[afix]

I'm considering buying an iPod, but am in no real hurry. My question is, how long do you speculate until the next gen iPod will come out?

The main reason I am asking is because I've heard the iPodmini has a much superior screen/backlight, which I hope they will incorporate into the next gen. What other features do you suppose will be added?

[::maroma::]

This is just a guess here (somewhat educated), but I would say that we'll see new iPods at the next Macworld Expo (in June I believe). What features might be on those iPods, I have no clue.

[halogen8]

If you can wait, then do it. It shouldn't be very long before Apple replaces the current iPod with a version that has an aluminum case similar to the mini. The current iPod's case gets scratched very easily, even in a protective case.

[mdc]

from appleinsider.com

sources: Apple readying 4th-generation iPod

By Kasper Jade
03-17-2004
11:00 AM EST
Apple Computer is preparing to unveil the 4th-generation of its flagship iPod music player, reliable sources told AppleInsider last week.

Excluding the introduction of the iPod-mini in January, over half a year has passed since the company last update the iPod product-line on September 8th.

While sources could not pin-point a specific day or month of introduction, they said the soon to be released player would boast a 50GB hard disk capable of holding 12,500 songs and carry an approximate cost of $499.

Unlike the recent capacity-centric revisions to the iPod line, the 4th-generation iPod will host a number of architectural advancements and new features. Most apparent, sources say, is the presence of a 2-inch color screen for displaying photos stored on the pod, from the palm of your hand.

The player will reportedly also adopt a video output jack that will allow users to connect their iPods to television sets, sources said. Meanwhile, no mention was made in regards to an output jack capable of relaying audio to a home entertainment center.

Sticking true to its form and identity, sources said the 4th-generation player reflects very few external changes, but will sport a revised set of navigation controls most similar to those found on the iPod-mini.

In order to accommodate the new color screen, a revised version of the iPod's embedded OS will most likely be required, sources said. The company is also rapidly developing a major update to its iTunes jukebox software, also due this year.

Apple will celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the iTunes Music Store next month, with April 28 acting as a potential candidate for music related announcements.

[hart]

I want it! Sometimes I think I'm one of the last people without those little white ear buds but if this rumor pans out I'll finally cough up the cash.

[afix]

Awesome! I'll have to wait. I doubt they'll upgrade the capacity of the 299.99 seeing that they recently did, but one can only hope.

[HotSoup]

I'd wait a couple of months, I think it'll be worth it.

[rezzi]

I'd jump for an Apple branded phone with built-in MP3 playback that supported iTunes.

[MikeD]

With this talk of photo playback.....

Wouldn't it be nice if there was mpeg 4 playback capability? Playing your imovies or any quicktime file stored on your iPod directly to your TV!!! Now that would be something!!

Mike

[rezzi]

I'd just be very satisfied with 'Quicktime lite' playback ability. Connecting it for playback to your TV would be the icing, though. The rumors clouds are starting to gather & swirl again. Not sure what exactly, but something's a-coming.

[yoyoman]

ITs not worth video play back. Iv seen the sony one its hard on the eyes and very expensive. And as for a color screen to view your text of things like music its just gonna cost us the consumer more most likely. Now if they went oled like kodac did with there digital camera. that would be a trip. As for video its not worth it. Get a 12 inch power book or ibook if you want a high end source to watch video's.

[halogen8]

Originally posted by rezzi:
I'd just be very satisfied with 'Quicktime lite' playback ability. Connecting it for playback to your TV would be the icing, though. The rumors clouds are starting to gather & swirl again. Not sure what exactly, but something's a-coming.

I agree, I'd love to be able to play DIVX and MOV files from my iPod on my TV. I have no need for an iPod that has a color screen, especially considering the battery life a color version would probably be 4-5 hours. For me, that's not acceptable. Even the 8 hours my 3rd gen iPod gets is a little too short for me.

[afix]

I'd like to think Job's is a little more smarter than to sacrafice 3 hours of battery for a visual thing. If it does have a color screen, it'll not be at the cost of performance.

[Frisbee]

Or maybe the 4Gs will ship with better batteries...?

[simonjames]

It won't have video and video-out is (IMO) not on the cards but it will have a version of iPhoto to show photos on the new colour screen.

Apple will try to consolidate and build iLife and at the same time try to tempt customers to jump from PC-land to Apple. To get better sales of the iPod they released a windows version of iTunes - I think they would be making a big mistake if they released a windows version of iPhoto. Apple make their profits on hardware sales and by incorporating iPhoto into the iPod will only make the device even more desireable.

[GORDYmac]

Methinks the iPod is starting to look more and more like Apple's Trojan Horse.

[Zoom]

I could see Steve adding video, or at least still picture capability. If they move to the iPod Mini button scheme, then they would have room to increase the screen size without changing the overall dimensions of the unit (ie, the dedicated 4 little circles would be gone). And if they used OLEDs, maybe that would save battery life. Furthermore, maybe there's a newer, smaller hard drive that would allow them to have a larger battery in the same space (though obviously not the drive in the Mini).

I think movies would be a waste of time, but being able to show pictures would be cool, and having a larger screen size would be very nice.

With the video-out capabilities, you might be able to show movies on your TV, though.

Here's the dream machine... a video iPod with a dedicated home entertainment system dock that has power, video and audio out. When selected, it shows the artist, track, title, time, etc on your TV, AND it does the visuals from iTunes! Talk about a party machine.

I have no idea if that little CPU can handle all that, but I would think that in dedicated dock mode, with solid DC power input, you could ratchet up the CPU cycles and do it (ie, two power modes: battery and plugged-in).

I don't think that anyone would ever watch serious videos on something this small, though - it would have to be done with an external monitor.

Maybe the dedicated home entertainment dock would actually have some circuitry in it... maybe this is the long-awaited set-top appliance. The iPod acts as the storage device, but the appliance does the real work.

As long as I'm dreaming, I want an Apple car head unit, one that let's me slide my iPod in and gives me a nice car front end.

[John G. Stillmank]

Apple should design an iPod that has a rechargeable battery that slides onto the back and locks in place. There could be more than one size (slim or fat), you could own several, you could have a dock / charger that could hold the iPod and a battery, charging both.

The problem of not being able to replace a dying battery would go away, and Apple could sell lots of batteries and chargers. There should be an option to charge the battery without the dock too.

For myself, I would not mind having a fatter battery on the back to extend playback time when I need it, or using the slimmer battery when size and weight are the important issue. There could even be one you load with regular or rechargeable AA or AAA batteries if you want.

[Zoom]

Originally posted by John G. Stillmank:
Apple should design an iPod that has a rechargeable battery that slides onto the back and locks in place. There could be more than one size (slim or fat), you could own several, you could have a dock / charger that could hold the iPod and a battery, charging both.

Excellent idea. I like it, for all the reasons you mentioned.

[robby818]

I would love to see an OLED screen on the iPod. Unfortunately, it is still pretty expensive to manufacture. I think Kodak is currently offering a 2" OLED on a digital camera and I believe low color versions are used in some Pioneer car stereos but that is about it. I understand that OLED not only improves battery life but also is very visible even in direct sunlight.

[yoyoman]

oled is cheeper than lcd so they say. sayno has a oled screens as well. Sony does in japan.
Oled is thinner
Oled is cheeper
Oled is brighter with higher resolution
Oled less watts less powers

Thinner = thinner ipod and thinner over all so you can stick in a bigger battery and keep it the same size. For the most part though you don't really need color to find the name of the song.

[vamr]

For the most part though you don't really need color to find the name of the song.

For the most part, you do not need an ipod to listen to music but it's nice.

[yoyoman]

with out a ipod what would u listen music with when walking aroud or at the gym.

[vamr]

Oh come now, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives.

[yoyoman]

not that run aac. Most dont run aac. ANd most dont have a calander or a game which I love. Do the other ones have notes you can add or ingravings in the back as a gift?

[southtdi]

I still am convinced that bluetoth will be incorporated. To me it just makes ense that it's built in both for syncing music, photos (if actually added), and contacts (fot those that use it). this is not to mention the ability to rndevous ipod music with others you meet and the holy grail of having wireless earbuds. As long as it has a small BT remote with lcd, i'm game.

[vamr]

not that run aac. Most dont run aac. ANd most dont have a calander or a game which I love. Do the other ones have notes you can add or ingravings in the back as a gift?

Err...I'm afraid that is irrelevant. It does not hinder nor amplify the fundamental ability to listen to music but.... one may find it a more pleasurable experience. As would the addition of a colour screen have on the ipod.
Need is hardly on the horizon when you speak of aesthetics.

[::maroma::]

Originally posted by southtdi:
I still am convinced that bluetoth will be incorporated. To me it just makes ense that it's built in both for syncing music, photos (if actually added), and contacts (fot those that use it). this is not to mention the ability to rndevous ipod music with others you meet and the holy grail of having wireless earbuds. As long as it has a small BT remote with lcd, i'm game.

Bluetooth is much too slow for music transfers. Bluetooth for a headset and/or remote though would be sweet!

[mattyd]

too slow to transfer your whole library, but if you're just updating a few songs or playlists, then it could be acceptable.

battery life might be a huge issue with BT, though.

[typoon]

I hope they move to the Mini scroll wheel. That thing is nice. It would definitely give them the ability to make the screen bigger. I have a 2G iPod and am waiting for the 4G before I upgrade.

[CrackedButter]

Forget bluetooth, or keep it for iCal and updating ID3 tags for Mp3's. why not add Airport to the sucker instead? Imagine streaming the songs to your friends itunes in your dorm or whatever?

[djjava]

how about a line in and software for mixing? this would be great for independent artists to record non-compressed audio and have an easy means to modify the levels.

if that is in it, I'm sold.

[Big Fat Octopus]

USER REPLACEABLE BATTERY!

Apple has been getting some harsh press in Australia this month gone by (yes we're catching up) for the "built in obselesence" and "design flaw" that is the non user replaceable battery.

My workplace sells iPods and I have gone from telling people how great the iPod is to being quized about "the battery issue".

Apple should squash this bug once and for all by just putting a battery door on the little suckers. How hard can it be? Crikey, even tiny mobile phones have user replaceable batteries!

[Ken Masters]

Apple isn't stupid, and they knew that the non replaceable battery will die within 3 years, so that iPod users will have to upgrade to newer models.

This is like Mac OS and hardware, where the new OS no longer supports old hardware, and software will no longer support old OS's and people must buy knew machines, only within a shorter time frame.

Most likely Scenario :
The non replaceable battery in iPods sometime dies before three years. Unfortunately Apple didn't have a plan for these people, thought they'll just suffer in silence, but they didn't. Apple created a major design flaw with the iPod; having that internal battery meant people had to upgrade within the 3 year period, but also meant that there were no possible way to opening the iPod to fix minor repairs. This then meant that they had to replace minor problematic iPods with brand new ones because it would cost a technician the same opening up that dam hard to open iPod.


Other likely Scenario :
Apple would have had a minute number of sufferers, that would have been too inferior to do anything, but Apple had had a bad batch of batteries or used crap batteries that didn't live as long as they should of.

Non likely Scenario:
Apple are idiots, and didn't have a clue about batteries. Didn't have a backup plan for replacing dead batteries.

[legacyb4]

What's scary is that the other day, I was reorganizing some of my main playlists which required that 2-3 GBs of music be added to my iPod. Even Firewire starts to feel slow after a while...

Cheers.

Originally posted by mattyd:
too slow to transfer your whole library, but if you're just updating a few songs or playlists, then it could be acceptable.

battery life might be a huge issue with BT, though.