[ThinkInsane]

Rumor has it that a $100 iPod (5 gig) will be released Friday at Apple Stores.

I think that's a great idea. A decent amount of storage at a price point that won't make people balk. I hear a lot of people complain, not geeks, just regular people, of paying $300 for a music player. I have often had people checking out my iPod, telling me how cool it is, and ask the price. When I have told them, they looked at me like I was crazy. This would bring the price down to a reasonable level for a lot of people. I hope this rumor pans out.

[wdlove]

I am anxious to see what other specials will be offered at the Apple Store on Friday. Stil don't really have any interest in the iPod.

[disectamac]

would be pretty cool if they did it but I doubt it. I just dont see the point from Apple's shoes. How are they making a buck on this? then again I dont much about Apple's product costs/cost of goods sold/profit margin on iPods.

100bucks?? naww I thought one of the biggest reasons for not making much money in the music store was so they could cash in selling iPods....but at 100bucks an iPod?

[philzilla]

i'd consider buying one for a friend of mine, if they were that cheap. bring it on.

[Nonsuch]

I'm skeptical, but if Apple really could make a $100 iPod, they wouldn't be able to build them fast enough. Hell, I'd buy one, and I haven't been in a position where I could even think about buying one before. Here's hoping with you.

[King Bob On The Cob]

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
Rumor has it that a $100 iPod (5 gig) will be released Friday at Apple Stores.

I think that's a great idea. A decent amount of storage at a price point that won't make people balk. I hear a lot of people complain, not geeks, just regular people, of paying $300 for a music player. I have often had people checking out my iPod, telling me how cool it is, and ask the price. When I have told them, they looked at me like I was crazy. This would bring the price down to a reasonable level for a lot of people. I hope this rumor pans out.

I would be ALL over that.
I wonder if the buttons would be built like a 3rd generation with solid state buttons (I really like the easy cleaning of solid state buttons)?

But then again street value of a Toshiba 5GB is still $149 (according to the first site that popped up on google) even if they ordered bulk (they could probably get them at $75 a pop if they ordered 100000 of them) they still would be only getting a $5 return after you factor in the other parts.

But then again, Steve said he would do what it took to release a $99 iPod if the price point for the technology dropped down enough.

Maybe a $100 price drop across the board to match Dell's latest offerings in price, with a 5 Gig to round out the bottom end?

[davesimondotcom]

If they built a $100 iPod, even just 5 Gig, in the form of the 3G iPods, that would be killer. But I'm skeptical.

I love my 5 Gigger, but want an upgrade. My wife will get my current one when I get a larger model. (I run files for work between work and home via my iPod.)

[NYCFarmboy]

I have a 5 gig first generation....

would love another 5 gig for 100 bucks.

These would be awesome stocking stuffers!

They would probably sell out!

[benign]

Only in the land of Apple commercial
wares is $100 so cheap it's inconceivable!

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
Rumor has it that a $100 iPod (5 gig) will be released Friday at Apple Stores.

I think you are living up to your username if you believe that.

I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't think this rumour is true.

[typoon]

Heck Yeah If they had 5 gigs for 100 bucks Heck I'd buy one as well. I'd buy 2 or 3 for that matter. My mom wants an iPod and would never be able to come close to filling a 10 gig but a 5 gig would be ideal. For 100 bucks I could stuff a few stockings with it.

[Turias]

Hmmm, the 10GB model is currently $299. No way can they knock off 5GB and save $200. Don't get me wrong, I would love it if Apple could do this, but it just ain't gonna happen.

[- - e r i k - -]

As likely as a snowman in hell.

Repeat after me: The harddrive is not the major cost of an iPod.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
As unlikely as a snowman in hell.

Repeat after me: The harddrive is not the major cost of an iPod.

So then, what is?

[Turias]

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
As unlikely as a snowman in hell.

This sentence confuses me. It's like a double-negative... with only one negative! Are you saying that you think Apple can do this, or that they can't? To me it seems that you think they can...

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Millennium:
So then, what is?

Sorry. Meant cost differentiator. A 5 GB is not $200 off a 10 GB, not even close. In manufacturing costs a 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB or 40GB are a whole lot closer than one might think. The iPod-pricing is research and development. It's a complex equation in which the size of the harddrive plays a very minor part.

On the other hand Apple might want to play the loss leader card here, though unlikely due to the iTunes music store filling that role already.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally posted by Turias:
This sentence confuses me. It's like a double-negative... with only one negative! Are you saying that you think Apple can do this, or that they can't? To me it seems that you think they can...

It does? My abilities to communicate falls drasticly after a long day's work.

[iWrite]

If that is true they will blow those things out of there left and right.

I'll buy two or three myself right before Christmas -- no question about it. I'll give them to people for Christmas along with the receipt. If they like it then they can keep it or they can take it into Apple Store near them and return it and upgrade it for a model with more storage space.

BOTTOM LINE: AWESOME!

[typoon]

Though this is only a rumor who knows. NOthing would surprise me with Apple. They ALWAYS seem to pull some surprise.

[wifedoer68]

Oh man... if they did pull that off... I'd get one in a SECOND. Easily. That would be incredibly, but somehow I see 150-175 being more 'realistic'.

I hope I'm wrong.

- Ca$h

[cjrivera]

Anyone have a Famous-Barr department store nearby?

I think, today they're having a 20% off coupon day, and they now stock iPod's. Granted you have to pay tax, but the savings may be enough. Plus, if you sign up for one of their credit cards, you can (or at least used to be able) to get an additional 5-10% off you first purchase using their card.

Guess where I'm going today......

[Nonsuch]

For those who seem sure this won't happen, remember Jobs did tell a Newsweek reporter that Apple was looking for a way to sell iPods in the $100 range. It's not inconceivable (though also not too likely) that they found a way.

[Krusty]

Originally posted by wifedoer68:
Oh man... if they did pull that off... I'd get one in a SECOND. Easily. That would be incredibly, but somehow I see 150-175 being more 'realistic'.

I hope I'm wrong.

- Ca$h

Same here ... I could see a pricing scheme like $149(5), $249(10), $349(20), $449(40).

But you never know .. Apple may do something crazy like selling the 5 for $100 ... from Turkey-day thru Christmas. They really do need to build up their user base of iPods rapidly right now before the Dell player and forthcoming Windows music store get off the ground.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

I don't understand how they could get it that cheap. Even if the drive itself was $50 you still need to take all the other parts into consideration and the headphones, packaging etc. Plus are they even making the 5 gig drive anymore? I could has sworn they cancelled it.

[dillerX]

Maybe this is a one day deal? 5GB for $99 one day only or something?

[disectamac]

From the article ....err.... paragraph:
"We have an unconfirmed rumor report that the .........."

An 'unconfirmed rumor report'? which is one step down from a 'confirmed rumor report' but still a rumor, and right on par with something that might be posted at MacOSrumors.

I hope im wrong too but......

We might see something like buy any iMac and get and iPod for $100bucks.....or buy something of greater value than (Y) at the apple store and get an iPod for $100 bucks.

[Dale Sorel]

If I can get an iPod for a Jackson I probably will

[ThinkInsane]

Look at it this way, Apple releases a $100 iPod, people will buy them up like crazy. All the people that wanted one, but couldn't justify the expenditure. At that price point they could probably easily secure their dominance in the portable music player biz, with all the competitors coming out of the wood work.

Now, you have all these people with 5 gig iPods, but like myself, they realize they could really use a bigger one. They upgrade, to accommodate their needs. I think it makes good business sense, even if they don't make a nickel on the 5 gigs.

The only reason I haven't upgraded mine is sentimental value.

Hey, is that the original disectamac up there posting? Where the hell you been for the last two years? Good to see ya back buddy!

[disectamac]

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
Hey, is that the original disectamac up there posting? Where the hell you been for the last two years? Good to see ya back buddy!

Thx and yes it is me, eh, Ive been around just not around here ever since I got into it with Wlonh over.....well Id rather not post the nature of our disagreements on the board, but hey I guess Misha isnt around anymore either eh?

Its amazing to comeback and see everyone i remember with so many posts now.... starman, super chicken, yourself (a moderator now? good for you) and cipher , andi pandi, and so many others. and Ca$h? wifedoer? is it? maybe not a high post count but thats probably do to being banned a few times.

[ckohler]

I have no real faith in this rumor. None the less, it did occur to me that if Apple gave this rumored iPod a different enclosure, one with no chrome or touch-sensative buttons, maybe they could sell it for less. A much more "plastic" iPod, per say.

[Powaqqatsi]

Originally posted by disectamac:
and Ca$h? wifedoer? is it? maybe not a high post count but thats probably do to being banned a few times.

A few times ?

anyway: yeah If they release somthing like that I'm all over it.

[Shaddim]

Heh, if this is true, I know what the members of my family are getting for Christmas.

[Beewee]

I could see $199 for an ipod. But I can't imagine them going that low.
I hope I am wrong though...

[Krypton]

For $100 it would surely be a solid state affair, or maybe one of those tiny 1.5 Gb drives.

[Jens Peter]

If it happends to be true, I hope it's not an *only american* thing!
I wan't to buy my brother one!

[vmpaul]

Apple is going to be undercut price-wise at some point (a new Sony device probably). It would be interesting to see them gobble-up market share with a lower-priced iPod.

Then again, market-share with this type a gadget probably doesn't compare to market-share in the computer area.

$100 sounds low, $150 sounds more realistic.

[nate_02]

I would buy an iPod right away if it was $100.

[daimoni]

.

[Superchicken]

300 for a 10 gig, unless they drop the price of the ten gig I don't see it. 150 would be realistic and I'd still pay for it! I want an iPod but I can't get one for under 400 CND which is bloody ridiculous so I'm not gona buy one. But I'd REALLY love one. I'm planning on getting Fireworks 2004, for Christmas, but if apple came out with a cheap iPod for a little over 200 CND I would be like.. K forget fireworks parents... David wants an ipod!

[daimoni]

.

[christ]

Originally posted by daimoni:
Did we really need to find out that your parents read your posts here?

The least they could do is spell check for you.

Nah - he's probably on their 'ignore' list!

[sanity assassin]

I don't know, be great if it did come out, but wouldn't it be more costly to produce a 5GB iPod, than say a 40GB? What I mean is, 5GB HDs aren't really common anymore, and manufacturers are probably producing more higher capacity drives than 5GB, so they'd probably charge more to produce a component that isn't as common as the other.

A bit like if I was to go asking Intel to start manufacturing Pentium 75's for my handheld.

Hope it happens though.

[Superchicken]

Originally posted by daimoni:
Did we really need to find out that your parents read your posts here?

The least they could do is spell check for you.

I said I would be like... parents forget Fireworks. IE I would say "parents, I no longer want Fireworks, apple came out with a cheap iPod I would rather you spend your money on that."

Oi vey.

[daimoni]

.

[Jens Peter]

Originally posted by daimoni:


That didn't even occur to me. What other hardware does Apple sell that is 'USA only'?

I said that because it's an Apple store event. And there are no store outside US.

I just thought that prehaps it will only be in the 'real' stores, and not online. But who knows ?

[Brien]

ohh, I hope it's true!

[daimoni]

.

[joe_kr]

Originally posted by daimoni:
Right now, it's a Rumor Event.

Somebody let me know if that changes.

it's a real event

http://www.apple.com/retail/

Someone you know loves music
You�ll want to kick off your holiday shopping at the Apple Store. We�ll be hosting an all-day shopping event designed especially for the music lovers on your list. Whether they�re Mac or Windows users, you�ll find a scintillating array of gifts, plus, a few surprises in store for you.
Friday, November 28

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by joe_kr:
it's a real event

The event is real but every store has an event on the day after T-day. There is no proof there will be new iPods though.
And at $100? I highly doubt it.
Maybe at $149 and at that price it would have to be below 3 gigs and be neutered. No calendar, contacts, games, recording, and a very small ROM chip that could not be flashed with any newer software or upgrades. And maybe only available on the Mac platform. Unless of course this really only is a one day Apple Store event.
Anything short of that and it would kill sales of the 10 gig iPod and drag down the prices of the other higher capacity models. Its not that I don't see how the demand would be there but it is just not something Apple would do, it cuts into the all important profit margins.

[dillerX]

Maybe it is a one day, $99 off sale current models?