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Even a top-tier iPod can't make a typical phone call or stay connected when Wi-Fi is in short supply. And the iPod's core functionality -- audio and video playback -- is now a default option in every smartphone and tablet. Yet, despite these missing and commoditized features, the iPod line remains viable nearly 10 years after it was first introduced.
I got in touch with J.D. Biersdorfer, author of "iPod: The Missing Manual, 9th Edition," to get her take on why iPods continue to resonate with consumers and what she expects to see on the iPod front in years to come. Our interview follows.
With the iPhone, Android, and the iPad getting most of the attention these days, where does the iPod fit in?
J.D. Biersdorfer: The iPod line is still one of the most affordable ways into the iTunes Store and the world of digital media. iPods still holds tremendous appeal for people who want a music or media player without getting saddled with a monthly wireless service plan, want something small and light to walk around with, or who don't want to run the battery down on their phone every day with games, videos and music.
Should the iPod Touch really be considered an iPod? It seems like it's in a completely different product category.
JB: Since it was introduced in 2007, the iPod Touch has occupied this overlapping space with the iPhone and the original iPod Nano. But I think this year's model sort of pushes it into the iPhone/communications-device territory and farther way from its media-player roots.
The 2010 iPod Touch now has a camera, shoots video clips that you can upload right to YouTube, and can run most of the games and apps in the App Store. So it's getting away from being a gadget that's purely for media consumption and is allowing you to really get in there and create your own media. And with apps like Skype, Line2 and FaceTime, you don't even need a cellular carrier to call someone up for a chat.
The book I did right before "iPod: The Missing Manual" was "Best iPhone Apps, Second Edition" and it was amazing to see all the apps out there that do stuff like turn the Touch into a mini word processor, electronic calorie counter, animation studio and more. The fact that the Touch still plays music and video lets it keep its iPod credentials, but it seems to be evolving more into its own all-purpose pocket computer category.
The new Nano is a departure from the 2009 edition (the video camera, video playback, contacts and calendars are all gone). Why did Apple make such a dramatic change to this model?
JB: I have no evidence, and I'm not a business person, but I suspect the cheaper Nano was eating into some potential sales of the pricier Touch since it could also play video and fulfill basic personal-organizer functions. Taking the video recording capability out of the Nano and giving it to the Touch seems to make sense if you really want to make the Touch your marquee product. Then again, I'm not sure how many people were actually using the Nano's camera since it's easier to shoot and share short videos from a cellphone. Getting video off the Nano was kind of a hassle since the clips didn't automatically sync back to iTunes.
To me, the Nano's loss of features this year really defines the product as one that's aimed at fitness buffs. Apple left in the pedometer and FM radio from last year's model, plus they made the Nano smaller, lighter and simpler to use. All of that leads me to believe that the company sees the Nano as the sporty iPod for people on the move.
The Nano "watch" was joked about at Apple's iPod presentation in September. Is an official iPod watch possible?
JB: Oh, I think anything's possible, but I don't know if it's probable given Apple's focused product line these days. MP3 watches have been around for years, some clunkier and more hapless than others, but you never really hear much about how fabulous they are.
Some people have turned the new Nano into a watch on their own. Ben Huh, the CEO of the Cheezburger Network, got a plain watchband, turned his Nano into a wristwatch, and recently wrote about the experience.
How small can the Shuffle get?
JB: I firmly believe there is such a thing as "too small," and the previous Shuffle model (the small metal stick with the controls on the headphone cord) fell into that hole. I think Apple realized it, too, and said as much by restoring the Shuffle's form factor back to the familiar square-body-control-ring look of the second-generation model. I tried using the "stick" model at the gym and hated it because the headset controls weren't always visible and I almost fell off the treadmill because I got distracted grabbing at the cord.
If the technology is there, there's nothing to stop product designers from making a future Shuffle that's nothing but a two-button lapel pin Bluetoothing your tunes into a pair of tiny in-ear monitors. But the usability has to be there. If the finished product design is confusing or too complicated to perform its limited functions with minimal effort, people will use something else.
What will the iPod line look like in five years?
JB: I do have to wonder how long the Classic will be with us, big hard drive and all. Its main selling point, aside from click-wheel nostalgia, is capacity. But with the AirPlay technology coming into play, I think it'd be cool to have a large-capacity networked-iTunes media server at home that you could store a few terabytes' worth of data on and tap into it from any iPod around the house. The whole iPod line would have to have Wi-Fi built in, but it'd be great if you could use that wireless connection to connect to your big iTunes library server no matter what network you're on. Even automobiles are getting networked now, so I could see iPods instantly connecting to the car system and pulling down data there, too. But since Wi-Fi connections aren't always available, keeping a decent 64- or 128GB flash drive on board would make sure you're never without your music and video.
Other predictions: I think touchscreens are here to stay. The cheap low-end Shuffle will be around in some form, just because it's a great gateway or secondary iPod for those times when all you want is music. I could also see the rest of the line getting slimmed down to just the Touch and the Nano, especially if you could stream all your stuff wherever you happen to be.
This interview was edited and condensed.
Get the complete scoop the latest line of iPods and the most recent version of iTunes with the guide that outshines them all -- iPod: The Missing Manual. Teeming with high-quality color graphics, this books helps you manage your media, play back music, videos, and photo slideshows, and keep your calendars and contacts up-to-date. Whether you have a brand-new iPod or an old favorite, this book provides expert guidance on all the amazing things you can do.
