New Ipod models announced – iPhone price drop

The internet’s worst-kept secret is finally exposed, and now we have absolute full details on Apple’s three new Ipod models.

First up is the Ipod Touch. As expected, it’s an Iphone without the phone part. It has the same look, same interface, and even has Wi-Fi support. Like the Iphone, it uses flash memory, but now maxes out at 16GB for $399 and 8GB for $299. The Big New Feature is the ability to purchase songs directly from the device, when connected to the net via Wi-Fi (something we wondered why the Iphone didn’t support this function in the first place).

Now you’re probably wondering “who the hell would buy an iPhone now?” (if you weren’t wondering that already), but Apple thought of that as well – the iPhone’s price has been slashed to $399 for the 8GB model (now the people who bought one for $599 look even more stupid). Additionally, the useless 4GB model has been discontinued entirely. You will still need a 2 year contract though, since the iPhone is still carrier-exclusive.

For the many who will find 8GB to be not nearly enough, Apple still has hard-drive based Ipods available. Dubbed the “Ipod Classic”, this model will directly replace the Ipod Video. Where the old ones cost $249 and $349 for 30 and 80GB capacities, this one directly replaces those price points with 80 and 160GB models. Furthermore, battery life is expected to be upwards of 40 hours for audio and 7 hours for video. Oh, I hope you didn’t buy an Ipod Video just recently!

And finally, we have the new Ipod Nano, which quite frankly doesn’t look too ‘nano-ish’ anymore. Gone are the tiny dimentions and super-slim form factor. Now you get, well, a stubby Ipod Classic with flash memory. The new Nano supports video, but if you already thought it was absurd to watch video on a 2.5″ screen, trying to do so on a 2″ screen just seems… completely ridiculous. Capacities and price seem decent though, at $149 and $199 for 4GB and 8GB models. Battery life will be 24 hours for audio, and 5 hours for video (in other words, the batteries will last longer than your vision, if you try to watch video on the Nano for as long as you can).

All in all, a good batch of products from Apple this time, although I am not sold on the Nano just yet. When the first Nano was announced, I put in an order within minutes. It was perfect – small, slim, good capacity, nice interface. But now it’s like they tried to put too much into it. I mean come on, video on a 2″ screen? The Ipod Touch with 8GB costs $100 more than a Nano with the same capacity. For that $100, you get a bigger screen and Wi-Fi connectivity and a web browser. I think one of these in your pocket would be just as handy as carrying an Iphone around (assuming, of course, you already have a phone in your other pocket, which is perfectly reasonable).