DailyTech - Apple: No Wi-Fi iPod

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Gadgets Apple: No Wi-Fi iPod
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - August 17, 2006 3:29 PM

21 comment(s) - last by melgross.. on Aug 18 at 3:05 PM

But industry experts say otherwise

Despite claims that Apple is currently working on an iPod with integrated Wi-Fi features, Apple has issued a statement indicating that no such product exists and that it's not working on one. However, some industry analysts say otherwise. In some recent news reports, Apple was said to have been sending employees to Asia to train local employees on how to sell a new Wi-Fi iPod. Apple has also dismissed these claims.

Rumors about upcoming iPods are abundant but so far Apple has been tight lipped about upcoming products. During its World Wide Developers Conference last week, Apple did not make any new announcements about the iPod family. Despite this, DailyTech previously reported that Apple filed for several patents relating to mobile audio communications. The first patent details on how an iPod or other mobile device can communicate back to its user verbally, speaking back menu names and selections. Something like this can definitely be useful in situations where visual focus needs to be maintained on something more critical, such as driving.

Apple also previously filed for an interesting patent that details a method of user interface navigation that uses hand or finger gestures rather than having to use physical navigational buttons. Some analysts expect Apple to release a button-less iPod or one where the actual display acts as a virtual control area.

Some analysts are predicting that the next-generation iPod will include some type of wireless feature, whether it be a derivative of the 802.11 standard or based on the BlueTooth standard remains to be seen. According to the analysts, this would be a natural evolution for the iPod considering that Microsoft's upcoming Zune player will be shipping with Wi-Fi. Although Microsoft has openly admitted that Apple has quite a significant lead in the mobile MP3 player market.

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They better be lying

By rrsurfer1 on 8/17/2006 3:37:32 PM , Rating: 2

If the Zune comes out with Wi-Fi, especially the streaming features anticipated, Apple better have something to compete. The days when Apple can sit back and enjoy it's dominance while making very few innovations are quickly coming to an end in this market.

RE: They better be lying

By rushnrockt on 8/17/2006 3:49:01 PM , Rating: 2

I'd wait with making such huge predictions, MS haven't found any product you couldn't mess up at the beginning, they will probably take a couple iterations before producing a solid product themselves.

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RE: They better be lying

By Scorpion on 8/17/2006 3:52:20 PM , Rating: 2

What would these Wi-Fi features entail? Wouldn't Wi-Fi connectability go against their current connectivity scheme with iTunes, if they allowed direct access to the file system? Sorry I may be ignorant because I'm not an iPod owner, but I've been under the impression that you cannot simply browse the iPod's storage like a regular file system. As opposed to my iRiver which acts like a simple USB drive and can be used in the same manner.

It seems as though Wi-Fi might be quite a task for Apple in terms of rethinking how they allow access to the player and it's contents.

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RE: They better be lying

By kmmatney on 8/17/2006 4:08:00 PM , Rating: 2

My Ipod shows up on my system just like any other hard drive. If you keep the files in MP3 format, you can "browse" them, although tsome files will be given funny names. If the files are in AAC format, then they seem to all have funny names, but will still play from windows explorer if you havethe right Codec. I use VideoLAN to play AAC files from my IPod. I think the only time you cannot play them at all is if you purchase from Itunes.

I also keep Yamipod software on my Ipod. This is freeware software that lets me browse the files on my Ipod. Since its on my Ipod already, it will work on any computer. So Ipods can be used in a flexible manner, without needing Itunes software. I think you need Itunes to get video transferred over, though.

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RE: They better be lying

By Xenoterranos on 8/17/2006 4:20:20 PM , Rating: 2

I think the fact that you need several applications, and that your data gets altered in any way in the process, means thatiPods, in fact, can't be used in a flexible manner. Only after considerable effort does it become possible. My samsung yp-c1 stored a gig and shows up as a removable usb drive whenever I plug it into a computer. Even for music it's all just drag and drop. It records audio through a mic and through an encoding port and both of those are recorded as mp3's. The navigation system is good, albeit admittedly sluggish at times. Also, 42 hours on a single AA helps too.
All that for $100.

I don't mean to sound like a salesman, but you really sounded like you where trying to put a square peg in round hole. I personally hope the zune doesn't fail misserably, and if iPods where easier to use with data, I'd own one.

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RE: They better be lying

By rrsurfer1 on 8/17/2006 4:10:51 PM , Rating: 2

You can't just plug it in because the filesystem uses a database structure for the names and such. But it shouldn't be that large of a change really anyhow. They do have access to the code internals. The wi-fi will have to only allow streaming anyhow since since direct filesystem access would be forbidden by the RIAA (they'll probably b*tch enough about streaming).

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RE: They better be lying

By Rollomite on 8/17/06, Rating: 0

RE: They better be lying

By rrsurfer1 on 8/17/2006 4:13:22 PM , Rating: 2

Why do you hope it fails ? You like markets with little competition and no drive to innovate?

And no, MS say's it will have WiFi access to a store similar to iTMS. So you won't have to download with a PC, if you pay for your music ;)

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RE: They better be lying

By Rollomite on 8/17/2006 5:41:02 PM , Rating: 1

Offering more details the forthcoming Microsoft media player, Electronista.com reports that its Zune player will have limited WiFi capabitilities, allowing users to bookmark songs through shared wireless connectivity; however, purchasing a song will require a connection to a PC.

I agree, competition in the market place is good, but I think the DRM's will be even tighter with this machine. Which is what a lot of people complain about. I own an iPod, but I am not a fanboy. I upload my own CD's onto it, so I don't have to carry a briefcase sized CD folder around. So honestly, I could care less about iTunes, other than the podcasts and occassional exclusive releases. I love freedom of choice, there's just no way I would choose to drop another $300 to have a Zune.

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RE: They better be lying

By kkwst2 on 8/17/2006 4:18:55 PM , Rating: 2

Why would you hope it fails? You sound like the "hater" here.

Even if it doesn't allow purchasing directly (which I think it will), the social implications for teens could be significant. Being able to trade/sample tunes on their friends players would be quite attractive, I would think. Also, bookmarking for later purchase so you don't forget you wanted that song might increase sales.

The key will be getting enough market penetration for the feature to matter.

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RE: They better be lying

By Rhygar on 8/17/2006 9:00:45 PM , Rating: 2

"The days when Apple can sit back and enjoy it's dominance while making very few innovations are quickly coming to an end in this market."

LOL! And you think the MS is a company that actually innovates?

I think MS will have a tough fight but competition is good so that apple has to bring more features or lower prices for it's future iPods.

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RE: They better be lying

By MrSmurf on 8/17/2006 9:25:57 PM , Rating: 2

Horse shit... Apple could sit back and sell... well... horse shit and still outsell Creative. People like Apple, not many people are too fond of Creative due to their past.

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iPod + WIFI + RSS

By beutelevision on 8/17/2006 8:15:55 PM , Rating: 2

I would be very interested in an iPod with WIFI ... IF it had the ability to automatically download podcasts. 80%+ of my listening is podcasts, not music. Everyday I need to sync my iPod with iTunes to get the latest podcasts that I've subscribed to, and I would much rather have the iPod get them on it's own. I know that is not the primary purpose of the iPod + iTunes combination, but I would find a podcast-downloading iPod (or Zune for that matter) a very compelling device.

RE: iPod + WIFI + RSS

By rrsurfer1 on 8/17/2006 9:53:35 PM , Rating: 2

Good call. That would be a good use of it.

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RE: iPod + WIFI + RSS

By sdsdv10 on 8/18/2006 12:18:30 PM , Rating: 2

Is this really going to be possible? You won't be able to leave the Wifi signal on all the time as this will drain the battery too quickly (like on Pocket PCs). This means you will have to turn on the iPod, turn on Wifi, make the connection and start the download/sync process (assuming the computer is already turned on). Is this really going to be all that much less work than connecting a single wire? And with the USB connection, you also get battery charging. Not a flame, as I don't have iPod so I really am not sure how much time it takes to sync with iTunes via USB.

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iPod scratches...

By proamerica on 8/18/2006 1:11:46 AM , Rating: 2

Make the iPod out of LiquidMetal then it will be scratch free and you could probably run over it with a bulldozer and it would still work perfectly. If you don't know what LiquidMetal is check it out here: www.liquidmetal.com

SanDisk makes a USB memory stick out of the stuff and it's rated up to 2,000 lbs of crush pressure.

RE: iPod scratches...

By melgross on 8/18/2006 3:03:18 PM , Rating: 2

Ars already ran a Nano over with a car, and it still worked. The scratches are minor.

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Why-Fi?

By klingon on 8/17/2006 4:19:55 PM , Rating: 2

Well Apple might have forecasted a bit too quickly. They might have thought that if there was a Wi-Fi Enabled Ipod then the user, without using iTunes can retrieve or share any song of his choice....OR Better say Some Dumb-Ass is gonna pay and we'll b the one listenin.

iPod HiFi adapter

By Mudvillager on 8/18/2006 5:19:37 AM , Rating: 2

It would be really cool if they could make an adapter to plug in the iPod slot in the iPod HiFi which would enable changing music directly from your iPod anywhere in your home.

Btw I really hope it's not BlueTooth. I really hate it.

Of course not

By Dfere on 8/18/2006 11:21:41 AM , Rating: 2

That would be the new i-theater!.

Note: All theaters must now change their name to "cinema".

Apple outsells other MP3 players

By melgross on 8/18/2006 3:05:12 PM , Rating: 2

" Although Microsoft has openly admitted that Apple has quite a significant lead in the mobile MP3 player market."

Wow, MS ADMITTED that?

I guess it's official, and we can stop wondering.:D

"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007