Apple announces everything [except subscriptions]
September 9th 2008
As widely expected, Apple has refreshed its iPod product lines, including a tall, thin nano and more 3G iPhone iPod touch, as well as releasing iTunes 8 with the anticipated Genius functionality (ie like Pandora or Last).
• Apple Introduces New iPod nano
-- Tall, thin design available in nine colors; 8 or 16 GB
-- Battery now offers 24 hours of music and 4 hours of video
-- iPod classic trimmed to a single 120GB model in two colors
-- shuffle gets some "new" colors
• Apple Introduces New iPod touch
-- New starting price of $229 for 8GB model
-- Adds accelerometer, focuses platform on games
-- External speaker + volume control
-- Styled like the 3G iPhone [Continue reading]
• Apple Announces iTunes 8
-- Genius helps music fans rediscover favorite songs in their existing music library and suggests related music on the iTunes Store they might want to add to their music collection
-- Front Row, QuickTime updates available, too
• NBC Universal Returns to the iTunes Store
-- HD quality TV content ($2.99)
-- Tail between their legs
• App Store Downloads Top 100 Million Worldwide
-- iPhone über alles!
• iPhone 2.1 firmware announced (Engadget)
-- "No crashes," says Steve
-- No turn-by-turn GPS or copy-n-paste
-- Due Friday
-- An effing $10 update for touch owners
Of course, Apple's long-awaited iTunes subscription service, which some predicted and others pooh-poohed, was a no show. Although the return of NBC does bring HD TV content ($2.99), the company didn't broadly expand HD offerings or roll out Apple TV 3.
Pretty much by the numbers--some surprises and a few disappointments. And, yes, Steve does look good (thank you for asking)...
What's your take?
