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Apple's iPod, Apple TV Updates: 10 Big Questions and Answers

Apple's iPod, Apple TV Updates: 10 Big Questions and Answers
More Questions

By: Lance Ulanoff

With Steve Jobs and company unveiling so many new products—new iPods, a reborn Apple TV, Ping, iOS4 updates and more—a few questions is only natural.

Apple now lives is a Sisyphean world where no matter how far up the hill it pushes the hype boulder, it's always rolling back down by the end of the day. At this point, there's no way any Apple launch event can live up to expectations. That said, Apple CEO Steve Jobs certainly gave it the old college try yesterday. There were a lot of product updates. The whole iPod line got a refresh. He introduced not one but two iOS updates, and we got a new version of iTunes. The two biggest announcements were, easily, the revitalized Apple TV and the surprising social network for music, Ping.

Since Ping is part of iTunes 10, it didn't get the "one more thing" treatment (Apple TV was the chosen one). That's kind of a shame since it was, easily, the most unexpected launch of the day. iTunes has 160 million users and now—Bingo!—they're, potentially, all part of a brand new social network. This raised eyebrows and questions. In fact, I heard a lot of questions both during and after the presentation. Let's walk through them and, in lieu of getting a one-on-one with Steve Jobs, here are all of my best answers.

Question: Why did Apple drop video from the iPod nano?
Answer: The funny thing is, I held the tiny, new nano in my hand, turned it over a few times, and didn't even notice. It wasn't until I was sitting outside under the day's ultra-brilliant sun that it dawned on me: The one thing that seemed sort of slapped on last year's nano was gone. The answer to why Apple did this is obvious. Now that the iPod touch has not one but two cameras, is FaceTime friendly, and can shoot and upload HD video, why would you need a video-ready nano? I commented that the nano was positioned as a Flip killer when it launched last year, but the new one is clearly a much more efficient destroyer of all Flip Mino and Flip-style competitors. Think of all of those Apple fans—all of those people who have been begging for an iPod with a camera. I expect the new iPod touch to sell like hotcakes and Cisco, which owns the Flip brand, to make some quick competitive moves.

Question: The iPhone 4 has such sharp lines, why did the iPod touch maintain is curvy shape?
Answer: I, along with most people I talked to, fully expected the new iPod touch to follow the iPhone 4's lead and eschew curves for the sharp lines and heavy use of gorilla glass. That didn't happen. Instead, the touch got a lot thinner. Part of that is new technology (thanks A4 chip!), but I also think it's because the touch doesn't have to support a 3G antenna. Apple put the antenna on the outside of the iPhone 4 to "solve" AT&T's connectivity issues. We all know how that turned out. The iPod touch has no such issue. I'm actually happy that the touch has retained its distinctive look.

Question: Why does Apple still bother with the iPod Shuffle?
Answer: One person on Twitter told me he thought the screenless Shuffle is the perfect iPod for the blind. Okay, that makes some sense, but that's not the real reason it's sticking around as far as I'm concerned. The Shuffle exists because it can be the entry-level gateway drug to Apple's hardcore, immersive world of digital media, gadgets, and entertainment. Just $49 and you're hooked. I don't know if that plan is working out all that well, though, since Apple keeps redesigning the product and lowering the price.

Question: Why not just put Apple TV inside a 27-inch iMac and call it an interactive TV?
Answer: When I got a good look at the new Apple TV, I was honestly surprised by how small it is. It's even smaller, I think, than the Roku box (and it's definitely smaller than the last Boxee prototype I saw). I also wondered why that tiny bit of technology couldn't just fit inside a TV. It can, of course, but you can't attack the interactive and Internet TV market by asking everyone to buy new TVs. For now, these extra boxes are where it's at. I do hope that Apple's next move is the actual Apple TV—a 42-inch Cinema display with built-in Internet, streaming, and AirPlay-readiness. Apple is already building all-in-ones that look like TVs. This is the next logical step.

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Live Blog: Apple's Sept 1 Music Event

By: Brian Heater

Another major Apple event is upon us, and it's music to the tech industry's ears, at least if the invite sent out last week is to be believed.

PCMag has sent three of its staffers out to San Francisco to cover the event: editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff, audio analyst Tim Gideon, and camera analyst PJ Jacobowitz. They will be fighting for elbow space, in order to get the best possible shots of Steve Jobs and whatever it is he's set to unveil.

Gideon, meanwhile, will be live-blogging the event, with color commentary from Ulanoff and various PCMag staffers.

Be sure to tune into the live blog at 1pm Eastern time Wednesday on PCMag's Gearlog blog.

Report: Sony to Unveil Music, Video Subscription Service

By: Chloe Albanesius

Sony is reportedly prepping a music and video subscription service that would initially provide access to content through its PlayStation gaming consoles.

Sony would eventually expand the service to other Internet-connected devices, like laptops, Bravia TV's, Blu-ray players, and mobile phones, according to a report in the Financial Times.

Sony is expected to make the announcement at this year's IFA conference, which is being held in Berlin from Sept. 3-8. The Sony press conference is set for Wednesday at 11am Eastern time.

It was not clear if the service would stream content or allow for downloads. But as FT points out, Sony shut down its Connect music service in 2007, leaving the space open for Apple and iTunes.

Apple, of course, is holding its own music-themed event on Wednesday. It is largely expected to include a refresh of the company's iPod line, but there have been a variety of rumors about what else Cupertino might unveil – including 99-cent TV show rentals.

Other possible announcements include a revamped Apple TV known as iTV, Netflix streaming on Apple TV, a mini 7-inch iPad, and longer lengths for iTunes music previews.

Sony might have some additional competition in the space. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night that Amazon is also working on a new TV and movie service. The Web-based subscription service would reportedly give users unlimited access to certain content online and via Internet-connected devices.

Apple Goes Social with 'Ping' Inside iTunes 10

By: Chloe Albanesius

Apple on Wednesday waded into the social-networking sphere with the introduction of Ping, a service with iTunes that chief executive Steve Jobs called "social music discovery."

The service is part of iTunes 10, which Apple released today.

Ping is like Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes, Jobs said at a San Francisco press event. It's a "social network all about music and built right into iTunes," he said.

It's available on the computer, the iPhone, and the iPod touch.

Users can follow their favorite artists publicly or create their own, private profiles, much like Facebook. Users can set up a "circle of friends" and share information only with those people. ITunes will then display top 10 charts that reflect what friends are downloading.

"Get as private and public as you want," Jobs said. "Privacy is super simple - anyone can do it."

Ping also includes 17,000 concert listings, provided by Live Nation. "We are thrilled to power the concert listings feature on iTunes and deliver this new and simple way for millions of iTunes users to purchase concert tickets at Livenation.com and Ticketmaster.com," Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation, said in a statement. "Our partnership with Apple is a key part of our strategy to empower fans with the greatest access to live entertainment."

Ping will be open to 160 million users in 23 countries immediately.

Also today, Apple introduced a smaller, streaming-only version of Apple TV, and revamped its iPod lineup. For more details, see PCMag's live blog of the event on Gearlog.com, and read our hands on with Apple's new iPods, Apple TV, and iTunes 10.

Editor's Note:This story was updated at 6pm with comment from Live Nation.