New iPod Video is Touch Friendly
Apple Patent
Apple recently filed a patent describing the new Video iPods touch sensitive configuration. The display shows that with the touch sensitive display built into the iPod will allow advanced scrolling capabilities.
Think Secret can confirm recent rumblings that Apple is nearing completion of a completely revamped video iPod that will shed the ubiquitous mechanical click wheel for a touch screen and will sport a 3.5-inch diagonal display.
iPod Widescreen Mockup Image
This video iPod, which has been in development and on the table since before Apple released the 5G iPod last year with video playback, will feature a display that will occupy the entire front face of the device. Sources who have seen the device report that it features a digital click wheel, one that overlays the touch-sensitive display and appears when a finger touches it and disappears when the finger is removed.
Black Widescreen Model
Apple has been working with at least two other companies to perfect the digital click wheel display technology. While not all the engineering was completed in-house by Apple, sources have said Apple could hold an exclusive license on the technologies it borrowed from other developers for a period of time, limiting the ability of competitors to copy Apple’s design.
Additional details concerning the new iPod have yet to be confirmed, including capacity and a release date, although all indications point to the spring, possibly as early as late March or early April. During the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs alluded to a major announcement on or around April 1, Apple’s 30th anniversary as a company.
Landscape and Portrait View
Like previous iPods, sources insist that this video iPod will lack any sort of wireless connectivity, and will continue to connect to televisions using the conventional cabling solution of current models. While other rumors report that you will be able to surf on iTunes music store, capable on this large of a screen, and buy and download music wirelessly to the device.
Apple is notorious for iPod scratching. The latest 1GB iPod nanos seemed to have solved this problem. Apple silently rolled out a slight redesign: a raised edge or lip designed to make the player harder to scratch. This same raised plastic edge could prevent the display from touch screen damage. There is no set price yet for the device but it is expected to replace the current iPod video line with the same price tags. We will just have to wait until April, for the meantime, it wouldn’t be smart to buy an iPod at this time. Thanks to ThinkSecret and AppleInsider for information.
This is great news. Sooner or later when the excitement wears off, people are going to realize that it is not really a great experience to watch video on the current, tiny iPod screen. With this ‘full screen’ iPod, Apple can rule the market for few more years easily.
Apple will most ceratinly rule again - with there huge acquisitions of content. It now makes sense why Apple didn’t reformat the widescreen footage they alreay had. Looks rubbish on the 5G iPod with 30% of the screen missing.
The new iPod will be a joy to behold.
Does anybody knwo when this new iPod wille be released in Europe?