Thread

MiniPod makes front page in UK

MacNN Hardware 41 posts Dec 30, 2003 to Jan 2, 2004

#1 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 04:55 MacNN

Today's Daily Telegraph has a little article on the front page (leading to a larger p.5 article) announcing that Apple is about to bring out a "�65" miniPod. Its angle on the story is that loads of people are going to feel sick having just spent upwards of �210 on one this Xmas. Interestingly it states that 1.3m people bought one over Christmas! (Doesn't make clear whether this was only in the UK, though it's not impossible - it was the must-have gift.)

#2 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 05:25 MacNN

The Daily Telegraph must have some pretty reliable sources, cos if this miniPod doesnt arrive in January then they are going to have mud on their faces!

#3 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 05:59 MacNN

Methinks �65 comes from changing $100 to pounds. If so, Apple would just charge �100 because they like screwing us...

#4 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 06:03 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by Krypton:
Methinks �65 comes from changing $100 to pounds. If so, Apple would just charge �100 because they like screwing us...

IIRC the G5 is actually cheaper in the UK than in the US if you take into account all taxes and government levies.
Apple's prices are pretty identical where ever you are in the world nowadays.

#5 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 06:14 MacNN

Panther was �99 in UK and $99 in USA.

Damn those yanks.

#6 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 06:16 MacNN

A $99 iPod makes sense. Apple has to compete with competition and the competition has less expensive quality products.

#7 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 06:58 MacNN

I'd buy one.

I never really had the cash to drop on a bigger iPod and reckon that I wouldnt need to keep *ALL* my mp3s on a portable music device.

I'd need to be pretty much identical to the current incarnation of iPods though, just <5GB.

#8 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 07:30 MacNN

Yeah, I am staring to wonder if this is for real or if the depth of the sources reporters have to verify is as shallow as Thinksecret. I saw a television financial analyst upgrade Apple to a buy based on the upcoming mini-iPod

#9 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 07:59 MacNN

Article here.

In addition to the lower-cost iPods, expected to hold up to 800 songs, Apple will introduce different coloured cases for the current white iPod, which holds up to 10,000 songs.

#10 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 08:00 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by PeterClark2002:
Panther was �99 in UK and $99 in USA. Damn those yanks.

$129 there and �100 here - I'm sure all the old OS updates were nearer �80. However, education discount is $70 or �70.

Prices are quite reasonable compared to other companies I suppose.

#11 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 08:10 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by Krypton:
$129 there and �100 here

$129 plus tax.

�100 including tax.

The real difference in price is between �2.00 and �12.00

#12 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 08:15 MacNN

the VAT really screws us over.

#13 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 10:58 MacNN

Someone at the telegraph has been reading Think Secret.

Just Rumours. (although ThinkSecret is usually pretty reliable.)

#14 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 10:58 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by The Ayatollah:
the VAT really screws us over.

us?

There's VAT in Teheran?

#15 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 11:08 MacNN

http://www.audiorevolution.com/news...apple_ipod.html

Wow, I want one. Only $100 bucks? ........Make that 2 please.

#16 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 11:49 MacNN

Assuming the rumor is true...

Did it make sense for Apple to wait after the Xmas buying season to release this?

Does the profit margins on the current models make up for the GAZILLION mini-iPod's it would've sold for the holidays?

#17 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 11:51 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by vmpaul:

Did it make sense for Apple to wait after the Xmas buying season to release this?

Yes, because it probably wasn't ready yet, and they made a ton selling the expensive iPods.

#18 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 11:58 MacNN

It has to be true now.
It's on the front page of Slashdot

#19 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 12:02 MacNN

wooo, I really hope it's true.

#20 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 12:04 MacNN

Nice.

They're so gonna sell like hotcakes.

#21 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 12:43 MacNN

This is not a new rumor. We won't know anything until Jan 6th.

#22 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 14:38 MacNN

THINK ABOUT IT: Did Apple announce this? No.

Then it's pure speculation, nothing more.

Just because it showed up in a real newspaper doesn't make it any more reputable. Ziff Davis once reported on some news from CNN that, it turns out, was from O'Grady's Power Page originally.

Just cuz it's in a real newspaper doesn't make the source reliable.

tooki

#23 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 14:42 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by tooki:
Then it's pure speculation, nothing more.

But you see MWSF is only days away.

Speculation-it's the MacNN tradition!

#24 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 15:11 MacNN

speculation is fun, but there's no way Apple can sell a 2GB hard drive based iPod for $100.

#25 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 15:30 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by chabig:
speculation is fun, but there's no way Apple can sell a 2GB hard drive based iPod for $100.

They can. In a cardboard enclosure and with an old parallel port.

#26 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 15:40 MacNN

its highly doubtful that they're going to be using harddrives in the miniPod.

#27 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 15:46 MacNN

Quote:

its highly doubtful that they're going to be using harddrives in the miniPod.

Agreed. But this rampant speculation is that the minipod will cost $100 AND hold 400-800 songs. Four hundred songs is about 2 GB.

So they might have a 2GB hard drive, but it won't cost $100. Or they might have a $100 iPod, but it won't hold 400 songs.

No matter what Apple introduces, this buzz and free press is beneficial.

Chris

#28 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 17:37 MacNN

'Nuther Article here:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8365047

#29 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 17:47 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by Oneota:
'Nuther Article here:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8365047

Interesting quote:

Quote:

Days after more than a million people paid up to �400 for the most popular hi-tech toy of Christmas, the iPod, manufacturer Apple has announced a cut-price mini version.

Hmm...'has announced'? Where was that?

#30 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 20:58 MacNN

wonder how it will look? Any guesses on interface and button control changes? I think it will be the size of a business card which would be cool.

Things that make you go hmmmmm!!

#31 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 21:47 MacNN

It would be cool, but I don't want to get all excited like I did when this rumor occured with the "apple christmas Present for music lovers"

- Zoom ZOOM

#32 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 22:22 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by chabig:
speculation is fun, but there's no way Apple can sell a 2GB hard drive based iPod for $100.

Can anyone remember the last time close to a dozen websites were ALL wrong about the same rumor?

#33 Tue, 30 Dec 2003 - 23:25 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by disectamac:
Can anyone remember the last time close to a dozen websites were ALL wrong about the same rumor?

Well, they could all be quoting one another but it's this one that has me curious...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8365047

Quote:

quote:
Days after more than a million people paid up to �400 for the most popular hi-tech toy of Christmas, the iPod, manufacturer Apple has announced a cut-price mini version.

Again, where did they announce this at?

#34 Wed, 31 Dec 2003 - 08:30 MacNN

hmmm me thinks perhaps with crazy bulk HD purchasing... they might be able to massively undercut creative and sonic blue and even the all mighty Dull and pull it off at a minimal profit but they would be securing their position.

#35 Wed, 31 Dec 2003 - 09:00 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by vmpaul:
Well, they could all be quoting one another but it's this one that has me curious...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8365047

"Up to 1.3million people bought the iPod for Christmas, including a host of celebrities such as the Beckhams"

Typical UK drunken hack crap by the sounds of it. We're expected to believe that the Beckhams didn't already have a few iPods each?

(clue: David Beckham is rumoured to have spent in the region of $8m on Christmas presents for Victoria. If you have that kind of money, an iPod isn't something you wait until Christmas to buy)

#36 Wed, 31 Dec 2003 - 15:52 MacNN

The big problem with widescale rumoring like this being picked up on some fairly prominent sites is that Apple is going to be hammered if the truth isn't quite as sweet as the rumor.

Must drive some execs nuts.

Personally, I'll believe such a low price when I see it, and I hope not too much of the iPod's strengths are sacrificed.

If true, I would think those little flash memory players would suffer quite badly.

#37 Thu, 1 Jan 2004 - 19:41 MacNN

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...lercheaperipods

#38 Fri, 2 Jan 2004 - 11:56 MacNN

Only Apple would debut NEW products AFTER christmas.

#39 Fri, 2 Jan 2004 - 12:20 MacNN

Quote:

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
Only Apple would debut NEW products AFTER christmas.

Not true, and not fair.

'most everyone uses Christmas to get rid of masses of old stock at full price, then sells the rest off after Christmas at cut price, then introduces new stock.

Unpleasan, but commercial reality. Maybe the three wise men should have given vouchers for the after Christmas sales, then the babe would have got Myrrh 2.0, and more of it too!

#40 Fri, 2 Jan 2004 - 14:05 MacNN

looks like new ipods to me.

#41 Fri, 2 Jan 2004 - 14:14 MacNN

How can all these people be "certain" Apple can't make a $100 iPod, Apple has the 'ins' with Toshiba, and they are supposed to be releasing a 2 GB and 4 GB quarter sized drive in January.