shapes and colors. I personally think there're too many iPods to choose from. I think the fact that they've had shuffles for less than the cost of a mouse for god knows how long shows that the MP3 player market really is kinda thick. But the iPods, and iTunes is the money-maker for Apple, and Apple will NOT just leave this baby behind. I think for Apple to succeed here, it needs to really integrate it's Touch technology into its iPods across the board, not only so that it can streamline production, but also to maybe turn some of those young iPod buyers into iPhone users much easier.
And don't get me wrong, I own a shuffle, and I love it. I've had it for two years, and the thing is works flawlessly and still looks great. But I do think there has to be some streamlining of things.
I think that there will always be room for a range of products, including a shuffle-type budget product, a small, music-focused product with limited video capabilities (nano), and then a full-size player (a-la Touch). I think if they up the storage and bring down the price on the Touch, it can replace the Classic format iPod completely. And perhaps those pictures online of a Touch-like Nano wouldn't be so far off then. They wouldn't have WiFi, and wouldn't even have OS X, just a simple emulated interface that grabbed the look of the iPhone/Touch.
Then you take away all the jabillion color options, and TADA! Simple product line of awesome products! 4 products, 1 color each. I don't even think they should have multiple memory configurations. If they did, I'd offer it only in the Nano. The people who are shelling out for the iPhone will shell out a little more for more mem. It should be as follows: 2GB shuffle. 8/16 GB Nano. 32 GB Touch. 32 GB iPhone. That's $35, $129, $199, $279, $459.
And I understand that people like to personalize their products, but these days, with all the case/cover/protection options, it's not like you even see the color of your stuff anyway.
Before you go off and make some more clutter
So... the Mac Store online is chock full of iPods, all sizes, shapes and colors. I personally think there're too many iPods to choose from. I think the fact that they've had shuffles for less than the cost of a mouse for god knows how long shows that the MP3 player market really is kinda thick. But the iPods, and iTunes is the money-maker for Apple, and Apple will NOT just leave this baby behind. I think for Apple to succeed here, it needs to really integrate it's Touch technology into its iPods across the board, not only so that it can streamline production, but also to maybe turn some of those young iPod buyers into iPhone users much easier.
And don't get me wrong, I own a shuffle, and I love it. I've had it for two years, and the thing is works flawlessly and still looks great. But I do think there has to be some streamlining of things.
I think that there will always be room for a range of products, including a shuffle-type budget product, a small, music-focused product with limited video capabilities (nano), and then a full-size player (a-la Touch). I think if they up the storage and bring down the price on the Touch, it can replace the Classic format iPod completely. And perhaps those pictures online of a Touch-like Nano wouldn't be so far off then. They wouldn't have WiFi, and wouldn't even have OS X, just a simple emulated interface that grabbed the look of the iPhone/Touch.
Then you take away all the jabillion color options, and TADA! Simple product line of awesome products! 4 products, 1 color each. I don't even think they should have multiple memory configurations. If they did, I'd offer it only in the Nano. The people who are shelling out for the iPhone will shell out a little more for more mem. It should be as follows: 2GB shuffle. 8/16 GB Nano. 32 GB Touch. 32 GB iPhone. That's $35, $129, $199, $279, $459.
And I understand that people like to personalize their products, but these days, with all the case/cover/protection options, it's not like you even see the color of your stuff anyway.