Katie Marsal![](\"https://photos2.insidercdn.com/images/ipod_nano_fabric_sleeve.jpg\")
Although it has denied that the iPod nano is more susceptible to scratches than any other iPod model, Apple's latest shipments of the ultra-thin digital music player include a new protective sleeve.
Last month, consumers upset about easily scratched or marred iPod nanos filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple, demanding their money back plus a share of the company’s profits.
The suit was later extended when consumers from the United Kingdom and Mexico filed a similar class-action lawsuit against the company in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
Word that Apple — under pressure from the suit — would begin including protective sleeves with the nano was first revealed in a previous AppleInsider report.
Rumor also has it that Apple has instructed its iPod nano manufacturing partner Hon Hai to include an additional layer of protective coating on the latest batch of nanos.
Sources who continue to file accurate reports have said that iPod maker is prepared to ship between 3 and 4 million nanos each month for the three-month period ending December 31st.
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6 Comments
I was going to buy one for my wife anyway. Thank you Apple for good products you make.
Although it has denied that the iPod nano is more susceptible to scratches than any other iPod model... Apple has instructed its iPod nano manufacturing partner Hon Hai to include an additional layer of protective coating on the latest batch of nanos.
(Photo credits: Dave's iPaq Report)
If I remember correctly, Apple's response to reports of extreme scratches was that the same material was being used to coat the Nanos as was used for the larger 4G models. What Apple and the consumer seem to have ignored is that more of the clear plastic is being used. Perhaps the plastic is simply too soft and thick - meaning the more of it, the deeper the gashes become and the more light refracts into the gash distorting, for example, the screen.
Just a theory.
I got an iSkin cover when I bought my iPod Photo, since I understood it would scratch---it's made of PLASTIC.
This is a smart move on Apple's part, but frankly, there's no merit to this class action suit.
Class action lawsuits only benefit teams of lawyers who draw them up, extorting huge settlements from corporations. They are not interested in achieving "justice", they are interested in big money. The lawyers walk away with a couple of million in the settlement and "consumers" who are stupid enough to join in on the lawsuit are eventually given a coupon worth $5.00 for free downloadable music from iTunes.
What bull.
This leads to a little sticker on every box of iPods that reads, "Your iPod can become scuffed or scratched during normal use. Please buy a protective sleeve or cover to ensure your iPod's pristine beauty. Don't steal music. Only you can prevent forest fires. Wear seatbelt at all times. Smoking causes cancer."
If I remember correctly, Apple's response to reports of extreme scratches was that the same material was being used to coat the Nanos as was used for the larger 4G models. What Apple and the consumer seem to have ignored is that more of the clear plastic is being used. Perhaps the plastic is simply too soft and thick - meaning the more of it, the deeper the gashes become and the more light refracts into the gash distorting, for example, the screen.
Just a theory.
There are definitely questions to ask, since it would be really stupid for Apple to tell such an obvious lie. Is the plastic the same or not?
But I don't think it's thickness of the plastic shell itself--that's too thick to scratch all the way through, on any iPod. All full-size iPods have had a thick clear shell with white (or black) underneath that.
If there's some other micro-layer on top of that, though, that could be what Apple is asking to increase.
All full-size iPods have had a thick clear shell with white (or black) underneath that.
But that's exactly the point - all iPods have a thick clear shell, but none so thick as the new iPods. I held a nano and an iPod video for the first time the other day and immediately noticed that the clear pastic coating is much thicker than my iPod 4G.
Yes, it's the same plastic, but there's more of it.
Scratches on reflective material show up in light because the light reflects back on itself inside the gash, highlighting it. This is why scratches always look worse under a camera flash. This is also why the backlit screens on the new iPods are becoming distorted.
With the old iPods, the thinner shells prevented scratches from being deep enough to distort the screen. The new iPods have very thick shells, which means scratches can be deeper, which mean they are more distortive, etc.
If I'm correct, thickening the shell will only worsen the problem.