You might regret buying an Ipod Photo when...

[Cyburn]

The 5th Generation iPod Comes out in Summer 2005, which will probably have a colour screen and will cost around (250-300GBP)
or ($400-500)

Does anyone else think this?

[jhollington]

Well, I'm not so sure... It probably depends upon how well-received the iPod Photo is.... Releasing a 5G iPod with a colour screen would likely fuzzify Apple's product line. It's more likely you'll see larger hard drive capacities with a slight physical redesign and perhaps a better grayscale screen interface.

Personally, I find regret to be a very unproductive use of emotional energy, and this is especially true when it comes to purchases... Sure I might get the same or a similar item cheaper in six months or a year, or a better item for the same price... But realistically, I have to put a value on the use I'm getting out of it now.

[androu]

yeah, live for the now. not for the then!!

[perfmode]

Why would I regret it?

I really enjoy my photo and it does everything that I want it to do. Why should I wait 6 months for the latest upgrade?

and FYI, the photo is the high end ipod.
photo = powermac
#g = imac
mini = emac

[Nitr0]

Speculations == bleh


If you hold out forever you'll be waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting!

[iPodHawk]

I have a 3G iPod. Since I bought it, Apple has brought out the mini, the 4G, and the iPod Photo. All of those new items are nice, but I don't have any pangs of regret whatsoever about "just" having a 3G iPod.

[MikeM]

I don't see why the grayscale screen will be around in the next Gen. The biggest concern with color was battery life but apple seems to have kept it on par, if not better, than the grayscale iPod. And the prices with be on par with the current grayscale models, so the early adopters will take a big resale loss.

Most people are fine with the idea that their model will be obsolete in 6 months. That's true for all electronics/computers.

But there will be a few loud whiners. Every iPod update ever has had its share.

The Mac rumors community is surprisingly accurate. Watch those. Or at least check the dates of Mac Expos and don't buy anything in the month or two before them.

[Travis]

and in 6 months from that will all the 5g people be disapointed with whatever apple decides to release next?

there will always be something better and cheaper in 6 months. i could wait six months for what may or may not be released or be happy now.

[[zerophase]]

I think they should just get rid of the ipod photo and ipod mini when the new 5g ipod and the ipod flash comes out. Then it will just be like ipod and ipod mini. Its because once they start upgrading the products they all sorta merge with one other... one's good features all be used on other one and so on...

[MOCKBA]

Summer it's a good time to buy a new gadget so I hope it will be iPod. Competition becomes stronger, what to choose?
http://www.3dnews.ru/documents/news5/20041130_sony_3.jpg

[Doug Gilmour]

What makes you think the 5Gs will be released in the Summer? It took Apple 15 months to upgrade from the 3G to the 5G...

-Dan

[perfmode]

Originally posted by [zerophase]
I think they should just get rid of the ipod photo and ipod mini when the new 5g ipod and the ipod flash comes out. Then it will just be like ipod and ipod mini. Its because once they start upgrading the products they all sorta merge with one other... one's good features all be used on other one and so on...

They should also just get rid of the powermac and e-mac when they introduce product X so they can "all sorta merge" together.

Yea, that's an umm good idea?

[Doug Gilmour]

Originally posted by [zerophase]
I think they should just get rid of the ipod photo and ipod mini when the new 5g ipod and the ipod flash comes out. Then it will just be like ipod and ipod mini. Its because once they start upgrading the products they all sorta merge with one other... one's good features all be used on other one and so on...

Right, because Apple wants to lose profits and decrease revenue...:rolleyes:

Also I don't quite see the need of constantly upgrading. A new piece of updated technology is always being released.. That does not mean that your piece of tech is inferior.. My 13 month old 3G is pumping quite nicely. I don't plan on upgrading it for another year..

-Dan

[Nitr0]

iTunes movie store?? hah

[TailsNZ]

I just bought an 40gb iPod photo, and sold my 40gb iPod 4g I bought back in August... the upgrade cost me about US$50 (iPod's are a bit more expensive in New Zealand). iPod's are so resellable, I don't mind if a better one comes out next year... I'll probably upgrade to that one too :)

[PHiX]

Maybe the next generation iPod photo might actually be useful when there's built in camera in it... if they can put one in a cell phone, why can't they put one in an iPod? So what if it's a little bigger? :D

[TailsNZ]

That'd be nice in a way, but it depends on the quality of it... I wouldn't mind taking some photos with a cellphone just to send to friends, like random spur of the moment shots. But for photos I'd actually like to keep, I'd like them in much higher quality than the cellphone style cameras can take.

If they add the ability to download photos straight to the iPod though, I don't see why a 3rd party couldn't release a clip on mini camera that sits on the top?

The ability to store and playback Divx movies via TV Out is what I'd most like to see in the next iPod myself. Especially because DVD players that run Divx aren't that common.

[fiftyeggs]

First of all, I would like to say that I am an iPod photo owner(40g) and have had 4 iPods since its introduction.

That being said, I believe that in this complicated market of mp3 players, these handy devices are like any group of people according to George Carlin. "A few winners and a whole lot of losers."

I believe that, and I also believe that Apple's catalog of iPods mostly consist of winners.

However, seeing these negative replies on this post makes me wonder why. Why would a company such as Apple with its unmatched r/d department put out a product that summons so much negativity? This to me boils down to the fact that iPod consumers have different needs like any group of people. Apple understands this. That is why they introduced the iPod photo.

iPod photo plays music, displays pictures, and has all of the past iPod features. But with all these features, quality will suffer some. Look at cell phones that has a PDA or a music player built in. It's a mess, and nothing more than a status symbol. I know this. and for the same reason, I try to look past the short comings of iPod photo.

I don't expect the same audio quality of a concert hall from a transistor radio, and I don't expect an imax movie from a 13" TV screen. I don't expect a $6.00 burger from McDonalds and I surely as hell do not expect an Ansel Adams from my iPod photo.

Why would I? I saw the demo unit in the store, read the stats on apple's website, and I saw Steve Jobs with Bono talking about it via streaming, AND saw the price tag. So if I feel any slightest regret on my purchase, It must be caused by stress or the chili dogs from lunch.

Apple didn't lie about its product, and I didn't expect a plasma screen in my iPod.

Yes, things COULD be better. Things could always be better. If I could have my way, my iPod would come equipped with its own 5.1 surround sound speaker system and a shoe horn. but do I need a surround sound system in my iPod? No. I bought a portable player and that is exactly what Apple delivered. I don't turn around 10 days later and preach my dissatisfaction. If I'm dissatisfied after a purchase, I'll 1. return it. or 2. switch brands. By dong that, I'll be exercising my right as a consumer. But I won't insult other consumers by playing a consumer fundamentalist by calling their purchase a mistake or say that they've been "had."

I'm sorry to see opinions being suppressed here in a forum where it should be about free expression and not about consumer dogma.

I apologize for this lengthy reply and hope I can make another contribution when the abortion issue hits the iPodlounge forums(at the current rate, I expect it.)

[cpn.luckycharms]

Originally posted by tonton
Pure wild, rampant speculation:

The grayscale iPod will be phased out, and the iPod photo will become the iPod. The next release will be in July, will provide some cosmetic differences, will support direct digital camera connection and photo deletion, and will come in 30 and 60GB versions only. The 60GB version (US$499) will come with a dock and may have some wireless capabilities, while the 30GB (US$349) version will be bare-bones and will be as thin as the current 4G 20.

The Mini will get a color screen, but no photo capabilities, and will have a hard drive capacity of 5GB (US$249). A 10GB version will replace it in time for Christmas 2005 (US$249).

Also look for an iPod AV in time for Christmas 2005, with an 80GB hard drive, for US$599. Apple will sell proprietary DRM'ed video (playable on either iTunes or the iPod, and NOT rippable) through the iTunes Movie Store for about US$20 per movie, and otherwise the iPod AV will only play files output in a non-DRM'ed special Quicktime iPod format exported from iMovie. Movies on the iPod AV will be playable on a TV at DVD quality video and 2-channel sound. Apple will also sell some sort of personal video glasses for private viewing ($100).

You heard it here first, folks. :D


Hmm...

Interesting speculation. I think that you are right around the bullseye on this one. Except, personal viewing glasses... Highly, highly, and HIGHLY doubt that my friend.