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Why you won't be buying an iPhone-like iPod anytime soon

tuaw.com — Since the iPhone's introduction in January, the requests and baiting rumors for a touch-screen iPod that looks and acts like an iPhone - sans the actual phone - have sounded from every corner of the web. The only problem is: there's no way in Cupertino that's going to happen. At least, not anytime soon.

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  • dcharti, on 10/11/2007, -5/+5@dyranios: Sure, but not as *much* money in Apple's pocket, and Cingular loses out on wrangling a lot of customers into contracts, which means losing out on a ton of money.
  • yesno, on 10/11/2007, -5/+38There will be a widescreen iPod cause Steve understands that many people want to store more than ten movies on the iPod/iPhone!
    • bergur1, on 10/11/2007, -26/+14It's called a PSP

      dugg down in:
      3..
      2..
    • hdtvdust, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Except all surveys show that that is NOT a big priority for a majority of users. Most people have ***** lives. Even iPod users. (Just not the subset of iPod users who are also Digg members.) They don't want to keep watching the same ***** video a million times. It is not like a song. Surveys have shown that a huge storage space is not a priority because they are willing to delete videos oncethey watch it.
    • unreg, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I think it more likely because people might want to be free of having to choose between watching a movie or having enough battery life to actually make a phone call or two.
    • Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Am I the only one that prefers to watch movies or episodes on a screen that isnt small enough to fit in my hand?

      Call me crazy, but I keep to short 10min or less clips when on a portable device, im not about to watch Spiderman 3 on a 3x2 inch screen.

      Youtube really should see if they can do something about getting devices other than PCs and the Wii the work with their site, I would love to be able to view YouTube on my Pocket PC or my PSP.
  • lechuga, on 10/11/2007, -10/+3so far i'm happy with my 2-gen shuffle..
  • mgkwho, on 10/11/2007, -20/+11David Chartier is wrong about everything when he writes random stories...such as accusing Apple of announcing Leopard in '06 (WWDC 05 Jobs predicted a december 06/early 07/right around the time Vista is released, but didn't announce this as the date; Chartier isisted fall '06 anyway).

    I guarantee the next iPod update will be a fullscreen model and will be soon...no earlier then September though.

    And I will be laughing at Chartier when he is proven wrong.

    I hate to sound narcissistic but it's true.

    -=|Mgkwho
    • johram, on 10/11/2007, -6/+14ahem,
      your comment seems to confirm that chartier was right about Apple being late in delivering leopard. your contention seems to be based on _how_ late apple has been.

      /vista is out. leopard is not.
      //don't know who "chartier" is and don't care
      ///narcissism= all about "mgkwho". the dictionary is your friend.
      /////don't now who "mgkwho" is and don't care
    • hdtvdust, on 10/11/2007, -6/+1When the fall rolls arond and it doesn't happen, we will all be laughing at you.

      Of course, you won't be able to tell since everyone ALWAYS laughs at you and has for your entire life.
  • MatchStick, on 10/11/2007, -16/+9how about "Why I won't be buying an iPhone OR iPod anytime soon"??

    ...cuz Crapple licks hairy anus, that's why.
  • NicksVideo, on 10/11/2007, -7/+10Buried as inaccurate?
    • tyler0is0sexy, on 10/11/2007, -6/+9dugg for showing how Apple, just like any cooperation likes making money more than caring about the consumer too...
    • franksands, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9@tyler0is0sexy :
      Calling captain Obvious! Captain Obvious to the rescue!
  • eschompthis, on 10/11/2007, -3/+23everyone knows why they wont, because if they did decide make a new touchscreen ipod, nobody would buy the iphone. Because at the end of the day its just a DAMN phone
    • steamedlice, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1I hate people who lazily use the phrase, "at the end of the day...". It's "middle-manager-speak" and "marketing-speak" for dummies.
  • andburn1, on 10/11/2007, -9/+5... but the iPhone HAS an iPod built in. Why would you get both and iPod and a phone when you can just get the iPhone?
    • gafasiesornivek, on 10/11/2007, -13/+7Because the iPhone sucks wang.
    • NicksVideo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11To get it at a reasonable price requires signing up with a new contract, or in some people's cases, a whole new service provider.

      Most people already have decent phones.

      Space is pretty limited.
    • fantasticFlan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Because I need something larger in an iPod and something smaller in a phone.
    • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Because I refuse to sign a contract with at&t and pay a buttload of money just to combine two products (especially when I already HAVE a cell phone. That's just wasteful)
    • natenovs, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3so, where is all the hype coming from.

      sounds like people are feeling pretty meh about the whole thing...
    • PathDaemon, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1/me thinks (or hopes) that that was sarcasm in the OP.
    • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2"so, where is all the hype coming from."

      Likely at&t customers that have been looking for this sort of device for a long time, and other people who have the money to switch networks.
    • hdtvdust, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2 mcatrage...MOST people's music collections are bigger than 8 Gig?

      Are you THAT out of touch with reality? You and your "friends" are not "most people" Most people have LIVES. You relaly think that "most peopel" are walking around with 2000+ songs in the iPods? Nope.

      unloud...there HASN'T been any hype from the mainstream. Just the fanboys. As early as TWO days after the iPhone was announced, mainstream American forgot all about it.
    • MacParrot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8"there HASN'T been any hype from the mainstream"

      And you accuse people of being out of touch. I've seen stories on the iPhone all over the place. CNN and Fox have both had stories with it featured. There has also been quite a bit of coverage outside the US as well. Before you start up on that, remember that the initial release is for the US only.

      You want to dislike Apple and its products (for whatever stupid reason you have)? That's fine, I don't care, but you're making an ass out of yourself and most people with a "life" outside of digg with ridiculous comments like that. Don't you have anything better to do?
  • syafthegeek, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2If the iPhone has and iPod built in, the price of it is much higher than expected.
    • uberphildo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I don't get why Apple is trying to say that this thing has an "iPod Built In," because that's really just a nonsense comment. It's an Apple-designed smartphone with extra storage and some music-playing software. For the record, I am an Apple fanboy, and I do want an iPhone, but to try and justify the price of the thing by saying that it's got an iPod "built in" is just ridiculous.
  • cwoolf34, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4Scary future... please be wrong.
  • DeepSkyDiver, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4And when all of the competition has a full touchscreen MP3 player, what will Apple do?
    Just watch the sales disappear?
    Or update the iPod..?
    • HUKI365, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6The point could be raised that other MP3 players are better (and were) better than the iPod. Better specs does not mean better sales.

      Just look at the Zune.
    • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -4/+5it will do what it does every other time, ignore what it said later, and copy everyone else 1 year later.

      then everyone will go "OMFG That is Genius, isnt apple just the greatest company ever, always has the cutting edge, the definition of innovation"
  • psyamesekat, on 10/11/2007, -6/+0cupertino reprezent!
  • piznut, on 10/11/2007, -6/+24News Flash, I wont be buying an iPhone-like iPhone anytime soon either. Cingular can suck it, seriously.
    Why the ***** should I have to sign a service agreement to be able to even use a device that I own? Screw that.

    Don't get me wrong its a neat device, but my rational non impulsive side says no.
  • Sputs, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1And when you lose it it will find its way home
  • zbeast, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11I dont what or need an Iphone, but I would love to have all the features of the Iphone without the phone, and with more battery life, an more storage than 4 and 8 gigs.
    Ditch the phone electronics and toss in a big ass battery and 120 gig hd.
    • stuartjones, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Amen

      My 1st gen Nano is too small for my now large library, and I'm wanting video... Video iPod is getting old, I want a bigger screen, and I would plonk my money down right now for an updated iPod which resembles the iPhone in some way.
  • bking, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I don't care if it's not going to get a multitouch screen or whatever, but I'm still waiting with baited breath for SOME kind of update for the iPod. I held off on getting the video model a year and a half ago, and now I'm getting antsy.
    • thefirelane, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3baited breath ---> BATED breath

      Just an FYI
    • salmonmoose, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3perhaps hes been eating cat food ;)
  • johram, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4makes sense. i assume that-
    1. apple is going to sell songs directly to the iphone
    2. there are fat incentives for apple on the back end of those cell phone contracts
    3. imagine paying $0.99 per song and $19.99 monthly GPRS or worse, paying by byte

    / google maps on iPhone is a neat trick that fills your friends with envy
    // when the bill comes they'll be laughing at you
    • jonahan52, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Or you can use the handy wi-fi and surf for free!
  • HarryGldfarb, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I'll buy an iPhone without the iPod capabilities the day it comes out. I've got a video iPod, why should i have to buy another just because I want a phone that works well with my Mac.
    • tyler0is0sexy, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1It's called the LG KE850 Prada phone..
    • bbardlbradd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I need a new ipod, the iphone is cool... but my iTunes Lib is 50Gb (another 50Gb+ if you count movies/shows) ... there is no way in hell I'd buy an iPhone for ipod functionality.

      I mean, why would you buy such an expensive device to only play music... if you're not into music? If you /are/ into music you'll want more than just 8gigs of it.

      User interface should be less important than music if you're buying it /for/ music.
    • Balanced, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Well, the idea is so you can carry one device instead of two... An attempt to prevent sagging-belt-syndrome.
  • gafasiesornivek, on 10/11/2007, -7/+14Why I won't be buying an iPhone? Because I don't want one.
    • mikesbaker, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5uh because I'm not a moron who throws away money
    • Taedirk, on 10/11/2007, -7/+6Ooh, I know why I won't be buying an iPhone or an iPhone-like iPod soon!
      * I already own a decent phone that I like
      * I already own a more-than-decent MP3 player that kicks ass (20 gig iAudio with a 30 hour battery life)
      * I don't require a change of underpants every time Apple makes an announcement or releases a product or product upgrade, unlike certain other people
  • Proggie, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2there BETTER be a new iphone like ipod... i need at least 100GB to store my music and photos (don't care about video). i want all those cool new features of the photo part of the iphone. Plus since it runs OS X there may be hope that it will support RAW files which current ipods don't support (my main gripe with the current iPods).
  • aykay, on 10/11/2007, -13/+1I won't be buying an i-anything anytime soon. I'm sick of white plastic.
    • kahlessreborn, on 10/11/2007, -0/+13Well then its your lucky day they also come in black :)
  • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2Here's the only logical thing I see Apple doing:

    *Apple phases out the nano and replaces the regular iPod line with flash-only drives of similar capacity as the current lineup. They would be about the same price or cheaper than the current line, and sizes would likely be 10, 20, and 30 GB.
    *Apple will likely release an iPod video alongside new iPods sizes would likely be 30, 60, and 120GB and use hard drives (samsung's newest drive is 120)

    Of course, they could just leave the product lines the same, but steve likes to differentiate and he could say "First we killed the mini, today we're killing the nano". With the plumiting rates of flash memory in the market, I think Apple going to flash is really feasible, but there's a good chance that apple will have to wait until next January rather than opting for the Christmas season.
  • mustacheo, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0When are they going to give away i-pods for free? I would buy one then.
  • giveer, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1The only thing question I've ever had about the iPhone:
    Will it run on ANYTHING better than the batteries they use in iPods? Because if it's the same, I'll -Never- buy one.
  • Eslamicolt3, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3This article doesn't take into account that the market for the iPhone and the iPod are two very different markets. Apple isn't going to let one bastardize the other. They will not sacrifice their bread and butter for the theoretical good of their phone line. You will see a new iPod no later than fall of this year.
    It will be widescreen, and it will have a touch screen. The iTunes stores is growing exponentially with no signs of slowing, and people need something besides a 2 and a half inch screen to watch their movies and shows on. 8gb with the iphone is not near enough. This article suggests that Apple will intentionally back off their iPod brand for the good of the iPhone. Sorry, but that isn't going to happen, at least not anytime soon.
    • hdtvdust, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4When the fall comes around and there is no touchscreen iPod, will you have the integrity to come back to Digg and admit how wrong you are right now?
    • MacParrot, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3@hdtvdust

      I don't see why not. Being wrong (countless times) hasn't stopped you from posting.
  • inkswamp, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6So the basic premise is that Apple would never throw out all that careful work they've put into the iPod over the years because it's popular and they've perfected its design? Ha! Tell that to the iPod Mini.

    Apple replaced the iPod Mini at a time when its popularity was skyrocketing. They've done the same with laptop designs and the iMacs. Apple has a history of tossing aside old designs and ideas before they've run their course. I see no reason why they wouldn't do that with the current iPod as well.
  • qwertydvorak, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2let me sum up the article: apple is just as evil as microsoft, given a similar but different monopoly position.
  • nreisan, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0wouldn't buy an ipod, doubt id buy an iphone either
    :)
  • realchaos1, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I suddenly feel like falling asleep, talk about fluff.
  • Darph.Bobo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I can think of two damn good reasons and an example why this article is dead wrong.

    1. If Apple doesn't do it someone else will.
    2. 8GB and $599.00 is no iPod killer so they're NOT cannabilizing their product line.

    As for: ".......updates that instantly make the previous version look old 'n busted."
    Didn't the new iMac make the old iMac look old and busted? Didn't the G5 make the G4 look old and busted? Lots of other examples too.

    That's the nature of the game not a reason not to play.
    • hdtvdust, on 10/11/2007, -3/+51. It doesn't matter. the iPod is ALREADY technologically inferior to its competiton. It is not even second. IT gets by on advertising and the status factor. So it would not matter if someone else did it first.

      2. Yeah they would. Hate to break REALITY to you, but all surveys taken show that huge hard drives are not a huge priority. How many ***** videos do you need to keep in your iPod at any given time? Watch the ***** thing and then get rid of it.

      As for your "as for" part...did the new iMac and G5 come out within a few months of its predecessor? Of course not. If they had, then the old iMac and G4 would have sold nothing. No one is saying that there will never be a touchscreen iPod. Just that you won't be seeing it any time soon.

      If you are expecting to buy a phoneless iPhone before 2009, you are going to be very upset.
  • eirura, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Not too keen on their inventions due to the scratchy screens they are sooo famous for. iPhone is just another phone ain't it? I don't see the big deal in that. There are phones out there with the same features anyway. I don't think I'll be splurging anymore money on Apple products. Even if they make a touchscreen iPod, I won't be upgrading my G5 iPod. Sorry.
  • akarpo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1The author is wrong. I would suspect Apple has an 6th gen. iPod w/iPhone interface/features, and is sitting on it until Q1 08. If iPhone sales are sucking, they can put the order through to Taiwan and pull it forward to Q4 07.
  • mshea, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1The current iPod design is very old and due for an update. It still outsells other music and media players but that won't last forever. I expect to see a new widescreen iPod out this year. Otherwise Apple is making a big mistake putting their entire company behind a single device that most people can't afford.
  • jav1231, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3How fortunate that we have articles like this! You know, the kind that can apparently see into the future and help make our decisions for us. *****, do something useful with those special powers and scare up some decent investment opportunities! What's that? OH! This is speculation? Why didn't you say so! Ass!
  • fIag546, on 10/11/2007, -11/+3Why do you people care? The next-gen iPod is called Zune!
    • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2It's an impostor! That's not Flag564.

      http://digg.com/users/flag564/
    • Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Because the fact that his username is Flag546 instead of Flag564 isnt enough of a hint...
    • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Actually, it's fiag546. the i is capitalized.
    • Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1"Actually, it's fiag546. the i is capitalized."

      ... huh, so thats what my foot tastes like...
    • Quix, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Heh, I think it's hilarious that flag564 is so hated on Digg that he's constantly being spoofed. Apparently many people find overt stupidity annoying. Go figure.

      flag564 = the lowest of the Digg trolls.
  • whackaxe, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Apple's marketing team are good but they can't stop people from realising they want more than 8gb in their media player, already have a phone, and can live with google maps over Wap.
  • supersaw, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2As cool as the whole touch screen thing is i'm wondering what cutting-edge technology Apple has come up with to combat finger grease
    • MacParrot, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8iSoap and iWater?
    • unloud, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Maybe they'll port bootcamp so you can run Windex.


      /corny joke>
  • sublimethinker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Am I the only one who's not ***** myself over the iPhone? Who seriously wants a biggish, hunky device that replaces two smaller, slicker devices that perform the same functions better? The iPhone just increases your chances that you will lose the ability to make calls and listen to music, due to a lost device, the battery draining, the device breaking, etc. Not to mention the huge bulge it will make in your pocket and the equally large wad of cash it will cost you. And why are people getting excited by the fact that they are going to be trapping themselves into 2 services at once (iTunes & AT&T/Cingulair)? Furthermore, I fail to see the major advantages with a touchscreen. I want REAL buttons on my devices...not a screen where I can't get tactile feedback when I press something.
    • supersaw, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Is that an iPhone in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
  • chuckpenzone, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Yes you will. Of course Apple is going to leverage the all the research they put into the iPhone for the iPod. iPod is a big portion of their bread & butter and they won't cannibalize their iPhone sales as these are going to be two different consumers.
  • gquaglia, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Not an issue. Not everyone is going to want to sign on to AT&T just to get the phone. ipod sales will be fine, even with a fully featured iphone.
  • mbourgon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1IMHO, the real use for most people is not going to be music - yes, that's nice. But what it'll be mostly used for is watching TV shows, and I think that's why it'll sell.

    Think about how many people you say sitting in a Doctor's office, waiting for a train/bus/friend, playing some game on their cell phone. First time they're sitting there playing solitaire, and see some guy playing , there's going to be serious envy. Yes, the iPod functions are great. But I think the people who buy this are going to do so, not for the mp3s, but for the videos. (that being said, they'll probably have a few albums on in case they don't have any TV they haven't watched)

    After playing with the PSP video game^h^h^h^h player this weekend, I think that the iPhone is light, plays decent quality video, decent battery life, and has GOOD CONTROLS, it'll sell a mint. The PSP had that opportunity, but mucked it up. The controls are awful, it's a pain to move stuff over (unless you use third party tools), and space is an issue.
  • srodolff, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The author forgets one important fact.

    If Apple doesn't build one, someone else will.

    And it might just be an iPod killer.
  • Shizlak, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2What? So.. the iPhone will sell more than the iPod because phones sell more than mp3 players? That's retarded. You have people that won't spend $600 on a phone (most people's phones we're free or $100) and you have people that wont buy it because of contract reasons. You can't say, in any market, that releasing a product at the highest tier price point of that market gives you access to the whole market. It's like releasing a $250,000 car because you want to own the car market. Look at Apple now:

    Number of current generation iPod models: 7
    Number of future generation iPhone models: 1?

    They will have to make an iPod/iPhone at all price points if they expect to keep their market share.
  • Phlosten, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1I won't get an iFone because I don't need it. I already have a phone, it makes phones calls, people can also phone me. Thats what a 'phone' does.
    • chuckpenzone, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Don't pretend like you don't know how it is really spelled.
  • NasKa, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1I hate iPhone already. Thanks to the hype.
  • Typhoon2009, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0I could live with 8GB of space. I'm surprised how some people complain about the price and the space - if you bought your 50GB+ of songs, that's probably as much if not more than what the most expensive iPhone costs.

    Unless of course you always save stuff as AIFF or Apple Lossless.
  • postalblowfish7, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0duh
  • maexus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The only thing I worry about touch screen products, esp from Apple, are scratches. I have a protective case, which has spared my iPod from collage of scratches but if it were touch screen, I couldn't do this.
  • KUKBAHLAM, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The only new phone I am interested in is the Wifi phones.. I am always near a hotspot (thank you Austin, thank you Cisco) and cheap skype calls on a reliable handset is my goal. The only place reliability will be an issue is while driving......... I am old enough to know better than to drive while talking but not wise enough to leave it alone when it rings at 70mph.... so I'd welcome that drawback.

    The day I can stop paying outrageous, per minute calls to companies I find morally reprehensible will mark my victory.... not that I can give up my archos.
  • NoSalt, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Oh ye of little faith ... The "Great and Powerful Steve" can surprise us all.
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