Mysterious new 4GB iPod nano 4Gs begin appearing on store shelves

Now this is an interesting development. According to two separate tipsters (with two sets of photos) Apple has released a third version of the new multi-hued iPod nano to the world -- a 4GB model. As there's been no announcement from the company, and there was certainly no mention of it at the 'Let's Rock' event, this is quite a head-scratcher. According to sources (and a Dutch retailer's site), the models are available in all nine colors and are priced at €119 (or about $168) -- though there seems to be some debate as to whether these lower capacity versions are limited editions or simply an incredible gaffe on Apple's part. Regardless, they appear to be the real thing, and they appear to be on store shelves right now (in some countries, at least). If you're looking for the ultimate Apple collector's item, this may be just the thing. Check out the gallery below for lots of looks at the mystery nano.

Update: The UK's Pocket-lint got hold of an Apple spokesperson who told them Apple "made a limited number of 4GB iPod nanos for some international markets, but this is not one of our main configurations." Mystery solved, we guess -- but that "limited number" bit has us thinking this was still some kind of mistake.

Gallery: Mysterious new 4GB iPod nano 4Gs begin appearing on store shelves

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Read - 4GB iPod nano 4G at Dutch retailer
Read - New iPod nano, very briefly in 4 GB

[[e-mail] @ Sep 17th 2008 9:30AM]

wieeeeerd

[Malweran @ Sep 17th 2008 9:38AM]

Lol! that is probably Rotterdam where the last picture is taken. It certainly looks like it.

Maybe visit the app-store there tomorrow and see for myself

[Malweran @ Sep 17th 2008 9:39AM]

I mean Apple-store.. jeez things get me confused sometimes.

[johnblack @ Sep 17th 2008 9:50AM]

"i" before "eeeee's" except after "c," benjamin.

[Mark @ Sep 17th 2008 9:57AM]

his 'i' was before his 'e'

[BuddyBoy @ Sep 17th 2008 10:09AM]

Which is odd because the word is "weird" not "wierd"

[telepheedian @ Sep 17th 2008 10:29AM]

Weird is weird, so it doesn't count

[Podaman @ Sep 17th 2008 10:54AM]

1) For all words containing the pair ‘i’ and ‘e’ (in either order): i before ‘e’ occurs 2.7 times more often than ‘e’ before ‘i’ or 73% of the time.

2) For all words containing ‘cie’ or ‘cei’: ‘cie’ occurs 2.9 times more often than ‘cei’ or 74% of the time.


http://www.wordwizard.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20753&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0

[absinthe party @ Sep 17th 2008 11:47AM]

They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.

[POV (the geordie) @ Sep 17th 2008 1:45PM]

Well of course he spelt it wrong, he went to Northumbria University. Wouldn't have been the case if he had got into Newcastle....Actually, then he probably would have spelt it 'weead'.

[DemDude @ Sep 17th 2008 3:34PM]

You can also get these at the german amazon: http://www.amazon.de/Apple-iPod-Nano-Tragbarer-MP3-Player/dp/B001FWYS6O/ref=br_lf_m_1000215853_1_26_img?ie=UTF8&s=ce-de&pf_rd_p=218849191&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000215853&pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_r=025NDG9FNN9HEZVQVMBB

They will run you 129€, which is more than 182$, which is 17$ less than what you'd have to pay for a 16GB iPod in the US.

Us Europeans always get ripped off, especially by apple.
I was thinking about getting a 32GB iPod touch, which costs 399$ (280€) in the US, but it'll run me 535$ (379€), which is ridiculous... It will cost me 135$ more if I buy it here.
If I were to buy iPods for a couple of my friends and myself, I could actually book a flight to New York City, stay there for a weekend and buy the stuff, fly back, and still save some money.

[nick @ Sep 17th 2008 4:31PM]

I think apple had already started making 4gb ipod nanos then found zune was going to come in 8/16gb versions and stopped production on the 4gb nanos

[Mike @ Sep 18th 2008 3:53AM]

The reason prices are so different between the US and Europe is that the US prices are shown without tax. In Europe, tax (VAT) has been added to the price. This is usually about 20%. When you calculate that, the prices are almost the same, although you will still need to pay the tax in the US.

[Benson @ Sep 20th 2008 10:05PM]

Yes, but you'll need to pay a state sales tax running around 6%, not 20%, so no.

[Benji @ Sep 17th 2008 9:30AM]

I just bought a brand new black 8GB one at Sam's Club for $139.86.

[bob sakamano @ Sep 17th 2008 9:52AM]

thanks, what else did you buy this week?

[Benji @ Sep 17th 2008 9:54AM]

Apparently a ticket to scarcasmland.

[bob sakamano @ Sep 17th 2008 10:02AM]

(=

[spacegravity4me @ Sep 17th 2008 11:49AM]

The casm of scars sounds very scary, especially an entire land full of scarcasms! j/k

[Tam @ Sep 17th 2008 9:34AM]

Could make a splash if they price them at $99--would fill a niche between the $69 Shuffle 2GB and the $149 Nano 8GB.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Sep 17th 2008 9:38AM]

That's what I was thinking. "Own a nano for only $99!"

[who? @ Sep 17th 2008 1:42PM]

Yeah, it would bridge the gap wonderfully. In addition, the UK and select other European countries only get a £95 rebate when purchasing an iPod with a new Apple computer. In the US the rebate was big enough to cover the cost of the lowest end iPod Nano, but the 8GB is £105 in the UK.

If the 4GB Nano is £95 or below, it would allow them to get an iPod for a price that could be fully refunded (like in the US for their "back to school" deal).

Wouldn't that be neat?

[Guilty @ Sep 20th 2008 6:51PM]

Or you could pick up a first-generation 4GB Nano that can run iPodLinux (which the new ones can't do) for $50 on eBay.

[Benjamin @ Sep 17th 2008 9:35AM]

iPod 4th Generation, 4GB Wal-Mart Limited Edition, only suckers need apply.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Sep 17th 2008 9:36AM]

I'm gonna go with a misprinted back panel.

[josejuan05 @ Sep 17th 2008 10:39AM]

...except that if you clicked on through to the article you can see that the device software lists the capacity at 3.6GB. So, nice try, but no. This looks like a legitimate (if strange) SKU.

[ScooterDe @ Sep 17th 2008 3:33PM]

129 Euro from Amazon in Germany.
http://www.amazon.de/Apple-iPod-Nano-Tragbarer-MP3-Player/dp/B001FWYS6Y/ref=br_lf_m_1000215853_1_23_ttl?ie=UTF8&s=ce-de&pf_rd_p=218849191&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000215853&pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_r=106DBQDQ591MVTR24VZS

Not available from Apple.de, so this is obviously not one they want to know about, officially.
I have no doubt they decided - too late for the factories - to abandon the 4GB, so they decided to dump it in markets other than the US, e.g. developing countries as an affordable entry point and places like Europe where iPods are over-priced.

What, Apple not telling us everything about their plans to conquer the planet?

[bob sakamano @ Sep 17th 2008 9:39AM]

doesn't the "4gb" look like its lined up up wrong compared to the other text? maybe my eyes are bad

[AJ in the East Bay @ Sep 17th 2008 9:41AM]

$hit, you're right! Photoshop!!

[bob sakamano @ Sep 17th 2008 9:44AM]

well from the other guys pics it looks like a little tougher photoshop job..... BUT WE CAN SEE THE ANONYMOUS TIPSTER!!!! FIND THIS GUY!!!!!!

[Alex @ Sep 17th 2008 9:45AM]

Good observation, but I think that's just the curvature of the back

[Mavric @ Sep 17th 2008 9:54AM]

the new nano is oval in shape, so the "4gb" is lined up properly, but the new shape can play havoc on depth perception because the text follows that oval shape, its somewhat of an optical illusion from staring at it too long....

[Stereobot @ Sep 17th 2008 9:41AM]

Yeah, I would expect them to be at the $99 price point. Maybe its only an overseas thing.

I can't really see this being a desireable collectors item, even if its an error thing.

The new nanos are great though, the video looks really good, but I think its only a matter of time until there are articles of people reporting eye problems from straining to see the small screen.

[iEye @ Sep 17th 2008 9:45AM]

"If you're looking for the ultimate Apple collector's item"

Are you kidding me? is there someone out there so pathetic to actually...

I can see E-bay withing the hour... Limited edition iPod nano 4GB 8GB 4GB no wait... The only mistake apple ever make iPod... get it now for only $499

[Shane @ Sep 17th 2008 9:56AM]

We missed you, iEye. Welcome back.

[CraigJ @ Sep 17th 2008 1:16PM]

No, we didn't.

[Shane @ Sep 17th 2008 1:37PM]

*sarcasm*

[Mick East @ Sep 17th 2008 9:47AM]

A German retailer reports that Apple originally planned to release 4GB models as well, but later on changed their minds. However, at that point in time a certain number of 4GB models have already been produced. They are sold now but should be available only for limited time

[Christina Warren @ Sep 17th 2008 10:07AM]

Very interesting -- thanks for the info!
That is kind of cool. Not cool enough to buy (I mean, really), but cool nonetheless.

[Patriks7 @ Sep 17th 2008 10:17AM]

Well then that would explain why the 16 GB wasn't available until the weekend...

[Badass @ Sep 17th 2008 9:57AM]

Apple doubled the GBs a day before the show. a few thousand were made

[ACE @ Sep 17th 2008 10:35AM]

Really? Maybe they heard Zune was gonna be pushing out their 16Gb flash model and had to make a quick edit to the festivities....VERY interesting....

[lgespee @ Sep 17th 2008 9:57AM]

Well I don't think it's a misprint of some sort. Dixons, which is a pretty big retailer of electronics here in Europe, has them on their website (I only checked the Dutch one).
http://dixons.nl/De_online_winkel/Homepage_Audio/Nieuwe+Apple+iPods/Apple+iPod+nano/default.aspx

In de image on the top of the page it says: "Nieuwe generatie Apple iPod Nano" which translated into "New generation Apple iPod Nano". As you can see on the page the models shown all have 4GB storage.

[lgespee @ Sep 17th 2008 10:56AM]

I can't seem to find how to edit a post, therefor a reply.

"In de image ..." should be "In the image ..."
"... which translated into ..." should be "... which translates into ..."

[Craig McDonald @ Sep 17th 2008 9:57AM]

This is news?

[kg @ Sep 17th 2008 10:12AM]

Does anyone actually have a new 16GB nano yet? Specifically, has anyone received one that they ordered from the online Apple store?

[Dan Peterson @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:25PM]

Yes, I did get mine. Took almost a week, however.

[Mike O @ Sep 17th 2008 10:14AM]

Sounds like these might be for sale in lower-income areas of the globe...

[diego @ Sep 17th 2008 11:16AM]

Exactly, like the Netherlands, Germany ...

[Morning @ Sep 17th 2008 11:42AM]

"4GB iPod nano 4G at Dutch retailer."

GNI per capita United States (2007): 46,040 USD
Annual growth: 2.2%

GNI per capita Netherlands (2007): 45,820 USD
Annual growth: 3.5%

Considering that the US' economy has been going downhill - and that's an understatement - since 2007, they'd better start selling those 4GB models in the US, too.