Apple about to announce wireless video iPod?

When it comes to Apple's product roadmap, to say there's an enormous amount of buzz and milling of rumors is a ridiculous understatement. Believe it or not we tend to have to disregard the majority of rumors floating around (or that get sent in to us); that said, when not only one, but multiple trusted sources get in touch to let us know Steve Jobs & Co. are supposedly finally about completed with the wireless / video iPod, we have to take note. Supposedly they're preparing to announce the device in the very near future, which we've been told is both wireless and widescreen (both features we've been waiting for the iPod to take on, since, well, forever) -- you didn't think last month's new nano / new shuffle / iTV event was going to be it for the rest of the year, did you? We'll keep you posted.

[Nick @ Oct 10th 2006 5:48PM]

You'll get over it.

[Abe @ Oct 10th 2006 7:34PM]

I must agree.
seems like Apple trying to take a bite out of Zune profits to me.

what I really want to know is, where the hell did this (big screen) video iPod thing come from?? I mean generally, when companies have something in the works, they tend to tell us about it while this thing seems to have sprung from the demented minds of fanboys. But perhaps I go to far.

[Korey @ Oct 10th 2006 12:30PM]

Holy Shit this is awesome cant wait. this will rule, do u think theyll throw in some BT headphones or will i have to buy those too?

[Lee @ Oct 10th 2006 12:30PM]

My initial reaction is that it's unlikely given the recent iPod announcements...but then again it seems perfect. A November announcement means big holiday sales - also, they have tested the waters with their movies download service and may have more studios lined up. And it's different enough be seperate from the iPod brand, maybe wireless is intended for iTV??? i am frothing with speculation.

[Baldyz22 @ Oct 10th 2006 3:47PM]

it actually makes some sense your right, because they needed to calm down the public and rumors alittle so by simply updating the firmware and making it brighter and saying its a 5.5gen ipod was a perfect compromise. and then finish the rest just in time for christmas. Plus it is just about time a TRUE next gen ipod came out (im not really counting the 5.5 as a next gen) plus it seems logicall that they wanted to get there other updates, software and products out first to make sure they work and it gets good public responce because id bet anything there somehow all related to the new 6gen ipod hopefully coming out soon.

but we will see, fingers crossed :-D

[BobbyDigital @ Oct 10th 2006 12:32PM]

this is what I'm waiting for...

[Dacmon-J @ Oct 10th 2006 12:34PM]

You guys seriously need to stop reporting this "news" over and over again when it can't be substantiated by anyone.

[gen-y @ Oct 10th 2006 12:34PM]

this has to be the longest running apple rumor. (except maybe the g5 laptop)

Weren't there hoax photos of this floating around last year?

[dubious @ Oct 10th 2006 12:36PM]

Right before christmas would make for great timing. I can't wait to see how they implemented the UI.

[Jason @ Oct 10th 2006 12:37PM]

Lets just hope they don't decide to use sony batterys when these go into production.

[D-Shizzle @ Oct 10th 2006 1:37PM]

Parent: "Merry Christmas, Timmy."

Child: "Aww, thanks Mom! An iPo-"

>

Child: "AHHHHHHHHHH!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!! My FACE! It's on FIRE!!!! I HATE you mommy!"

[o rly @ Oct 10th 2006 12:38PM]

It should go great with the amazing high quality video currently being offered on iTunes and the wireless some people felt was worthless (which is from 2003.) I can't wait for the already done innovation from Steve Jobs & Co!

[Abe @ Oct 10th 2006 6:21PM]

hahaha
wait...were you serious?

[Phoenixfury @ Oct 10th 2006 12:41PM]

Even if this is true, I doubt that it will be an iPod at all. My best guess is it would be a wireless dumb terminal that will work with a Mac/PC and iTV. When I mean not an iPod, I mean it wouldn't have any form of mass storage other than buffer memory for streaming media. This would essentially turn iTunes into a portable media center minus the tv tuner that could be watched in any room in the house. However I would not rule out that you could likely interface it with existing iPods to leach content on the go. So why do I think this isn't the next gen iPod? Think about it, Apple just released the 5.5 Gen video ipod last month. There is no way they are going to just drop a new improved iPod on the market for another 5-6 months. However I could definitely see a wireless dumb terminal that could interface with the current existing iPods.

[The Grand Master @ Oct 10th 2006 12:46PM]

Not too sure on the timing but they did have a 4g(?) and the iPod photo out at the same time. So if they sold this as a 'true' video iPod and is not marketed as a 6G (which would be a huge mistake) it could do ok.

I think it could happen and if it didn't it wouldn't be because they thought it would kill 5.5G, they've tried this before as I said with the photo/4G though ultimately the photo became the 4G. I think the same thing could happen here.

[Bren @ Oct 10th 2006 6:31PM]

Listen Up, this IS pretty far fetched, but not for the reason you stated, the 80gb ipods just launched are nothing new, physically the same, brightness control added (which has been in the hardware for OVER six months).
The shuffle and the nano are SWEET and certainly around to stay for six months to a year, but the big boi iPods? They're definately at their peak (read retirement age), so bring on these beauties for crimbo and let them coexist (maybe $449) with our 5.5g's for a while.

Let me hear a hell yeah!

[The Grand Master @ Oct 10th 2006 12:42PM]

Boy, I really hope this is true!
That would be outrageously awesome, as I'm not interestend in the 5G.

If it was some thing very new with great battery life and a big HD it would be a perfect christmas gift!

[joc @ Oct 10th 2006 12:43PM]

gimee gimee gimee....

[az1324 @ Oct 10th 2006 12:44PM]

Goodbye, zune.

[tigeruppercut @ Oct 10th 2006 12:45PM]

zzzzz......what, huh? more "real" video iPod rumors?...zzzz.....oh.....yay for yet ANOTHER concurrent iPod iteration......

[seth @ Oct 10th 2006 12:47PM]

i think the iphone is the longest running rumor. i remember hearing about that a few years ago.

[jeeeez Looouise @ Oct 10th 2006 12:47PM]

Apple fanboys who said WIFI was ridiculous and that MS was silly to include it..... let's see what you say now; if this gets released. You fanboys will have to eat those words. If it doesn't, well..... it's just a matter of time before Apple copy MS and add WIFI; it will be a must have feature.

[tank @ Oct 10th 2006 1:04PM]

More than likely, the wifi option will be used to integrate with Airport Express, iTV and future car stereos.

If Apple uses wifi merely for sharing songs, they'll catch as much flack as Microsoft.

[ectomort @ Oct 10th 2006 2:29PM]

WiFi on a MP3 player is not silly a priori; it's just that including it involves many tradeoffs; and adding secondary features at the expense of primary ones (portable media playing) must be well designed and implemented. If not, you're forcing customers to pay for something which doesn't benefit them.

M$ has been criticized for making the wrong set of tradeoffs in its 1st generation device; and for hyping the WiFi crippled capabilities. Of course, until customers actually get the devices (whether Zune, iPod, or whatever) all this chatter is really either speculation, marketing, or opinion. IOW, mirages.

[ScottytheMenace @ Oct 10th 2006 5:05PM]

jeeeez Looouise: "Apple fanboys who said WIFI was ridiculous and that MS was silly to include it..... let's see what you say now; if this gets released. You fanboys will have to eat those words."

WiFi is still ridiculous and MS is still silly to include it, but that does not preclude Apple from throwing it in there simply to say "Yeah so what? We have WiFi now too and your player still sucks. Whadda ya got now?"

At some point, WiFi will probably be included in iPods simply because competitors have it, but it is still the single most overblown and overrated feature in a PORTABLE media player. Where exactly will you use this fancy wireless connection? Sitting at Starbucks? At the library? Or worse, your living room? How portable is that? And what happens when you move out of wireless range?

I don't see WiFi working in 90% of the places people actually WANT it to work, like the park, riding their bikes, their gym, walking around town, on the train or bus. Vast stretches of the country have no widespread WiFi access. WiFi in a portable media player is a non-feature since it will be largely non-functional.

iPod XM - now THAT's a rumor I want to see come to fruition. Satellite is far more pervasive than WiFi and I would love to be able to flip on a radio station and buy a song I hear with the push of a button over the XM system. Now THAT would be useful.

WiFi? Yawn.

[Archos @ Oct 12th 2006 3:56PM]

WiFi for sending a song or to to a friend for 3 plays as seen on the Zune is useless. WiFi for browsing and buying music on the iTunes music store with your iPod would be amazing. The Zune's WiFi services are lame, and would be even if the same thing was on the iPod... but if WiFi makes it to the iPod it will likely be for the iTMS.

[jmyers0341 @ Oct 15th 2006 3:30AM]

Well Apple will include more than just locked down horribly restricted transfers between iPods like the Zune. If I had to guess I would say that this will be just like the Photo was - a high end iPod that people will pay more for, for more features. WiFi that will interface of course with 'iTV', your Mac, other iPod wifi's and the new iTunes mobile store that will be opened with the release of this device and their phone. Possibly the net, as well.

So please don't say we are going to eat our words. We will kill the Zune before it ever takes off, hopefully.

[Mr.Kaiser @ Oct 10th 2006 12:48PM]

Honestly I don't care. Music is vastly more important for me, and I plan on buying a 5.5g this weekend ( I currently have a broken iAudio X5L). Plus this should be considered first gen technology. This is Apple (a company which I love by the way), but they can't quite get first gen right.

[Serge @ Oct 10th 2006 12:48PM]

o rly,

i cant decide if you're a negative nancy or a debbie downer. either way, you're like that kid at my 6th birthday who told what was inside all my gifts before i unwrap them.

[o rly @ Oct 10th 2006 1:03PM]

Well Serge, when you figure it out (along with how to use simple punctuation), let me know; and make sure you use cool rhetoric again (I'd suggest Blabbing Bobby.)

It was posted again for the nth time over many years so it's bound to be true!

[Phoenixfury @ Oct 10th 2006 12:48PM]

Like I said, I bet it's a wireless dumb terminal. If it allows you to pop a 5G ipod in like a cartridge, then you have a Zune killer. :) Especially if it works the way I said in my previous comment.

[Azhar @ Oct 10th 2006 12:52PM]

Happy 5th Birthday ipod...... 21st of Ocober 2001......

[Phredd @ Oct 11th 2006 11:35AM]

November 11

The 5 year anniversary would be a good day for Apple to announce the video iPod. I sincerely doubt it would cannibalize the 5G. They just lowered the prices leaving plenty of room for a high end video iPod.

Phredd

[kevan @ Oct 10th 2006 12:54PM]

I know it's just a matter of time before they release it. Everything points to it being released very soon. The 5.5g is just a marketing gimmick to sell off the rest of the 5gens before the 6gens come out near Christmas time. Definitely waiting to purchase my 6gen.

[Whydrive @ Oct 10th 2006 12:55PM]

How the heck am I supposed to play Zuma on this thing?

[tzaar @ Oct 10th 2006 12:58PM]

An add-on is going to turn an existing product into a Zune killer? Unlikely. Apple's industrial design team is much classier than that. Also, the idea of a 'dumb' terminal is exactly that- what would you do with it when not around a wireless signal?

[Phoenixfury @ Oct 10th 2006 1:27PM]

Tzaar, I stand by what I said about the dumb terminal thing. I'm thinking it will be more like the existing screen enhancement devices for video iPods, and be more slingbox like with iTunes no matter where you are. When your not near a wireless hotspot, the device could get content from the iPod. However just like a notebook, at a hotspot content could be streamed to other devices like it, or even with notebooks just like the way iTunes works that way now. However the key feature would be much like Slingbox or Orb where you can reach your PC at home and consume content from it. Although this would obviously physically be larger than the Zune, I don't think anyone would mind, especially if the screen is much larger perhaps at full resolution in the 16X9 format. I think this is meant to be a portable Media Center killer in general, but not an iPod replacement.

[nodnetni @ Oct 10th 2006 1:02PM]

They will annonce this the day before the Zune gets released, so it will go on sale 24 hours before anyone can get there hands on a Zune. The Zune will falter and Apple will step in and say here Bill we will give you a hand. And then they cane make Pirates of Silicon Valley 2!

[Sy @ Oct 10th 2006 1:06PM]

If this is true ...zune what?

[Ashley Allen @ Oct 10th 2006 1:08PM]

Oh How I laugh at the people who said MS doing WiFi was stupid and now think it's great because apple are doing it.

These rumours has been out and about so much I don't know if they are going to be true or not.

If it is you can see Apple's thinking.

To stop me buying a Zune, Apple are going to have to match Zune feature for feature (Radio, WiFi, All you can eat subscription...) then I might consider it.

[tank @ Oct 10th 2006 1:22PM]

Ashley Allen,

When the Zune is released, hold a Zune in one hand and a 30gb iPod in the other. Then put them in your pockets. That should be enough for most people to choose the iPod. The Zune is quite a bit larger and not very pocketable.

Regarding wifi, if Apple cripples wifi like MS did, I'll be the first to stand up and complain.

[Fraser Drew @ Oct 10th 2006 1:09PM]

Apple WILL stay ahead, my guess is that since zune rumors began, apple has pumped more dev time into this 6G iPod. IMO apple would not get left out on such a major step in the products development, this would make the iPod mcuh more central and all-in-one ish part of peopes lives.
My prediction, before christmas aslong as there are no bugs. Apple has had a dodgy year - MacBook heat, stock options and if this comes out buggy, it won't so them any good!!

[Miranda Kali @ Oct 10th 2006 1:12PM]

This is precisely what they did last year. They had a nifty release with the Nano, everybody went crazy about it, and then about a month later had the "...One More Thing" and the iPod started playing video. (that was last year, right?)
It's a proven business model. They made a killing by realeasing in such a way, so it would'nt surprise me to see them do the same thing this year.
Of course, I ain't beleiving untill I'm seeing..

[David Balogh @ Oct 10th 2006 1:21PM]

This thing is just coming in at the 6G level, overtaking the 5.5G as the high-end iPod. That's why the prices fell on the 5.5G, with higher capacity. That's kinda what happened with iPod Photo, which I bought only cause they dropped the 40GB, and gave it color. It'll prob have an 80 GB, unless a 100GB HD exists (??). If it is touch screen, they may be able to incorporate a 'game pad' version of the interface ala PSP, and also a 'remote' interface for the iTV. That would be sweet-ass! The wireless thing for sharing tunes will be useless for now, until they get more popular, but as I take the subway every morning, it could be cool to see what others are listening to as we all sit there in our own little msuic-filled worlds, n'est pas?

[Ashley Allen @ Oct 10th 2006 1:28PM]

You mean hold a 30gb iPod with WiFi, a radio and a bigger screen?

Size was the Zune is about the same as my dying 4G iPod which fits in all my pockets fine.

Maybe you shouldn't wear such tight trousers with small pockets?

[Soyale @ Oct 11th 2006 2:29PM]

Tank,

I disagree. I've been carrying a Zune in my pocket on my way to work for the last few weeks and it feels utterly comparable to my iPod.

[dunk @ Oct 10th 2006 1:22PM]

if this is true -- though i doubt it -- it is deliciously evil. if they can do the wifi correctly (e.g. not add the silly DRM wrapper to everything, allow wifi connections to your computer and to an airport express) it will effectively kill the zune.

sure there will be the anti-apple and xbox crowd that will buy it for personal reasons, but for potential owners without an agenda zune will be a non-issue.

[EvilManatee @ Oct 10th 2006 1:23PM]

It would be funny if Apple released this the same day the Zune comes out to piss on Microsoft's parade. Still, I will believe it when I see it.

[Morty Salt @ Oct 10th 2006 1:25PM]

I thought the Zune wasn't available till November. So, if Apple actually, releases this WIFI player to the public before I get my Zune I am going to sell every last MS stock I have. What, is it with Microsoft?!?!?!? Apple releases products after they have been produced, everyone else pretends they actually have a product available.

[Phil @ Oct 10th 2006 1:27PM]

I'm not a Microsoft hater, but I have to say that - if Apple ships a unit that looks like this and has WiFi - I don't know why anyone who would buy the Zune, which is absolutely ugly in comparison. All Apple has to do to seal the deal is allow purchase of music/movies from the device over WiFi.

I know that some Engadget writer recently criticized someone for saying that Microsoft would only ship 50,000 Zune units in its first year, but I see that as a reality if Apple gets this out for the holidays.