Apple's 5.5G iPods receive stealthy price cuts

While everyone's busy trying to figure out which particular shade of brushed metal Apple's new iMacs are going to show up in, a few major online retailers have quietly trimmed 5.5G iPod prices. Apple, who usually keeps a pretty tight rein on its product prices throughout various retail channels, hasn't matched the cuts on the Apple Store, but you can currently score a 30GB or 80GB iPod (with video) for about $20 off at Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City and J&R online stores. Notable exceptions include Target's online store, and Wal-mart, which doesn't sell iPods online. It's anyone's guess as to what actually sparked these price drops. It could be a way for traditional retailers to compete with Apple's aggressive back to school promotions, an attempt by Apple to clear away excess stock in preparation for a brand new iPod, or perhaps just a good old-fashioned price cut. Perhaps we'll know more on August 7th?

[Thanks, Matthew]

[shamste @ Jul 31st 2007 1:28PM]

Anyone else notice that the MacBook Pros have a shipping estimate of 7-10 days while every other product is within 24 hours?

[hobbes @ Jul 31st 2007 1:47PM]

Doubt they'll be updated, it's only been a couple months since the last one. Just low stock, I guess.

[KR @ Jul 31st 2007 2:15PM]

I believe this is due to the LED-backlit panels in the 15" models. Notice that the shipping on the stock 17" model is 24 hours. I ordered my 15" in mid-June, and received it 2 weeks later.

I think demand has just exceeded supply on the 15" model. They were just updated in June, so I don't think their delayed shipping time is related to any upcoming updates.

[shamste @ Jul 31st 2007 1:58PM]

Well, it wouldn't be the first time Apple has upgraded/updated the PowerBook/MacBook Pro line after a couple months, especially around back-to-school. It is also interesting that it is a shortage across the line of MacBook Pros and not isolated to 1 or 2 models. I'm not saying it is a given that they will be updated, I was just noting it as interesting.

[shamste @ Jul 31st 2007 2:22PM]

The 17" does look to be back to 24 hours (it was 7-10 days yesterday and earlier this morning, IIRC). Nevermind.

[Will @ Aug 24th 2007 7:38PM]

Yes its 24 hours for the stock unit of the 17 inch but make any changes and that jumps up. I ordered a BTO High Resolution 17 inch Macbook Pro on the 23rd but it has yet to ship. It says it will ship by the 6th. Everything else in my order came on the 24th, I am kinda thinking they are waiting for the 6th on mine so that they can include the new iLife or something. I am just sick of waiting.

[jkgm @ Aug 1st 2007 10:16AM]

I ordered a 15" MacBook Pro the first week of July, and it's scheduled to ship on August 7. That's almost a month lead time. :-(

[Grant @ Jul 31st 2007 1:28PM]

i'm def hoping for new ipods,
i've needed a full size one for about a year, and have been sliding by with an 8GB nano.
crossing my fingers for something with a touchscreen!

[John @ Jul 31st 2007 2:07PM]

Why would you buy an 8GB Nano when a 30 GB iPod Video costs the same...? o_0

[Kr4t05 @ Aug 5th 2007 12:12PM]

Maybe because he finds the smaller form-factor more appealing?

[leif @ Aug 1st 2007 2:43PM]

some people actually exercise, thus a harddrive based mp3 player is a bad idea.

[aaronlh @ Jul 31st 2007 5:08PM]

Maybe because one is smaller than the other? Maybe ones uses solid state memory to store its data? Maybe one is more rugged than the other...

[Grant @ Jul 31st 2007 8:02PM]

simply because i already had a 20GB 4th gen ipod that had a garbage battery life and was full up, so i wasn't about to spend another $250 for something to hold all my music when it only will have an extra 10GB, especially not when more than double the storage was only 1/3 of the price more, So i waited hoping for something newer/nicer to come out last round of ipods... and got the IPOD WITH VIDEO!!! 5.5... and decided to wait some more.

plus a nano is alot nicer in the pockets on a walk to class, and i got to retire my old crappy "gym MP3 player" because the nano won't pull you gym shorts off while you run.

[Ignacio @ Jul 31st 2007 11:53PM]

"Why would you buy an 8GB Nano when a 30 GB iPod Video costs the same...? o_0"

In my case, small size and flash vs a hard disk and a larger screen that still seemed too small to want to watch movies on anyway.

[David Ingmire @ Jul 31st 2007 1:39PM]

Amazon has had it at or near this price for the last few months. I don't think Amazon has ever sold it at full price.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 31st 2007 1:42PM]

Ah yes, those back-to-school music player promotions. Just what little Johnny needs: pencils, backpack, binder and A NEW IPOD.

[UnseenLlama @ Jul 31st 2007 1:44PM]

Need to feed music to the brain somehow!

[Rachel @ Jul 31st 2007 2:04PM]

Not that it really matters, but the back to school promotions are geared towards college students. The ipods are for when you buy a macbook - it's a good deal actually. Most incoming freshman probably need both a computer and an mp3 player. it's not like there are a lot of parents out there buying macbooks with free ipods for their 3rd graders.

[Dave @ Jul 31st 2007 5:05PM]

Y'know, the first iPod Photo actually got me through undergraduate Art History with amazing ease. Loaded hundreds of slides into it, and always had them with me to study. The thing might have been crippled and unable to support video, but man was it great as a study aid.

[Anonymous @ Jul 31st 2007 1:45PM]

Yeah, I noticed that and read this yesterday....

http://techflurry.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/ill-take-three/

[Dan @ Jul 31st 2007 1:57PM]

This is typical, I've seen it every time on my ipod stocks. They have reduced the number shipped to us substantially and then they lower the price to sell through. Aug. 7th they are gonna roll out 6G ipods that are more like the 5G than iphone. New menu interface and a little smaller design but retaining click wheel and other hardware designs.

[Preston @ Jul 31st 2007 2:13PM]

If that's the case, and the 6G ipods are more like the 5.5G ipods as opposed to the iphone, then I'm definitely getting an Archos 605. I've been hoping for the widescreen ipod with controls similar to the iphone. This will be a huge let down if it doesn't turn out like that.

[Tommy @ Jul 31st 2007 2:07PM]

It has been like this for a while. That's the price I paid for my iPod on amazon.com a month ago (July 1st).

[shamrock593 @ Jul 31st 2007 2:26PM]

Definitely sounds like a new iPod is on the way...

[David @ Jul 31st 2007 2:40PM]

I don't see anything new here, Amazon has pretty much always sold iPod's for $20ish less than Apple, for like forever.

[Homeboy @ Jul 31st 2007 2:41PM]

A new iPod is bound to come any day soon and hope it is on the 7th because my insurance company will be giving me money anytime the coming days because my 2.5 years old iPhoto photo died on me earlier this year.
The iPod video is the most outdated product in the Apple line up, it hasn't had a proper facelift or update unlike the other Apple products.

[byaah @ Jul 31st 2007 2:55PM]

Agreed. This has been around for quite a while. This in an of itself is not proof of an impending 6G iPod release, though I do believe it is about time for one.

[rTwelve @ Jul 31st 2007 3:23PM]

Although the online stores do often do this, this week is first I can recall in the year-and-a-half I've worked in the department, that iPods have been directly on sale in the Best Buy stores themselves. Usually it's been including an accessory or gift card bundled, not an actual price cut on the iPod itself.

[Andy Atkinson @ Jul 31st 2007 3:25PM]

I bought a 30G ipod from Amazon mid-June for $225 shipped. Today it is $230 shipped. What am I missing? I think Engadget should have fact-checked this blurb a little more.

[AdvWar @ Jul 31st 2007 4:09PM]

Prices have dropped a lot over here in the UK recently as well, with most online retailers now selling the 30GB for £150, compared to the original £230.

[xl97 @ Jul 31st 2007 4:46PM]

please.... I dont see any LIVE deals or links to any iPOD for $20 bucks.. facts people. Put up or shut up. ;)

[xl97 @ Jul 31st 2007 4:49PM]

just blatantly un-true facts....

[Mike @ Jul 31st 2007 5:52PM]

This is probably a back-to-school special. Apple already offers students free ipods with the purchase of new MacBooks.

[sselemit @ Jul 31st 2007 6:04PM]

new ipod please! i have waited 2 years. crossing fingers.

[Ant @ Jul 31st 2007 6:53PM]

There is no doubt that a touch screen 6gen is on the way in the next few months, no doubt what so ever. I still think they will go with a micro scroll wheel also, they had enough complaints with the 3gen (i think it was). Apple know that the competition will be developing a full sized touch screen to get there first over the following months (there might even be one out there now). I love my 5gen iPod but I have the need for bigger screen and a massive memory.

I really don't think we are going to be disappointed with the 6gen, it will have more bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at. Apple know their place and they know what sells, they are very clever at marketing and leaving the 6gen iPod till after October would be a very bad business move. Hold on tight to your wallet and wait just a little bit longer for the latest and greatest of all iPod’s, I really would put money on it.

[Findangle @ Aug 1st 2007 7:32AM]

Get the Meizu people, its so much better!!

http://www.mp4nation.com/products/index.php?PID=mp4