[mikeylee]

So, I am thinking the next gen iPod is going to look a lot like the iPhone just without the wireless service. What do you think.
mikeylee

P.S. I would love a device like the iPhone just without the phone because I tried AT&T and just did not get reception where I needed it. m

[Visnaut]

I certainly hope so.

My lust for the iPhone's form factor and touch interface would certainly be satisfied by an iPod with the same attributes.

If they claim the iPhone is the best iPod they've ever built, it wouldn't make sense if future full-size iPods weren't as good. It would be even better if it had WiFi and Widgets/Safari.

I can see the nano keeping the click wheel for a bit longer though. It would be very hard to be precise with a touch interface on a surface that small.

[abbaZaba]

I don't think anyone asked themselves this very question, like, as soon as we saw the iPhone

[mikeylee]

Oh...abba...was that sarcasm? :-)

[analogika]

Actually, I asked myself that question the second I first saw the original version of CoverFlow that SteelSkies software put out two years ago (that was then bought by Apple and integrated into iTunes).

I knew I wasn't buying another iPod until it had *that*.

[mdc]

I wonder if iTunes' fullscreen coverflow will ever let us flip over the album art and select a track?
Lock the screen to that, and you have the coolest party mode

[mikeylee]

mdc,
I thought that feature (other than the locking feature) was shown on the iPhone demo video.
I started this post because I had not seen it before. Thought maybe I was a forward thinker...reckon not. :-)
mikeylee

[MattJeff]

the next ipod better have that. wireless wouldn't be bad either...

[Visnaut]

From Ars Technica's internal Apple Stevenote article:

He then expanded upon OS X, and what it means for the business. There is one OS group that does Mac OS X for the Mac and the iPhone, as well as "some iPods we're working on." Could it be that the next major revision to the iPod video will, in fact, be a widescreen iPod similar to that of the iPhone? We're not sure, but it definitely sounds like Steve is leaning in that direction.

I think that pretty much confirms it. Can't wait to see what that will look like!

[analogika]

So does this interview: http://forums.macnn.com/103/ipod-iph...d-wall-street/

[Dakarʒ]

I wonder how much an OS X enabled 30GB iPod would go for. Price bump?

[xi_hyperon]

Good question. Depends if they starting using flash memory across their whole iPod line or not. If not, then I would assume the prices would stay in the neighborhood of the current lineup. I'm not up on flash memory prices, but I would assume the cost of 30GB would be way far north of what a comparable iPod-sized hard drive costs.

[JonoMarshall]

I'm intrigued how the next-gen iPod will rival/compliment the iPhone other than by being a hassle-free player with a cheaper price point?

Can anyone think of possible new (original) features?

[Visnaut]

Originally Posted by JonoMarshall 

I'm intrigued how the next-gen iPod will rival/compliment the iPhone other than by being a hassle-free player with a cheaper price point?

Can anyone think of possible new (original) features?

Creating playlists and smart playlists right on the device would be cool.

Games would probably be a bigger focus, since it would presumably have more battery life available without the cellphone components.

If it had Wi-fi it could also it could check for, and download audio and video podcasts as soon as they're available.

But of course, if it did have Wi-fi, the ability to browse the web would be amazing. Imagine how much further ahead it would put them against the competition when you can browse the web on the iPod. It would make other players look absolutely ancient.

Wi-fi would be relatively cheap and easy to add to the iPod since, if it's running OS X, and Safari is just another application they've already developed for the iPhone. It's just a question of whether that would eat too much into the potential market of the iPhone.

[JonoMarshall]

^ Surely those kind of features start to step on the iPhones turf though, or did the iPhone step on the iPods turf, eek, I'm so confused!

[Visnaut]

Originally Posted by JonoMarshall 

^ Surely those kind of features start to step on the iPhones turf though, or did the iPhone step on the iPods turf, eek, I'm so confused!

Yes, definitely. So I wouldn't be surprised if they kept it to being strictly a music/movie player.

But again, another interesting quote from the Ars article:

Someone from the audience asked whether Apple was concerned about cannibalization of business from the iPod with the introduction of the iPhone, and Steve answered that if there's going to be cannibalization of Apple, they want it to be by Apple.

So it would seem Apple is primarily concerned with making devices that people want.

Though of course, they'll want to milk the iPhone for as many sales as possible in order to hit the 10 million unit mark they've imposed for themselves in the first year.

So as for a touch-screen OSX-based iPod, it's a question of when, not if.

[Dakarʒ]

I wouldn't be surprised if their contract with AT&T prohibited them from introducing a similiar non-phone device for a year or two.

[ajprice]

The 5G iPod is 30 and 80GB, an iPhone is 4 and 8Gb. The base model 6G iPod will probably be at least 40Gb storage, top model maybe 100Gb or over. When people buy a phone with storage space, or a music player, whether its Apple or not, they are going to have a general idea of how much storage they need. So I can't see people shopping for one being swayed by the other, the iPhone and iPod are not the same market. What I can see is people buying an iPhone instead of a different phone AND an iPod nano.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Steve seemed to say there are "Upcoming OSX iPods" so that must mean everything but the phone.