We think you shouldn't buy an iPod right now

We've gotten a deluge of emails over the last week from readers and insiders speculating about the next iPod release; after all, it's been a couple months since Apple loosed the iPhone, the new iMac is official and living large, and current iPods have seen a price drop -- something that only comes strictly mandated by Apple HQ. What's more, sources at retailers are continuing to tell us that Apple is slowing down iPod shipments, strongly suggesting the company is running out its current stock to make room on shelves for new product.

We can't speak to what specific technology Cupertino's got brewing behind the scenes (we know it's OS X-based, and hear it'll use more flash), but whatever it is, we'd wager it'll be released in September or October. And not just because Apple's has taken to launching at least some new iPods every year since 2003, or admitted that it considers its iPhone business its "third", separate from its dedicated music player business (and thus wouldn't consider the iPhone its big iPod launch for 2007), or has just generally been mum about the iPod all year. It's more to do with the fact that since 2004 the company has statistically fallen into the groove of using those two months to launch new flagship iPods (probably thanks to their close-but-not-too-close proximity to the holidays).

Do we have inside dope from Apple on this one? No, none at all. Just a lot of retail reports and mounting evidence that suggests a pretty obvious conclusion. Yeah, we expect new iPods this year (seriously, why wouldn't there be?), and if we were gamblin' men we'd put our money on the September - October. Of course, we know Steve will totally read this and launch in November or December just to mess with us, but hey, as long as the masses get their music players before our annual present-opening ceremonies, everybody's happy.

[oshean @ Aug 16th 2007 11:26AM]

Well then, should I buy an iPhone now?

[Arjy @ Aug 16th 2007 11:45AM]

Go ahead. Nothing new until atleast Q2 '08 from what I've heard, and I've got an aunt who's up there in apple's dev department.

[PseudoPhillistine @ Aug 16th 2007 12:17PM]

Keep making comments like that & you'll be saying "I had an aunt who worked in Apple's dev department"

Remember, Apple doesn't mess around when it comes to leakers!

[Dave @ Aug 16th 2007 1:18PM]

We apologise for the fault in the
subtitles. Those responsible have been
sacked.

[ssuk @ Aug 16th 2007 1:47PM]

Technically, it's not a leak if she's deining a new product is on the way. It's just quoting the offical line from the company.

[Miles @ Aug 16th 2007 10:13PM]

I see Godwin's law was in full effect today.

[Miles @ Aug 16th 2007 10:15PM]

Disregard my above post, I scrolled up to far and hit the wrong reply button.

[Chris @ Aug 16th 2007 11:50PM]

I'm not sure if you should, Only cause you want an iPod, not a phone that dose everything else under the sun, I would wait till god knows when untill the next iPod release, It'll look the exact same as the iPhone except for the phone part, base your conclusion on that. All I know is the next iPod is gonna kick ass.

[Hernan Paredes @ Aug 16th 2007 11:29AM]

hmm cant wait to see um.

[sselemit @ Aug 16th 2007 11:30AM]

It is time. wo ho

[Tim @ Aug 16th 2007 11:34AM]

This is possibly the most anti-Apple post I think engadget's ever made.

[Ryan Block @ Aug 16th 2007 11:44AM]

That's funny, because there's always someone saying we (or I) am already too biased towards-Apple, not against. (And when there's not, there's someone else taking your position, claiming the opposite.) I just don't get it -- we call it as we see it time and again.

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 16th 2007 11:53AM]

If iPods are in the news they are gonna report on 'em, just like other techno-stuff.

I think overall Engadget does the best at this, despite what others may say.

They attempt to be even-handed at least.

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 16th 2007 11:54AM]

If iPods are in the news they are gonna report on 'em, just like other techno-stuff.

I think overall Engadget does the best at this, despite what others may say.

They attempt to be even-handed at least.

[Tim @ Aug 16th 2007 12:00PM]

Just bustin' balls.
:)

[Dan @ Aug 16th 2007 11:59AM]

Ryan, there's a rumour that the Zen Vision:M is being discontinued. Haven't seen that on here, unless nobody's sent it in.

[Simon P @ Aug 16th 2007 12:20PM]

How the hell is this even remotely anti-Apple? It's just speculation based on current and historical observations. Grow up.

[Andrew @ Aug 16th 2007 12:45PM]

@Ryan & Simon

I detect quite a bit of intentional irony/sarcasm in his post. I think, and I may be wrong, that what he is saying is that this article is not anti-apple at all and that even seemingly anti-apple articles on Engadget are pro-apple.

Anyways, who really cares? This isn't Nazi Germany, Engadget can write with whatever bias they want. I'm tired of people complaining about the content on Engadget for having a bias or spelling errors. Untill our robotic overlords take over the site those are inevitable.

[dfox @ Aug 16th 2007 12:53PM]

"Anyways, who really cares? This isn't Nazi Germany, Engadget can write with whatever bias they want. I'm tired of people complaining about the content on Engadget for having a bias or spelling errors. "

This is a freaking gadget blog, not an Apple rumor site!!! I want Apple news from time to time (once in a while) but this is getting stupid.

And yes, I have an iMac.

[Blackster @ Aug 16th 2007 1:08PM]

damn andrew you're such a moron!
nazi-germany?
hello, wake up from youre 60 yearish sleep.
ghee

[Andrew @ Aug 16th 2007 2:44PM]

"damn andrew you're such a moron!
nazi-germany?
hello, wake up from youre 60 yearish sleep.
ghee"

What the enigma isn't the latest in data encryption?

[Miles @ Aug 16th 2007 10:14PM]

I see Godwin's Law is in full effect today.
Really quick too!

[Mike @ Aug 16th 2007 11:02PM]

It's not insignificant that the underlying assumption throughout this entire piece is that the reader will, at some point, buy themselves an Ipod.

[Nate @ Aug 16th 2007 11:36AM]

As much as I hate to say this, my iPhone is just not cutting it music wise. 8gb is not enough and the recessed headphone jack is driving me crazy. Please Apple, release a new iPod and keep it HDD based, 16gb is way to small.

[maxxwizard @ Aug 16th 2007 11:51AM]

this is true...i'm hoping for a new 30GB iPod so i can switch from my Cowon A2 (don't need a PMP anymore).

[brian welch @ Aug 16th 2007 3:11PM]

I dunno, man. You're right, it doesn't hold what my 80gig does, but I've got 1100 songs at a decent bitrate on mine, and it's only about half. other half is three full length movies. that isn't bad for my phone.

Also, the jack hacked me off, too. However, it's fixable. I took a dremel to the end of my shures. Just shaved off a touch of the big chunky plastic plug. Now it fits in there perfectly, no big thing.

[Ernie Oporto @ Aug 16th 2007 9:31PM]

Nah, 16GB is enough for your quality stuff. I think you've got too much crap in there. Go on an MP3 diet!

[Tomer @ Aug 25th 2007 6:29AM]

@brian welch:
Dude, I've got over 6000 songs at a decent bit rate and they take about 30GB.

[LegendZ28 @ Aug 16th 2007 11:37AM]

It's cute that you Engadget thinks Steve would even consider changing the launch date of a major product like the iPod because of some speculative post based on very few facts that arrives at a broad conclusion anyone could have come up with. People have been saying not to buy a new iPod for months now.

[Tim Goldsmith @ Aug 16th 2007 11:45AM]

dude, do you really think they were serious about steve jobs changing the launch time of a major project because of their post? keeee-rist...

[LegendZ28 @ Aug 16th 2007 12:09PM]

Did you really think I was serious, period?

[Toby @ Aug 16th 2007 7:08PM]

You did sound pretty serious...

[v_dogg @ Aug 17th 2007 10:50PM]

ya it was serious

[Ben @ Aug 16th 2007 11:39AM]

I'm going to listen to Engadget on this one. I know Engadget cares about their readers, and they may be know stuff they can't tell us and this is as close as they can get to actually telling us.

[Rand @ Aug 16th 2007 11:49AM]

I'd put my money on Sept. - Oct. From a previous working for a company who developed similar albeit tremendously less successful products, later than October and they would risk having a full pipeline for the Holiday buying season. Product needs to be on the shelves by October at the latest.

[Chris @ Aug 17th 2007 12:15AM]

I Hope So, the 6G iPod Looks pretty good to me, if not I'll the U2 iPod, It'll probably be touch, the next iPod, I just don't know if my heart can take that...

[Gadget Chick @ Aug 16th 2007 11:52AM]

if the new ipod is nice enough (and i mean a complete overhaul)..i might consider buying it over an iphone.

[Chris @ Aug 17th 2007 12:19AM]

I Agree

[Brian Polensky @ Aug 16th 2007 11:58AM]

I would like an iphone-type device. Ipod + pda type functions. I would like this with a phone but I really don;t need the web browsing experience. Although the whole "iphone nano" rumor really appeals to me.

[Arjy @ Aug 16th 2007 12:05PM]

You can't really get the iPhone more "nano" than it already is, that thing is packed to its limit. Unless you slash some big feature, which I don't see apple doing, the iPhone cant really get any smaller.

[Chris Derry @ Aug 16th 2007 4:31PM]

Holy famous last words

[Ant @ Aug 16th 2007 11:59AM]

It's obvious that there's a new iPod coming this year, I don't know why people are treating it like a big secret, undercover thing. I’m already bored of waiting and moved on to other things, my gadget money only sits still for so long then I need some comfort buying. Personally I think Apple has a waited a bit to long this time, then again everyone will want one as long as it has a massive memory and touch screen. Who am I trying to kid, all the stuff I’ve just bought will be on ebay by the end of the week after the announcement. Lol.

[Johan S @ Aug 16th 2007 12:00PM]

Some reasons for a company not to launch a new product is

1) if the old product is selling at market saturation (I dont think the iPod is selling at that point -- but not sure).

2) The profit margins on the new product is substantially less than on the old product (that is, they would have to sell more than double of the new product to make the same amount of money they would have made by continuing to sell the old produt). Of course this is little excuse not to tack on minor revisions.

3) You're not worried about innovative products coming from the competition

4) You've launched a product to break into a new market and want it to gain as many sales as possible (ie, you'd rather people buy that if considering features of the old product)

[KR @ Aug 16th 2007 12:01PM]

Also, for the past few years, in the late Summer/early Fall Apple has run a deal for students where they can buy a Mac and get a free iPod Nano or discounted iPod. It's usally shortly after this deal ends that updates to the iPod lineup are made.

I guess lots of students take advantage of the deal, helping to deplete stocks of soon-to-be "old" iPods in order to make room for the new version.

This year, that student deal ends on September 16. I'll eat my hat if Apple releases an iPod before then. I say anywhere from Sept. 17 through mid-November is fair game for iPod updates.

[Kiteless @ Aug 16th 2007 12:04PM]

Yay, the battery in mine 5G is wasted. I replaced it and it is still wasted, I figure there is something wrong with it. So I am holding out for the "6G" ipod. I am hoping it is very iPhone like.

- K

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Aug 16th 2007 1:17PM]

It's already "wasted", what?! I've had my 5G iPod since July 06' and it still runs strong.

[narco @ Aug 16th 2007 12:06PM]

Being a long term Mac user, the only thing that bugs me about Apple's recent popularity is that sites I love like Engadget are being flooded with assholes. I would love to be present when some of these commenters finally grow up and say to themselves "I used to argue about what?"

But as far as iPods go, the only update I need is bigger hard drive space. I've been holding on to a shuffle for 2 years waiting for at least a 120GB iPod. One good thing about owning a shuffle is it motivates you to create a bunch of playlists.

Fishes,
narco.

[Craig @ Aug 16th 2007 12:32PM]

agreed. i definitely noticed a spike in ignorant-ass comments with release of the iphone

but hey, if it gets people excited and encourages apple (or other companies) to release more innovative products, i guess it's not entirely bad

[narco @ Aug 16th 2007 12:50PM]

I have no problem with people who have a valid reason for disliking a specific Apple product, but a lot of people these days really don't have a reason. It's like arguing about religion but worse because at the end of the day, they make everybody happy. Well, for the most part.

[stephen @ Aug 16th 2007 11:32PM]

Props to you for wanting +120gig ipod. thats pretty much what i've been holding out for in the last few years.