Apple's lawyers called, the iPod nano "phatty" is apparently the real deal

That really sketchy looking photo of the iPod nano "phatty" from yesterday? Yeah, you can officially file that under deceptively sketchy looking -- Apple's legal team called demanding we take the shot down, claiming ownership of the photo, and that it was "stolen" from the company. Ooook. Granted, Apple doesn't send takedowns to all confirmed-true leaks -- take the new aluminum Mac keyboard, for example. Apple never gave us a hard time when we broke that story. Still, Apple's legal team wouldn't be wasting its or our time if they didn't feel there was something to lose by inaction, so until further notice we're considering this the real deal. Just in case you missed it the first time, we pulled together a quick mockup of the newer, fatter nano. See? You really weren't missing anything. Expect 'em out in the next couple of months, says we.

[todd douglas @ Aug 24th 2007 10:19AM]

I sure hope this thing has built in bluetooth, anyone think it will?

[Nando @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:40PM]

^ Dumbass!

[EngadgetFanBoi @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:49PM]

SERIOUSLY though... I have an 8gb Nano and I LOVE IT, but this looks like a major step in the wrong direction.

Its not common for Apple's design team to mess up, but this is definitely one example of it. I mean, why go 4:3 in this day and age? Especially when it means making your device wider in a world that can't seem to get anything TOO thin... Well, I've always felt like the nano would make perfect sense if it was just a tiny tiny bit wider than the 2g, equally as thin, and with a WIDESCREEN screen. All of you readers (naturally) agree with me in our utter disappointment with this design, I know.

BOO Apple. VERY BOO.

[mcbane666 @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:45PM]

9to5 mac right again? ask them whats next

[Penguin Warlord @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:43PM]

If that is the new iPod Nano then it looks like it was beaten with the ugly stick.

[steve @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:48PM]

so, what does the ugly stick look like?

[scott @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:50PM]

it looks ugly, dumbass.

[mikey @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:51PM]

The iMac now this...Johothan Ive has taken up crack.

[phraternity @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:51PM]

With you all the way, dude. In my honest opinion, I believe Apple is going for this 'phat' look to justify video support on the Nano by enlarging the screen. Big mistake. What happened to Apple's design team???

[martin15 @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:44PM]

this is the danny d-vito of ipods.

if it plays videos i wud get one though.

if its real of course

[Pedro @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:34PM]

o wud u rlly?

[Owen V @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:44PM]

confirmation is always good.

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:52PM]

This isn't necessarily confirmation. Remember Asteroid that ThinkSecret got sued over. Remember 9to5 mac is a new rumor site. Apple might be trying to kill it off in infancy. Maybe it was even a controlled leak.

[Chris @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:49PM]

Maybe the government is in on it. I bet Abe Lincoln's ghost had something to do with this. All the answers to this and more are held at Area 51. Common knowledge.

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:53PM]

I know it sounds a little conspiracy theory-ish, but if you think that Apple isn't doing controlled leaks, and passing around multiple information through its ranks you're kidding yourself. Why do YOU think that Thinksecret gets four or five different stories from trusted sources?

[steve @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:47PM]

shuffle with a screen? I thought the new shuffle looked a little goofey, but it caught on. Honestly, imo the nano has gone downhill since the original. But, since apple made such a stink about it, I wonder if 9to5 is right about the osx touch ipod...

[b.ran.don @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:50PM]

thats ugly as hell. looks like a cheap chinese ipod nano knock-off.

[Camperton @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:53PM]

well said.

[RD @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:49PM]

Hideous.

[Todd @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:49PM]

"Squashed", "fatty", "potted_flower.psd"...damn is it 4:20 yet?

I wonder why all the ambulance chasers got their panties in such a knot? Is the form factor really a preview of the iPhone Mini? Samsung makes a tiny, miniature cell phone with that exact same shape, called the P310:

http://wirelessimports.com/Store/Catalog/Detail.aspx?productId=477

[The Pepto Pimp @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:56PM]

That's an interesting idea. But how would we have dialed on one of those thing? I think it's a coincidence that those two items are the same size.

Just this morning I was going to point out that if it were real then the lawyers would have pulled it. Apparently Apple's iPod Division has some serious bloodhounds. They should loan some of their boys out to whoever missed that keyboard slip-up.

[Tom Freeman @ Aug 29th 2007 6:10AM]

Not so sure about that...

[Chrisphillers @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:27PM]

The mockup is pretty bad - makes the nano look far thicker - the edges dont have such a gradient. I suspect the nanos will be very thin.

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:53PM]

Yes, I know everyone is saying it.... That is UGLY.

[gshb @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:00PM]

okie dokie, time to see what the all the fuss is about with the zune.

[Eric @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:47PM]

I wasn't aware there was a fuss regarding the Zune. Unless you're talking about the fat guy with the Zune tattoos.

[Hawkman @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:37PM]

What fuss?

[primetime4 @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:01PM]

How does everyone think this is so ugly? It is a frickin' screen with a scroll wheel just like it has always been.

[AdamY @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:04PM]

Maybe they just got tired of hack journalism/rumor mongering dragging down their stock prices?

[inti @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:05PM]

IMHO: The new Apple Keyborad is not a major product, just a peripherial. The iPod Nano btw is one MAJOR stuff, needed to be WOWed when his Steveness says "Boom".

[timatl @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:05PM]

once the pics are on the internet it is waste of time.

[Dias @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:07PM]

I hope it's not true because that concept is super ugly.

I've 2G Nano and waiting for 3G, hoping it will have touchscreen and 16Gb flash.

[lozaccio @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:07PM]

How on earth to they track people down?

How did they get your number?

[uberfu @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:26PM]

Easy - when 9to5 posted it and all of the News Sites like Engadget and Gizmodo and others pick it up - it kinda hits the main stream - ya know !!

[deleted @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:35PM]

Right, I saw that.
Was curious about how Apple Legal got the phone # for Engadget. I guess through AOL (engadget's parent company)...

[Dster @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:09PM]

Google cache.

[roc ingersol @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:08PM]

the only way that makes sense as a nano is if it's not much wider and is just alot shorter.

and yeah, it's not good lookin - but the current nano is pretty ugly too.

[jessy @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:12PM]

why does apple make it so easy for microsoft to rule the world?

[fontendet24 @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:14PM]

I think it's real.
Apple needed to get the users of nano in iTunes movie store. This is potential customers! And high profits.
So they'll needed to give them a new device that can play movies in size at least at 320x240.
That's all.

[Taylor @ Aug 27th 2007 5:31AM]

I think it'd be better if they actually started selling movies in somewhere that's not freakin America! Some of us (Australians/Europeans/Brazillians/Timbuktuans) want movies too!

[Neeko @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:17PM]

i doubt this is true. APPLE wouldn't come out with such a BORING design for there new NANO. cmon it looks like a sqwooshed regular OLD boring IPOD. wheres the cool design in that?

[Hawkman @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:40PM]

I hope you're right.

Fortunately, Apple have ordered take-downs for plenty of stuff that never appeared - I'm counting on the fact that they think this is horribly ugly too and they don't want it tarnishing their reputation.

[Will @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:19PM]

Apple really needs to fire Courtney Love from their design team.

[JungZandvliet @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:20PM]

Mayby they did this so we all beleiving it. And when the times come he say's BOOM. And shows a awsome new ipod. and is laughing us out that we beleived this phatty ipod would become the real deal. But proberly not :P

[Bobby @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:20PM]

Why does everyone think this is the new nano? It makes much more sense that this would be the 6th gen iPod video. That's where I'm placing my bets...

[sselemit @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:21PM]

RFLMAO!

[DT @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:22PM]

Meh. People thought the 5G iPod was weird-looking too, but they got over it pretty quick. Same thing here.

[KFahn @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:22PM]

Honestly, this doesn't look that bad. If this is the same width as the nano, I think that it would be quite a hit. This coming from someone who has never owned a single ipod or apple product ever. I just think that people are bashing it saying it looks bad just because there are others saying the same. Talk about sheep...

[Kris S. @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:30PM]

LOL!!! Fat, ugly beast.

[Brent @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:29PM]

I like it. If you look at a 2G nano there is all that wasted blank space below the screen and below the wheel. If they get rid of that and then made it a little wider so you could fit a bigger screen and watch video, it would still smaller and more functional. How is that not better than the current one?