07/19/2004, 8:30am, EDT
Monday, July 19th
Apple unveils new "4G" iPod, available today
"The best digital music player just got better," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The fourth generation iPod features Apple's amazing Click Wheel for superb one handed control, 12 hour battery life and the new Shuffle Songs command in the main menu -- all in an even smaller design that puts up to 10,000 songs in your pocket."
HP says it will use the fourth-generation iPod as the basis for its upcoming HP-branded version the music player. "HP has chosen iPod and iTunes as the best products to integrate in to our digital entertainment strategy," said Carly Fiorina, chairman and chief executive officer at HP. "We decided to wait for this amazing new fourth generation iPod, as it will offer our customers an even better experience. HP's version of the new iPod will be available in September."
Both new models include earbud headphones, 1.2m 30-pin to FireWire cable, a 1.2m 30-pin to USB cable, and a CD with iTunes 4.6 for Mac and Windows computers. The 40GB model also includes an iPod dock. Optional accessories include the iPod Dock for $40 and in-ear headphones for $40. Laser engraving is available for iPod for $20 from the online Apple Store and can include two lines of text with up to 27 characters per line. It is currrently available for free for a limited time.
Regarding the new pricing, one reader writes: "Unmentioned on any Mac/Apple web site that I can find is the fact that neither of the new iPods includes the remote control or case. They are both options with both units. Furthermore, only the 40Gb includes a dock. Since all three of these options have a $39 price tag, it is not correct to state that the new units reflect a $100 price reduction from current models. For example, a "3G" 20GB unit - which included a dock, case and remote - listed for $399. The "4G" 20GB lists at $299, true, but add the optional remote, case and dock and it costs $416, a $17 price increase!!"
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Anyway looks nice and a reduction in price as well - how tempting.
- We all know that 60GB iPods are coming, Toshiba ships the drive July/August.
- We are all suspecting Apple is developing some kind of color screen, iPhoto-enabled iPod. Or at least with some other, really new features.
- This iPod upgrade seems a bit lackluster (in feature additions).
- We now know that HP is waiting until September.
- iPods firmware is upgradable.
- iPod minis are reported to come in new colors soon.
Now here's the idea:
Wouldn't this all point to the fact that Apple will introduce a new top end 60GB model with a range of new features (together with new iPod mini colors) in late August/September?
HP will introduce theirs at the same time.
And along will come firmware updates to upgrade the 4G iPods.
That's a doubly clever move IMHO. Since currently specs didn't change that much compared to 3G iPods, current users aren't that miffed if they just bought an iPod. But once the new iPods are on the market for 2 months, when the 60GB iPod is introduced, current buyers aren't miffed either, because they can just upgrade their firmware. So everyone wins and a lot of people are put at ease during the transition.