Katie MarsalSpeaking to clients in a research note Monday, investment research firm Piper Jaffray said it believes Apple will soon introduce a new breed of video iPods based around the same technologies used in the iPhone handset.
Munster said the new digital media players will likely have touch-screen media features akin to the iPhone, but will not include wireless phone capabilities or Internet features.
The analyst's comments appear to draw from those of Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, who during an internal Apple meeting last month hinted that the company was working on next-generation iPods that, like iPhone, would run an embedded version of the Mac OS X operating system.
In his note to clients, Munster went on to say new touch-screen video iPods could both curb cannibalization of the players by iPhone and boost the company's margins at the same time.
The analyst estimates yearly iPod growth to fall from 35 percent in fiscal 2007 to just 13 percent by fiscal 2009. However, he notes that OS X-based iPods with some of iPhone's features could help lessen the impact of the cannibalization.
"We believe iPhone buyers are looking for a better mobile phone, and the iPod features are an added bonus," the analyst wrote. "Based on recent survey work, we believe most the current iPod base is simply looking for a better iPod.
Munster speculated that new video iPods in the $299 price range, which include some of the iPhone's new iPod features but not its telephony and Internet capabilities, would likely address such demand.
Should those new OS X-based iPod models share iPhone components and software, it will add economies of scale to the iPhone business, he said.
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56 Comments
But it's got to have the WiFi! I wouldn't even care if it was just 802.11b rather than g or n, and I could live without Bluetooth. Take the damn phone portion, but give me wireless. (Skype wouldn't hurt, either.) They can take the cheap, zoomless camera, too.
Papa needs a new iPod!
Macworld is making the next-gen iPod? And he actually saw them?
Ohhhhh, I get it. You mean that he predicts it will be available before the next Macworld Conference. Riiiight.
January 2008??? Meh.
It would be a real mistake for Apple to miss the '07 holiday season on this one. \ The longer Apple waits, the more likely some tard competitor like MS or Samsung or Sony releases a crude touchscreen player before them, with all the attendant marketing claims that they're the innovator, they got there first, etc. etc.
And while $299 is the 'nice' pricepoint for a high-end, touchscreen iPod, I'll bet Apple finds a way to miss it. Prolly they release two touchscreen iPods at $349 and $449 (!), especially if they go with flash memory... which admittedly is still quite pricey (but whose lower power requirements are a nice offset to the greater power drain of a huge 'iPhonelike' screen).
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January just won't do. I am nursing along my 3G 15GB iPod. I've used it everyday for 3 1/2 years and its starting to show wear.
I've found myself staring at the 30GB ipods at best buy (now only 249!!!). I am like, I SOOOO Could just pick one up. . . but I know that I should wait for this one.
I agree with the above posters . . . just give me the WIFI option. I would love a portable mini-browser for when I am on the go.
You can even charge me $399 for it.
My Guess:
30GB (flash) iPod (touchscreen like iPhone).
with WIFI $399
without WIFI $299
60GB version
with WIFI $499
without $399
But it's got to have the WiFi! I wouldn't even care if it was just 802.11b rather than g or n, and I could live without Bluetooth. Take the damn phone portion, but give me wireless. (Skype wouldn't hurt, either.) They can take the cheap, zoomless camera, too.
Papa needs a new iPod!
For once, I agree with an analyst. The world must be coming to an end.
I think it's far more likely that the new video iPod will have just the iPod features of iPhone, and not the WiFi/Safari capabilities. It's the best way to ensure that you don't cannibalize iPhone or iPod sales. And it's the only way to keep the price in line.
I'm more interested in seeing how they solve the storage issue myself. For me to get a new iPod, I'd need more than the 80 GB of storage I already have. That means sticking with hard drives for now, which might be bulky on a new iPod with a touch screen.
If they went all Flash RAM, the biggest iPod I could envision would be 32 GB. Otherwise, it'll end up costing more than $299 for sure.
And meanwhile the nano would probably have to remain non-touch screen. I can't see a screen that small being easy to tap with your thumbs.