Trusted Reviews - a name already filled to the brim with reliability - is claiming to have the inside scoop from an anonymous but "extremely well informed" 3rd party exec who revealed that Apple will drop the much-rumored wide/touchscreen 6G iPod in December - y'know, the month that virtually *no* new products are released because people are too busy trying to navigate the mall with their heads intact to notice any ads for spankin' new products. TR also continues with confirmation from Mr. Anonymous' crystal ball that the iPhone is landing in January, complete with a 'trial period' of the service and - drum roll please - a 3 megapixel camera. Man, I'm surprised they didn't have to pull Mr. A's fingernails to snag some of these juicy details.
When questioned regarding the crystal ball's credentials for telling the future, Mr. A replied that Apple works very hard to keep their 3rd parties informed because they "make more money from the affiliates programme than from selling iPods." I guess that sheds a little more light on yesterday's preliminary 4th quarter earnings report - too bad the affiliate program's mountain of revenue wasn't singled out so we could see just how overshadowed the iPod really is.
[via Gizmodo]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-19-2006 @ 12:14PM
turteJP said...
I have to call bull. Apple in no way make for on accessories for one iPod that it does on the iPod itself.
But lets get to the story at hand. If it doesn't come out say by the end of October it isn't coming out this year. Retail buyers have already spent most of their budget/credit line for the holiday season and Apple knows this well.
The two devices will come at MacWorld 2007 at the earliest.
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10-19-2006 @ 12:25PM
Slappy said...
Total bull. There's no way that Apple would try and disrupt their holiday sales.
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10-19-2006 @ 12:33PM
jc said...
I want one please...
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10-19-2006 @ 12:48PM
James Donevan said...
Absolute, unmigated rubbish. No manufacturer waits until December to release major product as its retailers have their Xmas sales material produced well in advance. Furthermore inventory channels are planned months in advance to handle this crucial sales period. It's amazing how little a grasp some people have on business in the real world.
No less ridiculous is the assertion that Apple makes a mountian of money from the iPod accessories program. They make spare change and nothing more. The main purpose of the program is to achieve maximum market control over their iPod trademarks. It is not a cash cow.
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10-19-2006 @ 1:07PM
Hal said...
We've all been hearing rumor of the true video iPod forever. This is just another one to add to the pile. It is EXTREMELY doubtful that Apple will release something in December after the Thanksgiving holiday rush. IF it comes out soon it'll probably be right after the Zune release -- wonder if Apple is planning to make one in brown ;-). If it doesn't show up then, we can just wait til January.
Also, from all I've read the iPod accessory makers do not get notice of new products and see them when we all do. A lot of them take pictures and measurements at Mac World and the Dev Conf. and sent them to their plants overseas in order to get product out ASAP. So the comment that Apple works very hard to keep their accessory makers informed makes this whole article highly suspect.
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10-19-2006 @ 1:16PM
Carl Trimble said...
Does any one else see a connection between this and the secret gps tagging goings ons in iPhoto? Cell phone uses gps and camera tags photo with gps info...
What do you think?
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10-19-2006 @ 1:24PM
MC said...
Worst...photoshop...ever.
I love the airport icon and apple logo on the screen..LOL.
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10-19-2006 @ 1:29PM
Thomas said...
Unless people are spending far more on accessories than they paid for their iPod there is absolutely no way Apple are making more on the licensing scheme for them.
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10-19-2006 @ 1:49PM
blah blah said...
wonder if the real video iPod's screen will extend beyond the product like the white one here. real nice photoshop job.
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10-19-2006 @ 1:52PM
Peter Koritschan said...
The photoshop is absolute bull,... no way would apple put their logo in the middle of the clickwheel... NO WAY!
i agree on december being a bad month releasing new prods...
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10-19-2006 @ 2:00PM
flec65 said...
#7: Poor photoshop skills indeed, this mockup screams fake... No way an image will look like this on a screen at that angle. You can clerly see that the image is just mapped on top of the device. Also, the Apple logo on the center button doesn't feel right. Apple would never do this...
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10-19-2006 @ 2:04PM
tiggernibble said...
Think different ?!?!?!?!
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10-19-2006 @ 2:14PM
Daveoc64 said...
Uh, you guys do realise that all of the pictures used are fan mock ups?
I also find it unlikely for Apple to release a new product in December. I remember how long the 5G took to ship around the world.
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10-19-2006 @ 2:16PM
madcrasher said...
Notice that there's still a remote port next to the headphone jack. I don't think Apple's going to put one back in after all the accessory makers spent so much time counting on it NOT being there. Plus there's never been colors in the main iPod; just the mini and nano.
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10-19-2006 @ 2:33PM
Dan said...
I hope it isn't bull - would love to get one! As for the release date - I would think - possible - IF it is announced soon, as in well before Thanksgiving and allow pre-orders. This is the only way they would get the holiday rush and buzz.
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10-19-2006 @ 2:59PM
GadgetGav said...
I wonder if that's the same 'well informed' person who was told about the Core 2 Duo laptops by Swiss 'sales reps'.
What a load of baloney. The only good way to drive traffic to your web site these days is to print wild Apple rumours that you claim are from well informed insiders or to slam Apple for brainwashing you into switching to a G5 which you now can't sell ;)
Wait for MacWorld... just don't spend all your money at Christmas..!
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10-19-2006 @ 3:29PM
Joshua Ochs said...
Echoing what everyone else has said, complete and utter BS (thanks for marking it as such, TUAW!).
I just wanted to say that the accompanying picture has to be one of the worst, ugliest renders/photoshops I've ever seen. It doesn't even look real, let alone the wrong font, stupid use of the Apple logo, ugly background pictures, etc.
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10-19-2006 @ 4:25PM
Andy said...
Good grief. DORKS!! All of the photos are mockups...they are NOT MEANT to be official images, just some fool's wet dream.
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10-19-2006 @ 6:03PM
Randy Stewart said...
Not to beat a dead horse, but that really bad ad is back and it is on this page, making the right hand side of the page blink white, black and grey.
I can't imagine that you want your users to put up with this.
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10-19-2006 @ 9:41PM
Reg said...
The original iPod was announced October 23, 2001 and started shipping late-Nov/December.
There's still time, guys!
That said, I agree with the argument that retailers have already planed their Christmas stock allocations and it is too late for Apple to insert a brand new product into the channel unless they only expected small sales from it.
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