Apple’s silence on iPod speaks volumes

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Has the iPod become the Matt Hasselbeck of Apple Inc.’s product line?

For 10 years, Hasselbeck was the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. He led the team to its only trip to the Super Bowl. But this summer, the Seahawks chose to go in another direction and let Hasselbeck go. Since then, Hasselbeck has passed for more than 600 yards in his first two games with the Tennessee Titans.

Like Hasselbeck’s performance, the iPod’s numbers are still good, but both have seen better days.

.....(snip).....

Sales of the IPod are in decline. Over the past four quarters, unit sales are down 12.5% from the prior year, while revenue has fallen by 6.2%. That’s probably why more than half of September has gone by without a single word from Apple about what has for several years been a company tradition — holding an event during September devoted to the newest versions of, and changes to, the iPod. (On Wednesday, reports emerged of an Apple event for Oct. 4 that will feature a new iPhone, not an iPod. Read more on AllThingsD. ) ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apples-silence-on-ipod-speaks-volumes-2011-09-21?Link=obinsite

They are going with cheaper iPhones instead.

Traditional iPods will probably mostly disappear.

Tesha

Own both a smartphone and an ipod? You can get download music to both.

It's a matter of quantity. I have my one car wired to connect an ipod directly to the car system. If I plug my phone in to that to listen to that music, it drains my phones battery but won't charge it (but it will charge an ipod). So I have a small capacity ipod that I use for my car and keep in there.

You just have way more memory in an IPOD than my smart phone. I like the Ipod, but not the Iphone.

For me the problem is my Ipod is great, has huge capacity. Thus it is still working fine and I have yet to come close to filling it. The need for another is small. I the ear when they were getting larger capacity, better software getting the new ipod seemed attractive. Now the classic ipod design isn't changing much, the nano doesn't do anything the classic doesn't and the iphone doesn't work in my neighborhood and doesn't pick up the 4g my phone does. It seems to me Apple moved from ipod promotion to iphone and now has seen the Ipod stagnate is the technology of the players doesn't change much. Since a lot of people don't like the iphone, it's no wonder ipod sales are less impressive these days.

I have no issues with the phone itself. But luckily most places I am most days the reception is fine.

But yeah, the capacity leaves a lot to be desired and I also don't want to keep hooking and unhooking it to my car.

For $100 I got an ipod classic, loaded it up with close to 10,000 songs and when I'm driving I can listen to whatever the heck I want.

At one point I was a device launch team member. At that point! I often had to carry 3-5 pre-launch devices at one time to ensure their useablity. That's my block. :rofl:

The less gadgets for me - the better. You ever try to get into the old Yankees stadium with a bunch of phones wrapped in duct tape? Oi vey! :rofl:

iPod Touch (solid state like iPhone) largest capacity 64GB
iPod Classic (hard drive) largest capacity 160GB
iPhone largest capacity 32GB

My 160Gb iPod holds my entire music collection, hundreds of hours of video, and thousands of photos. I can also use it as a portable storage device to move large files that are too big for Flash drives.

Most smartphones, on the other hand, have between 8 and 32Gb of storage, which has to be shared with the onboard camera, applications, etc. There's substantially less room for "stuff". Smartphone fans will quickly point out that the 16Gb on my current smartphone is still a lot of room and that stuff can be moved around...but why? When I grab my iPod, I know I'll have my entire audio library without having to mess with it. With my smartphone, I'd be constantly moving things back and forth between my computer and my phone, and would inevitably find myself wanting to listen to something I didn't have at some point.

Smartphone storage capacity will eventually catch up with MP3 players and the point will become moot, but until that happens, the players will continue to have buyers among those with larger music collections.

(OK, it's not really an iPod, it's another mp3 player). I've had the mp3 player a lot longer, and I use it mainly for listening to recorded books: I get them from the library, use the MS media player to transfer them to the device, and delete them when I'm finished with them - the ability to delete materials is important for me, since I don't want my devices cluttered up. Most importantly, the mp3 player fits in my pocket more comfortably, which is important since I like to listen while I'm working in the garden or out walking. The iphone's bulkier and less convenient to carry for routine use.

the only thing to own.

20gig ipod from 2005. Yes I'm a dinosaur too. Hate cell phones, especially the smart ones. They are smarter than me, and I have to have my teens show me how to use them...Still Ipods are great. All my music, albums from the 70s to new stuff finds its way onto my ipod....

I can leave it plugged into my car for music on the road.

in manufacturing has to be great! Do they come with a "No suicide pledge" COA these days?

and APPLE has moved production away...

Here are other products done there.

MICROSOFT keyboards and mice.

Computer monitors

Do you own a cell phone? Where was it manufactured, Xanadu? Apple is just the whipping post for a new generation of haters...because Microsoft has become irrelevant.

.

being told repeatedly by Jobs fanboys that Apple was different, green, "cool," progressive, and good - but then finding out they engage in the same business and manufacturing processes of evil companies too.

I never heard Apple was "green," and I've used their products for over two decades now. As a corporation, they ARE different...all the way down to the packaging. Remember when Mac's used to come in plain corrugated boxes? Now they're in white boxes, but still with minimal packaging. But hey, what do I know.

I think Green Peace and Al Gore helped push them in a greener direction. I know they have worked at removing toxic materials from their computers.

But I know I do have items that people have suffered to bring to market. I try not to but it's nigh impossible.
I just figure the best we can do is be the change we want to see. For me that change is more important than a new toy.

It is a lifeline. Could I carry a note pad, a flashlight, a walkie-talkie, an address book, a video camera, a telephone, etc, etc, with me all the time? Sure. It would be cumbersome, but I could do it. But I don't have to, because there are devices that do all the for me in one small package. So, measure the effects...I have one device manufactured that does the work of several. Do you think my note pad wouldn't be made in China? How about my flashlight or video camera? Made where? Do you know of any good American video camera manufacturers? You have to weigh it all out...unfortunately, virtually EVERYTHING is made in China these days.

I stopped cheering for him...he was outspoken in his love for the dude...ugh.

Glad to see him gone, they did it to get a first draft pick next year, some great guy coming up.

I knew I didn't want any iProduct. And I am still very happy with my Cowon S9 Media Player. I know people with their pods and smart phones that play music, and so far, most are impressed with mine, thanks partly to its battery life (55 hours for music, 18 for video.) The other reason they like it over theirs is audio format supported.

Two years ago I was discovering high-quality audio formats, such as FLAC, Ogg, and APE. iPods won't play these formats without converting them, which is too bad, since you then lose quality. With the Yuin PK3 earbuds bought last year, I was amazed at frequency response, and managed to really impress my "everything apple" brother.

Apple never has been the only player out there for personal audio, only the most popular. That doesn't mean they're the best, as is also pointed out in these reviews of their competitors:

iPod alternative myth: products that can replace my iPod

Apple iPod touch 2G vs. Cowon S9 vs. Samsung P3

:)

Any problems with your S9? What earphones do you use?

BTW, if you have some major disposable cash check out the HiFiMan products. Especially the HiFiMAN HM-801 Portable Player. $790.00 for the ultimate portable music player. Uses SDHC Cards for unlimited space.

http://www.hifiman.us/products/?pid=71

http://head-direct.com/

http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=72

There are some higher-end PKs, but I think they all require inline headphone amplifiers, unlike the PK3s. I got them from Head Direct, so it's cool you know about that site, too :)

The only problem I've had with my S9 is the slider power-button had to be replaced because the plastic button part broke after two years of daily use. The internal switch may have needed replacing, too, as I was getting some skipping when holding it down for shutting off. I sent it off to their service center in California and they fixed it for $27, including shipping. However, it took them three weeks from when it left me to when I received it back again. It was like they directed FedEx to take the slowest route possible! Still, it was worth the wait. If audio-quality is important, then I think the S9 is a good buy.

And no, I don't have that kind of money for a portable, but am looking at docked portables for the player. I think I found one, but don't recall the brand. I have a link at home, and will post it later :)