As we heard on Monday, there’s a possibility that an iPod refresh may come later this month. At this point, we can only speculate on what such an event could bring. The obvious possibilities being to outline the details for the iOS 4 upgrade for the iPad, and bringing the iPod touch up to spec with the latest iPhone, as Josh Holat mentioned previously mentioned here at Appletell.
But what could happen with the iPod Classic and iPod Nano? Is this the end of the line for the click wheel, to be replaced by an all-touchscreen lineup, or is there a little more life left in them? Let’s take a look at the options, and why I think both the iPod Nano and iPod Classic aren’t going anywhere.
In recent years, the click wheel iPod has been less of a priority for Apple, as they’ve focused on their touchscreen devices and computers. The iPod Classic, for example, hasn’t seen a major update since 2007 when Apple unveiled the sixth generation of the iconic iPod. In 2009, Apple upgraded the storage of the iPod Classic to 160GB, but otherwise the device has been untouched for three years. That could really only mean one of two things—Apple has decided to focus almost entirely on their iOS 4 devices, but will continue to let the iPod Classic sit tight, or that possibly the most significant update is only weeks away.
If Apple does in fact decide to update it, what changes could they make? The obvious update is to add a touchscreen, but that device is already covered. As Josh mentioned, the iPod Classic is mostly used by those who wish to carry their entire libraries with them. Having said that, the iPod touch is now capable of carrying almost 64 GB worth of media, which should be enough to satisfy most, but not all. The unique factor in the iPod classic is, therefore, the size of it’s hard drive. But is there enough of a customer need for Apple to continue to sell and market them?
On the other hand, if Apple decides to discontinue the iPod Classic, I feel that would be a great loss. The iPod Classic is, as its name suggests, the classic iPod; the original design (with a few moderations, of course), and the original idea. I can’t see how it would be in Apple’s best interest to stop production of the iPod Classic. On the same thought, I can’t see much of a reason why they shouldn’t.
The iPod Nano has received a little more love and attention in recent years, with the latest generation gaining a camera—something for which we’re still waiting with the iPod touch. The iPod Nano is the perfect iPod to introduce people to the world of portable music; it’s small, powerful and intuitive to use, and it’s the most popular MP3 player within my non-tech-savvy friends. Apple could easily just upgrade the camera and add more storage to the iPod Nano to keep it fresh, so I’m fairly confident there’s at least a few more years left in the iPod Nano.
With the iPod Shuffle, Apple decided to avoid all complications by removing all but a single switch. The iPod Classic is a much more powerful device than that, so there still needs to be some form of solid user interaction. The Magic Mouse has just a single button, the MacBook trackpad has just a single button, and the new Magic Trackpad has—you guessed it—a single button. Simplicity is Apple’s thing, and, as it stands, the iPod Classic has far too many buttons.
If the iPod Classic is heading towards a touch screen interface, should Apple try to keep it separate from iOS 4, or should it be the fourth device to take advantage of its features and the App Store? How Apple would integrate iOS 4 without making the iPod Classic an iPod touch is difficult to imagine though, leaving very few options open. Would it be a touchscreen click wheel that’s based around iOS 4 with a selection of applications available for such an interface?
Personally, I think that the iPod Classic should stay exactly how it is. As I’ve said, it’s the most iconic MP3 player to date; if you’re drawing an iPod, you’re most likely to be drawing the iPod Classic. Whether it continues to pull in enough income for Apple is probably not all that important. Apple is in a position where it can afford to try new things and take a couple of risks. As long as the iPod Classic continues to at least break even, it should have a place on the shelves of the Apple Store. My prediction for the upcoming iPod media event is that the iPod Classic will see an increase in storage capabilities and use solid state drives. It may also gain a video camera, and perhaps an iPod-specific version of iMovie, to make the device even more media based.
Apple’s main focus will almost certainly stay with their iOS 4 devices. If they can find a way to bring the iPod Classic on board with iOS 4 while keeping it a unique product when compared to the iPod touch, it would surely make for an incredible MP3 player. If it simply stays as the iconic, classic iPod, I don’t think many people will mind.
If the rumors are true, we haven’t got long until we find out for sure.
Can you visualise the next step for the click wheel iPods? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
I hope they keep this one alive. I can't imagine what more can they do to it (besides the obvious hdd increase), but as you say this is the real iPod, an icon, a symbol of great design and engineering of the pre-touch era.
A good quality camera could prabably be a good thing since you have so much disk space to save media but I really think the beauty of the iPod Classic resides on its beatiful and simple design. Adding more hardware features just for the sake of it could be worthless.
This one can be kept alive as musictank with 1TB hdd in it.
If you have an iPod and use it every day, it's only gonna last for so long because that's the reality of consumer products. So the whole argument that "hdd's have moving parts" and that "it's old technology" is really just ridiculous. It doesn't matter. It's not like you ssd fanboys are gonna be rockin' your 2008 iPod touch in ten more years, right? So I really don't see the advantage of going ssd and touchscreen, at least not from a longevity point of view. And it's really not any better with touch if you look at the ergonomics of using the unit. The only advantage of touch as I see it, is the widescreen display if you want to watch video. Which I personally don't. Ultimately, it's up to Apple if they think the classic is pulling in enough dough to justify it's own existence but THIS GUY would be sad if it went away. With an mp3 lib of 120 gigs, I would have to venture into Archos-land or something like that. And no, I'm not gonna bring less than all my songs with me. What's the point of a lib if you don't?
I would like to see the Classic stay the way it is and perhaps adding a dual-disc drive, pushing it upwards to 240 or so gigs. A better battery wouldn't be bad either. Other than that, I don't know. Maybe built-in fm but that's not gonna happen. I think they should start collaborating with artists and/or other brands again, letting people design their signature pods. I would love a classic with a gold backside, for a slightly higher price. Why not give B&O a call, release a Hi-Fi version of the classic together? Better DAC, better headphone amp, little B&O logo on the back. Go.