Apple's iPod classic 5th most popular media player in 2010, unlikely to go away

Apple's iPod classic 5th most popular media player in 2010, unlikely to go away
AppleInsider | Apple's iPod classic 5th most popular media player in 2010, unlikely to go away

Apple's black 160GB iPod classic was the fifth best selling media player in the U.S. for all of 2010, suggesting that the hard drive-based device won't be exiting the company's product lineup in the near future.

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9 of the top 10 were Apple. The 10th was a Sandisk.

But

Low inventory, new drives raise questions on future of Apple's iPod classic
http://www.appleinsider.com/article...estions_on_future_of_apples_ipod_classic.html

Availability of Apple's only remaining hard drive-based portable media player, the 160GB iPod classic, has run low at some stores, as Toshiba has begun sales of a new 1.8-inch hard drive with a 220GB maximum capacity.

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I can see Apple revamping the Classic a bit, bigger HDD and maybe a bigger screen even. I'd buy one.

I think the classic price is a little steep. For less then half a classic's price I bought my 1TB external hard drive.
I would not be surprised if soon the classic moved to SSD.

I love the *classic* styled ipods! EVen more than any other ipod that has ever come out. I would truly be disappointed if it does get axed, as some sites have been suggesting. I do agree that the price is a bit steep, though. I'm not a heavy music downloader, which is why I still *only* have a iPod 5g 30gb(along with a bunch of other ipods) as my max storage ipod(excluding my 32gb iphone), which suites me way more than just fine, but I think apple should lower the price by not offering such a high volume HDD in there. I know I'm not just the one who would pick a classic over an i-touch with 64gb, so maybe they should offer a classic with a 64gb HDD to make it cheaper, as well as the new Toshiba for whomever might really need THAT much music/content.

The whole popularity behind the classic is really the HDD capacity. Nothing else comes close. Decreaing the HDD size and dropping the price would be counter productive, increasing the size and leaving it prices as is would be a plus.

It'd be nice for it to go to SSD but once SSD drives reach the 160+Gb stage and they can shove them in iPod Touches and iPhones at the same price point, the reason for the classic to exixst goes away.

baggss said:

It'd be nice for it to go to SSD but once SSD drives reach the 160+Gb stage and they can shove them in iPod Touches and iPhones at the same price point, the reason for the classic to exixst goes away.

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So you're saying the classic has a limited life span. It'll die the day SSD is as cheap as platter drives are now for the same GB size.

baggss said:

The whole popularity behind the classic is really the HDD capacity. Nothing else comes close. Decreaing the HDD size and dropping the price would be counter productive, increasing the size and leaving it prices as is would be a plus.

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That's why I said to offer a small HDD with a lower price, as well as introduce the new toshiba drive! How is that counter productive?

idrinorbarsaku said:

That's why I said to offer a small HDD with a lower price, as well as introduce the new toshiba drive! How is that counter productive?

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Because they end up canabalizing their own line of Touches, shuffles and Nanos. Putting a 64Gb drive in there might make it cheaper but then they don't sell as many 64Gb iPod touches. Put anything smaller and you you hit the 32Gb touches and the lower end products. They drive sales by having the biggest drive they can in there. Yes, it costs more, but they obviosly still sell lots of units without really hurting the lower capacity lines.

Do you think it's a mistake that Apple offers specific lines that don't compete with each other? The closest they come to direct competiton is the iPhone and iPod Touch.

I see your point, but I don't see how a cheaper ipod classic would cannibalize sales from an ipod touch 64gb that doesn't sell anywhere near as much to make a difference. If my friends say that they wish there was a smaller ipod classic, there has to be other people around. I also believe the classics and i-touches are bought for different reasons, and even from the OP's linked article, the majority of the commenters like the UI of the classic, which is why I think more people would jump on the classic if they offered a lower gb version.

idrinorbarsaku said:

I see your point, but I don't see how a cheaper ipod classic would cannibalize sales from an ipod touch 64gb that doesn't sell anywhere near as much to make a difference.

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But then you say:

idrinorbarsaku said:

the majority of the commenters like the UI of the classic, which is why I think more people would jump on the classic if they offered a lower gb version.

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I think you answered your own question.

idrinorbarsaku said:

I see your point, but I don't see how a cheaper ipod classic would cannibalize sales from an ipod touch 64gb that doesn't sell anywhere near as much to make a difference.

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It's all about vertical sales. Don't overlap products and you can capture bigger market share by not confusing the customers. Apple has learned to do this well in every product line they sell. A clear cut difference in nearly all products makes it easier for consumers. Choice is good, too much choice is bad.

idrinorbarsaku said:

If my friends say that they wish there was a smaller ipod classic, there has to be other people around. I also believe the classics and i-touches are bought for different reasons, and even from the OP's linked article, the majority of the commenters like the UI of the classic, which is why I think more people would jump on the classic if they offered a lower gb version.

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I disagree about touches being bought for "different reasons". I suspect the classic and the touch appeal to different demographic groups though, with the touch going to a much younger demographic. The classic has a much cleaner traditional interface as well, at least IMO, but I don't think selling a smaller version would translate to increased sales. Adding an even larger model would though.

Apple has been carefully avoiding overlap for years. Remember when the Mac IIsi was intentionally crippled so it wouldn't eat into IIci sales?

I don't see the Classic being around much longer, not only due to the growing capacities of solid state storage, but because iOS-type interfaces are the future. Even the Nano has this sort of interface now, albeit in a limited form. The old iPod interface sort of sticks out like an OS 9 machine in a lab of OS X machines when compared to other offerings.

This will likely be the final generation of iPod Classics. Not only will the other iPods receive higher capacity drives in the future, the Verizon iPhone could impact sales as well by eliminating the need for an iPod for some of these users, who may have otherwise purchased a Classic but suddenly will find they can make do with the capacity on their phone to avoid buying and carrying an extra device.

the8thark said:

I think the classic price is a little steep. For less then half a classic's price I bought my 1TB external hard drive.
I would not be surprised if soon the classic moved to SSD.

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I would be surprised since the price vs space of SSD is horrendous.