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As Seinfeld would say, "That's a shame."

MDNMW: record, as in, must be some kind of record

Personally, I find that hard to believe. "Far future"?? I guess it depends on your definition. Apple needs to have something else on the drawing board for the '07 Xmas season; the current line-up will not cut it.

Speculation.

According to buyersguide.macrumors.com, the 5G iPod was last updated September 12, 2006, same with the nano. Too long for the iPod line. Although the rest of the DAP industry is pretty slow as well (MS has just past the 1 million mark for the Zune).

I believe we'll see a touch screen iPod announced around the back-to-school timeframe.

A touch-screen iPod would gut early iPhone sales. The iPhone will stand alone until sales prove that it's not just another mobile phone. Then Apple will open the door for the next iPod design.

The updated iPod won't come out until 32+gb Flash units are shipping in sufficient quantity that Apple can forego hard drive units altogether. Plus Apple need to have the iPhone out on the street for a sufficient period of time that they can fix the user complaints that are bound to appear in the 1g iPhone.

I also find that hard to believe. It's more likely that this is a true story of FUD! Apple hasn't updated the iPod in a very long time and really needs to put out a newer version SOONER not LATER. I believe they will do this after the iPhone intro is done. They can't wait to long otherwise things could turn for the worse.

@Macman: "(MS has just past the 1 million mark for the Zune)."

-- allegedly.

Magic Word: Some. They probably need to sell some more out of dealer inventory before they've really sold 1 million.

Bull-ZUNE.

Many want a 6G iPod: iPhone screen and software, WiFi, no cell phone and large hard drive. The reasoning in this article gives for apple not to deliver such a thing for two years is completely flawed. Many assumptions are made that don't jive with current Apple actions.

For instance, the author states that apple will not release the 6G iPod until it realizes all profits possible from the iPhone. This is not what Apple has recently done. It has shown the courage to discontinue even the most successful iPod... then it announces an even better one. That is certainly not the mark of a company that holds on to wring the last penny of profit out of a product.

The author also assumes that the market for the iPhone and the 6G iPod are one-in-the-same. They are not. The iPhone is a great cell phone with a iPod NANO, among other things. Those who NEED a regular hard-drive iPod will still need a regular hard-drive iPod even if they have an iPhone. A 6G iPod would steal the thunder of the iPhone if it was released at the same time but Apple does not have to wait two years.

If Apple can make get of the touch screens and build the whole thing cheap enough to maintain margins then we should see the 6G come Sept / Oct of THIS YEAR.

So don't feel bad... TFA is full of Bull-ZUNE

@macman - not yet. see earlier post today. 1 million units is a projection by end of June. And, presumably, this will include all sales to the channel - so discount all the Zunes still on the shelf at the end of June and Microsoft will have sold, say, 4.

Oh, ok, 5 then... Well, anyway, a lot less than 1 million...

mw=earlier : as in check the earlier post

BS, Apple would be crazy not to release an iPod based on the iPhone.

the iPhone can hurt the iPod sales, but how can this guy pretend that an iPod can hurt iPhone sales, that's absurd.

and, why does that mater anyway, apple does not care if it sells an iPhone or an iPod.

I don't imagine a touch-screen iPod will be out before the world wide release of the iPhone is complete at the end of 2008.

There will be iPod updates this year, but a multi-touch screen will not be found.

WTF does this guy know? OK, we're back after the holiday so maybe I'm grumpy, but this guy knows squat. Apple doesn't want to cannibalize sales, yada yada. Of course. But, I think the iPhone and iPod serve different market segments (with a small overlap). Anyone else agree with me?

There are plenty of people who are satisfied with their phone, or locked in, or just don't want to switch. They won't buy an iPhone. But there are also tons of people who have been waiting for a wide screen iPod FOREVER. Ever since they introduced the video iPod people have been clamoring for the "true video iPod." Am I lyin'? I'm sorry, an iPhone is not a great holiday gift. There are too many compatibility issues (which plan should I get him? how many minutes does she need?). It's been proven year after year the iPod is a great holiday gift.

So, I say get the iPhone out there on time. Then before the holidays, send out the next gen iPod. Sales will be huge. Granted, I'm a nobody, just like this blogger, what do I know? But I like my scenario better than his. You will see the new iPod before the christmas shopping season.

He's wrong because he's assuming that the iPhone and the iPod have the same target market. And he ignores that Apple has gotten very good at segmenting the market and aggressively pushing product in each segment with minimal cannibalization.

Since Zune, Sansa, and Creative aren't making much headway into Apple's share in the mp3 market, I predict a modest upgrade to a widescreen iPod with multi-touch/Coverflow by the end of Sept. Obviously no cell, but also no wifi. Bluetooth in the top end only. Priced at $249 (40GB) and $349 (120GB).

And the nano just gets a capacity upgrade (click wheel stays) and priced from $99 to $199.

@ Martin: "BS, Apple would be crazy not to release an iPod based on the iPhone."

Crazy like a fox!

With the growing demand for a multi-touch iPod, Apple would be crazy to release one now. A significant portion of the building market for the iPod will buy an iPhone just to get their hands on the technology. This will help Apple sell their 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008 (and create a continuing revenue stream through AT&T;).

Seems pretty smart to me.

I could poke lots of holes in his argument, but the most important thing is that he's just speculating, as opposed to sharing real plans from Cupertino.

If it were up to me, I'd be slow in updating the ipod to touchscreen just because it's a radical chang in a very successful product. Let the design and technology prove themselves and get shaken down on the iphone.

However it is not up to me, and Apple has been willing to take sacrifice successful ipods in the past.

On the other hand, who knows how hard these things are to manufacture? Definitely not going to risk iphone shortages...

Still the iphone has a LOT of capability beyond ipod. I don't see any need to hold back the ipod to sell iphones. One is a communication device (phone, internet, etc.) one is not. That's quite a difference.

I thought Steve Jobs made it clear that iPhone is an iPod. Consider your iPhone a 6G iPod.

Whether a new iPod is going to be iPhone-like or not, Apple needs to get a true video iPod to market in the very near future - And it would be best for Apple, since I think they are already falling behind with keeping their own iPod product line on the cutting edge, if the new iPod was also a full fledged PDA running a limited version of OS X.

Just my opinion, but a strong opinion none the less.

"The only problem is: there's no way in Cupertino that's going to happen. At least, not anytime soon."

BASED ON WHAT FACTS?
Assuming Apple has the iPhone on schedule, is anyone dumb enough
to think that there is not an iPod ready to start production when the time comes that it won't canniballize iPhone sales.
How hard is it to just make an iPod when it is already only a portion of the iPhone. The two price points are different and there is room for both, but I agree there needs to be some perspective on iPhone sales before releasing the latest iPod. This guy is an idiot and it is a shame any investor takes him seriously.

24/7 voice/data via cell and wifi app/widgets will be what distinguishes the iPhone from the iPod. People will marvel at having being able to get the info they need via the iPhone.

The iPhone will have at least 3 months of sales before the 6G iPod is introduced. And when the 6G iPod is introduced, the iPhone will get another software upgrade with more apps/widgets.

For the next year or two, the 6G iPod will continue to be an unconnected media player. Coverflow/multitouch will be the new easy-to-use interface and enough to distinguish it from all its so-called competitors.

I don't get it.

Don't you Maczealots pride yourselves on so readily accepting what Steve Jobs feels is BEST for YOU?

Then what if Steve Jobs feels that, should you want a widescreen iPod with multi-touch controls, you need to have a phone attached?

What if this is the future of music players and he feels you should hop on the bandwagon right now?

I'm not attempting to validate the article but it IS possible. Cell phones with mp3 players will someday make iPods obsolete afterall and the iPhone is partially meant to hedge that bet.

I've looked into getting an iPhone, but Cingular, err AT&T;doesn't have its own towers in my area (about 60 miles west and north of Omaha). I also noticed that the company will penalize you if you use partner towers too often, which means I'm not eligible to buy and iPhone even I wanted to.

I can justify the expense of an iPhone itself (it'd be a steal for $500 with all of its functions), but I can't justify a two-year contract with a company that doesn't serve me, plus a data plan.

There simply HAS to be a non-phone version in the pipeline, or Apple is leaving many of its faithful locked out of its newest technologies. That wouldn't sit well with me.

I would have no problem with a slightly bulkier 60 gb hard drive that isn't flash based if it came in at $300-350. Make it work with my wi-fi network and I'd pay $50 more . . .

If I was Apple I would not change a thing on the iPod, except for maybe increase the screen sizes.

Why does everyone insist that the iPhone UI needs to be on the iPod as well? I don't know, but to me each gadget is different and because they are different, they should not have the same UI. Don't forget, the iPod UI is still head and shoulders above anyone else's - its all about the click-wheel.

Just because the iPhone's UI seems cool, it doesn't mean that it is better than the click-wheel on the iPod for music purposes. In fact, I have a bet with a friend that within six months (it might already exist and we don't know it) the iPhone will sport a virtual click-wheel (or maybe even an add-on that enables click-wheel functionality). The click-wheel interface is just that good.

Anyway, no one else can copy the UI of the iPhone. They can't copy the iPod UI either, otherwise they would have done it by now. As such, Apple can sit back and let each product be its own kick-ass industry leader.

Seriously what is your alternative to buying an iPod (today or even six months from today), a Zune? Some Samsung/Creative/Sony/Whatever gadget? If you want the best UI in a music player, then you have no choice but to admit that the iPod is best, if you want other features like FM Tuner or you just plain-old hate Apple, then you buy another product, which you could have done even before the iPhone was announced.

If you want touchscreens, you can already buy media players that have them, why haven't you? Because they don't have a click-wheel or work well with iTunes...

Now, if you want your media player to have multi-touch, then, you buy an iPhone.

This article is so far off the mark, from general business and marketing fundamentals it is amazing. To summarize:

1. Come this fall iPod 6G will arrive. Apple will promote and sell both - like crazy. The market will determine what they wish to buy, and Apple will have either in their aresenal to go forward with.

2. His own premise assumes that basically "whenever" Apple launches the iPod that is iPhone-like, it will kill iPhone sales... So then why would Apple ever launch it? Just dumb circular thinking going on.

3. He never gives thought to the iPhone-like iPod actually increasing sales of iPhones - which is likely.

4. He does not understand that if Apple sits still on iPods, others will come with better and better products - killing off Apple's lead in that industry.

Just dumb, dumb, dumb.

Keeping an iPod in your jacket pocket, and skipping to the next song, changing volume, and so on, would be VERY hard to do with a touch screen model, without taking it out of your pocket.

I agree with Maczealot.

iphone has to make it's mark, then you'll see the updated iPod.

"Keeping an iPod in your jacket pocket, and skipping to the next song, changing volume, and so on, would be VERY hard to do with a touch screen model, without taking it out of your pocket."

Then if that's your priority, you get the iPod nano. Nobody said Apple would discontinue the iPod family.

But everyone wants an iPhone without the phone: a widescreen multi-touch iPod. It's possible that Apple could feel that in order to get those features, you have to purchase the iPhone.

I don't think an iPhone-esque iPod will hurt iPhone sales. If it's as good as it looks then the extra features of the phone, web and so on will be well worth the money - especially to have them combined in the same device.

"If it's as good as it looks then the extra features of the phone, web and so on will be well worth the money - especially to have them combined in the same device."

No, it won't.

There are tens millions of happy Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Alltel, USCC, etc. customers who want an iPhone without the phone.

If Apple gives it to us, we have absolutely no incentive to switch to AT&T;for the iPhone because we don't like AT&T;. It is not worth being an AT&T;customer just for the sake of a converged device.

However, if it's the ONLY WAY we can have our widescreen iPod, then the chances of us putting up with AT&T;'s bullshit increases by ten fold.

I agree with M.X.N.T.4.1. the iphone-esque ipod will cater to those who already have a cell phone and do not wish to switch to ATT. So either way it wont hurt each others. Just caters to a broader audience then to have them all switch to AT&T;for the phone service just to get a wide screen ipod.

in my opinion the iPhone is the iPod with touch controls,now the problem is the flash memory,the nano can have more than 148 contacts and i guess that the next iPhone are going to be like the 2th gen to 5th gen ipods,witch means that the wait is over...we just need to get more new products like printers,flash hardrives to go with the APE ,new ``quicktakes``,and of course more rare products;that´s what i call .

How can it be that market leader of portable media players doesn't have a wide screen model in their line-up?

Apple's high-end iPod is a market winner and, with Apple pushing video content of all sorts (and TV!), a 120 GB, mutlti-touch, wide-screen iPod will come in time for Christmas.
I don't think there is any doubt about this. I, like countless others, are waiting for it.
There is no way the iPhone or any other flash-based, hand-held device will be able to compete with it, from the capacity point-of-view.
Anything with over 100 GB of flash memory would cost a small fortune.

The issue of a touchscreen device being hard to use in-pocket is easily gotten around with a remote in the earbud cord, as I believe Apple already did for iPhone hands-free operation (?)

All Apple needs to do at a minimum is strip out the phone hardware and sell it at slightly below the existing iPhone price. Same profit margin.

Ideally a HD rather than flash based version though...

That's another thing.

The widescreen iPod would probably come in HD capacities upwards of 100gb.

Yet another reason to pass on an iPhone with its lackluster 4-8gb capacities.

It will come eventually but right now Apple needs to milk all the losers with too much expendable cash that are fiending for a widescreen iPod but can't wait and are thinking of joining AT&T;in order to get one.

Like R2.

You give me a widescreen iPod right now and I'll remain a happy Verizon customer carrying two devices because I REALLY don't feel like switching.

I agree with his reasoning, but I think his timing will be off. I think you'll see a new iPod this fall with OS X, but I wouldn't bet the bank on it.

His point is valid--if you want the fancy interface, you gotta pony up the cash for an iPhone. Apple will want to ride that horse for as long as possible to recoup the R&D;money before bringing that interface to the rest of us. The question is, how long will it take?

I've said it before--I think the iPhone will be Cube-like. It will have a lot of takers initially, but I think the sales are going to dramatically fall off after a few months, mostly due to the price. Now Apple isn't big on lowering prices, so what will they do? They'll move the technology down into the lower end--namely into the iPod--to continue to recoup the investment.

I'm thinking you'll see an iPod this fall or, at the latest, MacWorld.

@ R2, I believe there are earphones with a unit that will enable you to skip tracks! the same unit encompases a microphone so that you can answer the phone when it rings. There is also a bluetooth ear piece. They were show cased in january at the MacWorld keynote address.

When the phone rings, the track is paused until the call is over.

There is an interface that has been patented for a rear operated iphone, the active surface will be on the rear case, you will see the interface on the front of the screen.

@ Crabapple

Yeah, I've watched the keynote about 20 times now but I don't recall anything about earphones with function controls.

I do know of an iPod remote which functions in the same manner but the only thing I know of the iPhone's earbuds is that it has a built-in microphone for calls.

Whatever Apple doesn't think of, however, I'm sure one of the many 3rd party accessory makers licking their chops right now will.

I've still got a $50 rebate from the g3 battery settlement that I would like to use for the g6 iPod. But it expires in August.

Would be great if the new iPod came out before then. Otherwise a family member will get lucky with a nano or shuffle this year.

I will really be in a dilemma if Apple stays with the current form factor for the next iPod update. I've been waiting a long time to replace my 3g iPod with something that has at least 30 gig space. Rather have a WS iPod. :(

Apple aims to sell 10 million iPhones worldwide over the next 1.5 years, whereas they've sold 71 million iPods in the last 1.5 years. Even if most were shuffles and nanos, there's still maybe 20 million 5G and 5.5G iPods. Is Apple willing to suffer a major decrease in iPod sales just to safeguard its iPhone numbers? I think Apple thinks it can easily achieve its iPhone numbers. And more than that, Apple is looking to sell 20-30 million video iPods (outside of iPhones) over the next 1.5 years.

Apple will do everything it can to sell more video based iPods. Why? Because that will increase sales of iTunes movies/shows, and more importantly, Apple TVs, and even Macs.

So what is truly important to a video iPod?. Large and wide screen (so no click wheel). So ease-of-navigation for movies will need to change to CoverFlow and swipes. So touch screen. Large disk storage. Good battery life. And that's the new iPod.

The iPhone is not even being marketed as a video iPod. It's being marketed as a phone and very soon we'll see Apple heavily push the Internet communicator with all sorts of app/widgets.

Look, the iPhone could've been a tad bigger so it could hold a 40GB+ hard drive and bigger battery. But it didn't. Because it's leaving a very obvious market segment for the video iPod.

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