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Apple unveils new iPods, $99 Apple TV and music social network
Above, the new iPod Nano. Photo by Paul Sakuma, Associated Press.
Steve Jobs of Apple today introduced a new line of iPods, calling it the biggest shakeup of Apple’s venerable music player line yet. He also brought out a new smaller, rent-based Apple TV box.
“Every year we try to improve iPods, make them even better for our users. This year, we’ve gone wild,” he said.
Jobs, who says the company has sold 275 million iPods, unveiled redesigned iPod Shuffles, iPod Nanos and a new iPod Touch that has features similar to those on the iPhone 4. All the new iPods will be in stores starting next week.
The iPod Touch now has a front-facing camera that can use FaceTime video chat, a rear HD-video-recording camera and the Retina Display that means crisper text and higher resolution apps on its display. It’s also thinner. It will sell for $229, $299 and $399 for 8-gigabyte, 32-gigabyte and 64-gigabyte models.
The Nano is now a much smaller, square device now with a multitouch screen. It loses video recording capabilities, but now has a more app-like look similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch. It will cost $149 and $179 for 8-gigabyte and 16-gigabyte. It also now has a clip on the back and no buttons on the front.
The iPod Shuffle goes back to a previous design. It is back to a square shape with physical buttons on the front. It’ll start at $49. This one seems like a bit of a design retreat after Apple’s most recent Shuffle refresh.
The Apple TV project, which Jobs has called a “Hobby” of Apple’s, has been redesigned into a small, black, silent box. It’s a quarter the size of the previous Apple TV. While Apple TV has allowed for movie rentals in the past, Apple is trying to shift customers completely away from buying movies and TV, and toward renting them instead on the device. FOX and ABC are the first TV partners that will offer 99-cent HD-quality TV shows for Apple TV.
Netflix, YouTube, Flickr and Mobile Me content will be available to stream through Apple TV. The price of the new model will be $99 and will be out in about four weeks, he said.
Above, the new $99 Apple TV. Photo by Paul Sakuma, Associated Press.
Jobs also introduced “Ping,” a new social network for music that will be incorporated into iTunes. He described it as, “Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes.” It will allow users of iTunes 10 to share their playlists, favorite songs and concert information. Jobs spoke to Lady Gaga via video chat to introduce the feature. Ping will also appear in iTunes on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
iTunes 10 has a simplified interface and a new icon that ditches the CD in its logo. It’s out today, he said.
Earlier in the presentation, Jobs touted the App Store’s progress. It had had 6.5 billion download so far from 250,000 apps. 25,000 of those apps, he said, are for the iPad. The iPad debuted in April.
Jobs said that bug fixes in the new iOS 4.1 will address Bluetooth issues, proximity sensor problems and performance issues on the iPhone 3G that emerged with the last major OS update.
He also introduced HDR photography, which will allow the phone to take photos at multiple exposures and combine them into one high-range image. He also showed off Game Center, similar to Xbox Live. It’s a way for gamers to connect with other games, participate in leaderboards and compare achievements. This new iOS release will be out next week, Jobs said.
For the iPad, a major release for later this week will introduce wireless printing from the device as well a way to stream video, audio and photos, called AirPlay, from the iPad to other devices. The 4.2 update enabling it will be out in November.
Jobs, late in the presentation, showed off the ability to stream from an iPad to an Apple TV and to use it like a remote control. He said you’ll be able to stream photos, music and other content from any iOS 4.2 device via AirPlay.
The keynote ended with a solo performance by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, whose daughter is named, incidentally, Apple.
(This post updated with Apple TV and iPod Nano photos, more information from the Apple presentation, 1:15 p.m. Post updated at 5 p.m. to clear up wording in the paragraph about Apple TV rentals that makes it sound as if Apple TV didn’t used to rent TV shows, per a reader’s suggestion.)
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Comments
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By Jojo
September 1, 2010 4:48 PM | Link to this
Not to mention the fact that Amazon has just dropped the price of CBS and Fox shows to 99 cents (matching Apple) but get this: the price at Amazon is to own, not rent like Apple TV. Apple TV has a tough road ahead, not because of Roku dropping its prices, but because Google is about to enter the same field with Google TV.
By Will
September 1, 2010 3:21 PM | Link to this
There are several platforms that compete in the marketplace with Roku and Apple TV. They each have their strong points and appeal to separate protions of the user demographic. On my Tivo I can dowbnload certain premium TV series and tons of movies from Netflix for only my monthly charge. Competition keeps everybody on their state-of-the-art toes.
By Bill G
September 1, 2010 3:00 PM | Link to this
Better be taking notes, Michael Dell.
By Omar Gallaga
September 1, 2010 1:40 PM | Link to this
Allan -- thank you for your careful read. Typo has been fixed.
DJ -- I think the Roku is a great product, and there will certainly be other options, but the $99 price is going to move a lot of Apple TVs, I think.
By Allan Kaplan
September 1, 2010 1:28 PM | Link to this
I appreciate your quick update here, but please don't forget to proofread: "who's" and "whose" are not interchangeable.
By DJ
September 1, 2010 1:27 PM | Link to this
Omar, you just tweeted about the death of Roku. I don't think the nail is in the coffin yet. I have a Roku and like that I can buy seasons of TV shows from Amazon VOD and watch them forever. None of this renting business.