Apple exploring shrunken audio jacks for even smaller iPods

Apple exploring shrunken audio jacks for even smaller iPods
AppleInsider | Apple exploring shrunken audio jacks for even smaller iPods

In its continuous pursuit to create smaller, more compact devices, Apple has shown interest in creating headphone jacks for iPods and iPhones that will take up even less space inside a device.

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I've been curious to know how well the new smaller nanos have been selling.

I went with my wife to multiple apple stores to see if they still had any 5th gen nanos in stock. Every last one of them indicated that people keep leaving when they hear that they only have the new smaller ones. We ended up ordering one at amazon.

I'm not sure smaller is better for the bottom line if the Houston apple stores are any indication. Now, if this space-saving could make room for extra features such as bringing back the camera and video playback, this could be good.

I still like the previous gen with the camera. I don't need touch screen on a nano! The upside to the new gen is that they make the previous gen cheaper. 100 bucks for a refurb is too good of a deal imo! I bought one for my dads birthday last year, and I still like it, even though it's the version without the camera.

Are people not getting the new nanos cause they don't like them or cause the old generation are just as good but cheaper?

To me the current nanos are like holding a matchbox in your hand. You almost have to old it in your fingers as it's too small for the palm if your hand. But the old nanos you can hold in the palm of your hand and the click wheel you can use with your thumb. I think the new nanos are better though as a camera on a nano - really people that's s gimmicky. On the touch though it's a good idea.

Amyways I think the new smaller audio jacks are simply to make the nano/shuffle even thinner. I can see the day where the shuffle is just as thin as a piece of glass and on the back is a pice of velcro or similar and you just slap it on your shirt or pants or bag. And the difference between the nano and shuffle would be GB capacity and the shuffle would be a click wheel whereas the nano would be a touch screen.

To me the two things holding the nano/shuffle back from being even thinner is the audio jack/dock connector and the clip. Fix those and you'll have one ultrathin device.

I believe size factor and comfort will show that the new nano will not be as successful as the previous gen. The previous gen was a hit because it pretty much captured the athletics department. Literally, everyone I know who goes to the rec center to work out/everything else, has a version of the previous 2 gens of the nanos. It was easy to use, and you could just slap it on your arm, while knowing where the physical buttons were. With this, if you don't use the buttons on the earbuds, you have to use the screen. It feels kind of awkward to hold too while trying to use the touch screen.

But, back to the topic, about them requiring things to be even thinner with their ipods, but am I the only one who prefers them to not be so thin(only talking ipods here!)? I miss my ipod video 30gb...because I knew I was holding a brick. Soon enough, we;re probably going to have implantable mp3 players!

Everything should have a 3,5mm jack. Personally I think it's annoying if you need adapters if you want to hook up something else.

idrinorbarsaku said:

Soon enough, we;re probably going to have implantable mp3 players!

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Well similar technology I have been reading up on in in development in 2 industries. The first is medicine. For really tiny microchips for implanting into the body to cure many conditions. And the 2nd is the clothing industry. You'd have the chip woven in the fabric. Almost like a smart fabric And I'm sure one day you could buy a shirt with an MP3 player woven into the fabric and a pair if wireless headphones would be all you'd need to listen to your tunes.

Sure that's really nothing to do about shrinking the audio jack. But still it's all miniaturisation of the products we know and love.

the8thark said:

Are people not getting the new nanos cause they don't like them or cause the old generation are just as good but cheaper?

To me the current nanos are like holding a matchbox in your hand. You almost have to old it in your fingers as it's too small for the palm if your hand. But the old nanos you can hold in the palm of your hand and the click wheel you can use with your thumb. I think the new nanos are better though as a camera on a nano - really people that's s gimmicky. On the touch though it's a good idea.

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I honestly don't know. I know in my wife's situation, she didn't like to lose the camera and video playback, and using the tiny touch screen was kind of awkward.

I think the touch screen idea was neat, but I think they should have integrated it into the previous hardware and kept the camera and playback.

I'm not exactly sure what purpose having a small touch screen does, especially when it takes away alot of the functionality that it previously had. Just adds a few "oohs" and "aahs."

SweetCosmicPope said:

...but I think they should have integrated it into the previous hardware and kept the camera and playback.

I'm not exactly sure what purpose having a small touch screen does, especially when it takes away alot of the functionality that it previously had. Just adds a few "oohs" and "aahs."

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ditto!

I know what it does. It makes people who want the camera to cough up the cash for the touch. Apple sucked you in with the camera in the old Nano. And now to have the camera you have to upgrade to the touch. So Apple get even more money from you. Sneaky tactics I do not particularly like. But hey Apple are out to make money like any other company I guess.

It's funny - I bought a Nano just a few weeks before the new touchscreen version was released. When I saw the new one, I had absolutely no regrets. Bigger screen, more functionality and now a lower price. How can you go wrong?

Smaller is not always better. I think Apple hit the sweet spot with the last generation. The clickwheel was functional and simple for what is a functional and simple device. A tiny touchscreen is worthless to me. If I really wanted that kind of an interface, I'd step up to the iPod Touch.

cwa107 said:

Smaller is not always better. I think Apple hit the sweet spot with the last generation. The clickwheel was functional and simple for what is a functional and simple device. A tiny touchscreen is worthless to me. If I really wanted that kind of an interface, I'd step up to the iPod Touch.

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But what if you want that interface but can't afford or do not want to pay the touch prices? Then the new Nano is better for you. The old Nano's camera only took video and no still pictures. That was the deal breaker for me. I really wanted a still camera in there. To me having radio is more important then a video only camera. The touch screen to me is no more important than the old click wheel as both seem to work just fine.

I'm sure the new Nano will have it's market. But it's sales figures will really tell how successful it'll be.

I also liked the older Nano. The one with the click wheel and it just plays music. Simpler is better. I don't really see the need to add extra features to it that just gums it up and it's also not very practical at that size as well.

the8thark said:

But what if you want that interface but can't afford or do not want to pay the touch prices? Then the new Nano is better for you. The old Nano's camera only took video and no still pictures. That was the deal breaker for me. I really wanted a still camera in there. To me having radio is more important then a video only camera. The touch screen to me is no more important than the old click wheel as both seem to work just fine.

I'm sure the new Nano will have it's market. But it's sales figures will really tell how successful it'll be.

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There's lots of things I can't afford, and thus, can't have. We have a saying here in Texas: "Tough t**ty."

Now, I like your idea of the still camera. That would have been a feature that would be easy to integrate and give people a good reason to make the jump from the previous generation: Have your digital camera and mp3 player all in one small package.

Shrunken audio jacks does not mean that they are going to make smaller iPods, it just means that they are going to make shrunken audio jacks.

i hope they make a new Classic with this design....

B0yB0y said:

Shrunken audio jacks does not mean that they are going to make smaller iPods, it just means that they are going to make shrunken audio jacks.

i hope they make a new Classic with this design....

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With Apple you have no idea what it could mean. It could be part of a new product. Or just a placeholder patent so the competition can not use the technology for their products.

size matters, but I wanna see how small an mp3 player Apple can make.

next gen: Ipod Flea.

ZachUSAman said:

size matters, but I wanna see how small an mp3 player Apple can make.

next gen: Ipod Flea.

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That's funny.