3.1.1 iPod

As vendas de iPods no Natal (EUA)

Quem disse que tinha chegado o declínio do iPOd?

«Apple announced another record breaking quarter, ended Dec. 30, resulting from “very strong” sales of iPods and “robust” sales of Macs, the company said. Revenue hit $7.12 billion, growing 24 percent from the quarter a year ago, and net income hit $1 billion, up 78 percent. Sales of iPods for the quarter were 21.1 million, marking a 50 percent increase over the quarter a year ago, despite warnings from analysts that the market growth for MP3 players will slow over the next few years, down to about 10 percent annually. In addition, Apple said it maintained its high market share, achieving 72 percent share in the United States in December, according to NPD Techworld figures. (...) Music revenue fueled by iTunes sales was up 29 percent. iTunes now accounts for 85 percent of songs downloaded and purchased in the United States, Apple said, and sales of iTunes gift cards doubled over the holidays. (...) Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer called demand for the iPod “extraordinary” and said all three iPod models “did exceptionally well,” including the new Shuffle which shipped in October. Oppenheimer also noted that unlike last year, iPod supply kept up with demand over the holidays, which helped boost sales.»

fonte: «Apple Posts Record Quarter, Sells 21.1 Million iPods», By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 1/18/2007

O iPod amaça a rádio?

«Every so often someone in the radio industry trots out a study which says iPods really aren't that threatening to the radio industry's long-term health and welfare. "Folks get tired of maintaining them," they will say. "They're just a new form of Walkman," say others. (...)The fact is this: For younger consumers in particular, the iPod is no more difficult to use than a radio. Our research has shown this definitively. And while folks may occasionally tire of maintaining an iPod they will also tire of their radio stations. But tiring of something and abandoning it are two different things. Two billion downloads can't be all wrong. (...) The radio industry will have to come to terms with a future where your favorite radio station may always be on your hip and may always plays the songs you program yourself.This general trend, more than anything else, is why the growth of satellite radio will not be about music and why the distribution of HD radio will be forever hampered.If you want more music choice, the solution is in the palm of a ten-year-old.While satellite radio seems to inherently understand this, the powers-that-be in HD radio seem to have no such clue. And that's too bad, because facing reality is how you make the most of reality.(...)»

Mark Ramsey, hear2.0, «iPods don't matter to radio?», 16/01/07

iPod e rádio (mais...)

«X-OOM has developed the MP3 Radio Recorder for the iPod where you can listen to a number of radio stations via the software’s web interface (...) I found the program to be pretty useful if you want to extend the usefulness of your iPod. The quality of the streaming audio is not going to be CD quality so making a recording from the streams will be a little disappointing. The program does have CD ripping and burning capabilities which is a nice feature. The program's ability to record and transfer directly to your iPod also works very smoothly»  

A revolução iPod

«iPod will lead a further media transformation of similar magnitude in the coming decade. Speaking at the FT World Communications Conference, Nikesh Arora, Google's VP of European operations, told delegates that, in the coming years, the plummeting price of storage and its increasing volume-to-size ratio will give iPods almost unlimited potential to hold music and video. Arora said, by 2012, iPods could launch at similar prices to those on sale now and yet be capable of holding a whole year's worth of video releases. Around 10 years down the line that could be expanded, creating iPods that can hold all the music ever sold commercially. He said: "In 12 years, why not an iPod that can carry any video ever produced?" The Google exec said tech is now pursuing a price volume game - searching for the price point at which content will take off for the mainstream. He added: "It's clearly begun happening," citing iTunes' 99¢ per song download model.»

fonte: «Google: 'iPod will hold all the world's TV in 12 years'», 27/11/06, Silicon.com

A que se deve o sucesso do iPod (o «random schuffle»)

«Select Random Shuffle, and the iPod dredges up tunes you might never consciously choose to play. But chosen for you, they’re a delight. This mode of play also allows you to discover gems in a collection hat previously sat unplayed on a shelf of CDs. Songs previousloy neglectet can become top favorites. And then there are all those tunes you never knew you had. Random shuffle can create great surprises, selecting just the right song at just the right time. Or it can throw together unexpected combinations (...)» (Kahney, 2005: 3). AInda que: «Random shuffle is nothing new. It first became popular a feature of CD players. But with CDs, shuffling tracks is typically limited to the songs on a limited number of disks. Randomly selecting tracks really comes into its own with giant music collections: libraries that stretch to tens of thousands of songs. In a giant library, random shuffle is a good way - sometimes the only way - to play music that would otherwise go unheard (...)» (Kahney, 20). «Although people often create playlists for specific activities (walking, driving, commuting, working out and so on), they also enjoy giving control to the machine, which can surprise and delight with unexpected seleclions of tracks, [professor Michael] Bull said» (Kahney, 2005: 22)

«The iPod is beautifully integrated with the computer, which feeds it tunes, and with an online store to fill it at 99 cents a pop. The iPod is amazingly versatile. You can listen to it while driving - through the car stereo - or use it as an alarm clock to wake you in the morning. It’s not only a personal stereo, it’s the home stereo, the office stereo, or the stereo at the gym. It’s both personal and public, used by DJs, and in bars and hotels. It’s even starting to take over some nightclubs. The iPod has created DJs out of mere mortals.  (...) (Kahney, 2005: 5)

A importância do iPod

«In the history of invention, gadgets don't come more iconic than Apple's digital music player. The iPod is to the 21st century what the big band was to the '20s, the radio to the '40s, or the juke-box to the '50s - the signature technology that defines the musical culture of the era. And what a marvelous technology the iPod is. Inside Apple's little white box is magic, pure magic, in the guise of music.» (Kahney, 2005: 3)  

Aumentam os rumores do iPhone (patente registada)

«An iPod phone now appears inevitable, and bets are being placed on details like pricing, release date, and form factor. Just recently, Apple filed a patent outlining a mobile device that "may correspond to the iPod," a development that largely confirms earlier speculation. The filing, recently made public, was originally filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office in August. The application describes a "tube-like" player constructed with "zirconia" and "alumina," and a device that would be "cost effective, smaller, lighter, stronger and aesthetically more pleasing" than competitive mobile music phones. So when will the device hit the streets? Predictions vary, though some are pointing to an unveiling at the Macworld Conference & Expo in January. Others suggest a later date, though most expect a release within the first two quarters of next year. It appears that Cingular Wireless will carry the device within the United States, though the mobile company refused to comment on the possibility. Meanwhile, the player is likely to combine the iconic iPod scroll wheel with a traditional telephone keypad, and the form factor could resemble the iPod mini.»

Rádio despertador para... iPod

«XtremeMac ha añadido un nuevo accesorio a su gama de productos para iPod: Luna. Un reloj despertador con pantalla LCD, sistema de navegación con menús y que a su vez permite escuchar la música almacenada en los iPod con conector de dock»

O sucesso do iPod

«O mesmo pensa Steve Jobs, o homem forte da Apple, que apresentou ao mundo o iPod em 23 de Outubro de 2001. "Tínhamos a excelência no hardware, no design e no software. Decidimos gerir o catálogo de música a partir do iTunes e não no iPod. Outras empresas tentaram fazer tudo no aparelho e tornaram-nos tão complicados que eram inúteis", comentou, em declarações reproduzidas pelo semanário britânico The Observer.
"A pessoa não quer um aparelho para tocar música, quer ouvir música. Directamente do artista para o ouvido. Por isso a Apple tem a loja de música on-line iTunes, o software iTunes e um óptimo aparelho de suporte, o iPod. Funciona tudo bem em conjunto, sem ser preciso pensar no que se está a fazer", comenta Woz.
Ter o acordo das editoras discográficas para vender música na Internet, por 99 cêntimos de dólar cada canção, foi um feito de Steve Jobs, já que a indústria tinha mais receio da pirataria do que entusiasmo por um novo negócio.
O iPod tornou-se o aparelhinho que toda a gente quer ter, e detém 75 por cento do mercado nos Estados Unidos. Surgiram também aparelhos que o imitam, que tentam ganhar pelo preço - os do leitor da Apple continuam elevados (os mais recentes, com capacidade para vídeo, custam entre 300 e 400 euros em Portugal). Ainda assim, já se venderam 60 milhões de iPods. (...) Claro que o iPod não é só vantagens: além do preço, há o inconveniente de não poder ouvir os ficheiros de música comprados na loja iTunes noutros leitores de mp3, nem de ouvir no iPod canções que não sejam reconhecidas pelo software iTunes. Tanto assim é que em França se aprovou uma lei que exige que todos os ficheiros de música digital possam ser ouvidos em qualquer aparelho - uma lei que parece feita à medida para obrigar a Apple a partilhar os seus trunfos.»

fonte: «iPod Há cinco anos a mudar o mundo», Público, Clara Barata, 24/10/06

iPod e a rádio

«Is Apple considering integrating both terrestrial and satellite radio into its iPods? A variety of techies think so.
According to Orbitcast and Macintosh News Network, which cover satellite radio and all things Apple respectively, Apple has filed a patent application for a method of saving media from various sources for later purchase. Among those "sources" — terrestrial and satellite radio.
“It's an ingenious method of grabbing snippets of audio, identifying the song and allowing the user the option to purchase that song," according to Orbitcast.
The benefit to Apple in adding radio to iPods is that it allows users to discover new music — which they can then buy from the company's iTunes Music Store. The benefit to satellite radio is obvious — iPod integration means one more platform for the medium.
According to the patent, the technology allows the user to tune "into a wireless signal (e.g., AM FM radio, digital radio, or WiFi)" using either a wireless card or "the capability to accept accessories to add the necessary functionality." Terrestrial radio is currently available on certain models of iPods with a remote accessory.
Further on in the application, Apple cites possible vehicle integration, and actually names XM as a possible satellite partner.»  fonte: «Is Satellite Radio Coming To iPods? (Updated)», Radio and Records, Oct. 20, 2006, By Ken Tucker

Telemóveis vão tomar o lugar do iPod?

«"The technology is completely ready, and the change in consumers' habits has started. The best evidence is our sales number. We are selling huge amounts," Tommi Mustonen, director at Nokia's multimedia unit told Reuters in an interview. Mustonen said the company aimed to sell 80 million music devices this year, up from 46.5 million in 2005. Nokia is not alone. The world's fourth-largest handset maker Sony Ericsson has benefited in recent quarters from strong sales of a line-up of Walkman music-playing handsets, of which it sold 15 million in its first year. By contrast, Apple sold 8.7 million iPods in the July to September quarter, making it the world's most popular music player, but the volume still lagged far behind music phones. Mustonen said two out of three consumers whose phones can play digital tracks already use it for that purpose. Nokia does not see Apple, with its iPods and iTunes service, as a competitor, at least not before the U.S. firm's expected iPhone hits the shelves, Mustonen said. "The comparison with iPod is wrong; it is a single purpose device, and it is not connected," Mustonen said, adding that Apple was moving in the same direction with the possible launch of an iPhone, according to media and financial analysts. "Then you can compare us," Mustonen said.»

fonte: USA Today, «Nokia claims ground in digital music battle», 30/10/06

A importância do iPod e a rádio

diz Loyd G. Ford no radio & Records (29/9/06)

«Anyone who doesn’t think the iPod is amazing technology has not put in the earbuds and sampled their own personal library rotating with ease. iPods are not only indicative of a greater movement in entertainment technology but also signal a choice that radio should pay attention to while inspiring us to move toward the epicenter of what is happening—before it’s too late.

Radio is a companion medium. Every time we aggressively engage in being a “companion,” radio wins and increases the influence we’ve had for decades. If we don’t, we become less influential to a new generation of consumers who demand more interesting ideas»

 

Um sofá para ouvir o iPod

A enorme variedade de acessórios que se relacionam com o iPod é outro sinal do impacto deste aparelho.

O sofá (poltrona?) iChair tem as colunas junto às orelhas  para relaxar e ouvir.

Custa 313 euros em PBTeen

Quem tem iPod não vai comprar ao iTunes?

«Despite the success of Apple iTunes, few people stock their iPod with tracks from the online store, reports a study. The Jupiter Research report says that, on average, only 20 of the tracks on an iPod will be from the iTunes shop. Far more important to iPod owners, said the study, was free music ripped from CDs someone already owned or acquired from file-sharing sites. The report's authors claimed their findings had profound implications for the future of the online music market.  (...)However, the report into the habits of iPod users reveals that 83% of iPod owners do not buy digital music regularly. The minority, 17%, buy and download music, usually single tracks, at least once per month. On average, the study reports, only 5% of the music on an iPod will be bought from online music stores. The rest will be from CDs the owner of an MP3 player already has or tracks they have downloaded from file-sharing sites(...)».

fonte: «iPod fans 'shunning iTunes store'», BBC on line, 16/9/06 

 

 

O iPod está em recta descendente?

a opinião de Mark Ramsey:

«The iPod is "losing its cool" only to the degree that the product isn't sufficiently refreshed by its makers. In Apple's world, that's a six to twelve month cycle. New products and "cool" go hand in hand. It has nothing - nothing - to do with whether or not "their parents own one." The iPod is fashion but it's also a utility, and utilities are assumed to be used across generations. This is nonsense talk, probably sown by envious Apple competitors.»

 

Novas do iPod

anunciadas ontem por Steve Jobs:

- serviço pago de downloads de filmes para um novo iPod (a competir com o site da Amazon)

- um novo aparelho que permitirá passar os ficheiros descarregados do computador para a tv, i iTV (lançado nos EUA). «São exactamente os mesmos ficheiros, os mesmos, a passar no meu iPod, no meu computador e na minha televisão de ecrã plano» (fonte: http://www.meiobit.com/arq/008527.html)

Méritos do iPod

«The iPod marked just such a threshold. MP3 players existed before Apple created the iPod and iTunes, but previous systems weren't convenient or cheap enough to make up for the lesser fidelity of MP3s, which sample less than one-tenth the sound CDs do.

After the iPod, digital music — legitimate and pirated — took off, while CD sales sagged. In 2005, the industry reported that CD sales were down 8% to 667 million, while song downloads grew more than 150%, to 353 million. The trend is on about the same track in 2006.»

fonte: «If you wanted to watch ‘Superman,' which would you choose now?», USA Today, By Kevin Maney, 30/08/06

Um iPod sem fios (e o streaming)

É uma mera especulação, mas há quem diga que pode ser mais do que isso...

«a WiFi-equipped iPod would be able to stream music from Internet radio stations and even purchase and download songs Over The Air (OTA) from the iTunes Music Store. The problem with streaming is that it's only as good as the WiFi access point that you're connected to. I don't know about you but my MacBook Pro seems to have consistently poor Airport reception. If the iPod is going to rely on WiFi it's going to have to be well implemented. The bandwidth required for audio streaming is relatively small (less than 1Mbit/second) and you don't need much local storage when streaming, other than a little space for the cache. Streaming video on the other hand, requires requires 2-3Mbit/second of bandwidth.

Two things would be needed in a wireless iPod:

1) The iPod user interface is going to need a tune-up. If the iTunes Music Store is going to offer streaming radio stations and possibly even television the UI needs to be overhauled. It seems only logical that Apple would create a version of iTunes that runs on the iPod. People are familiar with iTunes from using it on their desktop machines and if they're not iTunes users, placing it on the iPod gives more exposure to Apple's flagship music application.

2) Wireless networking preferences will need to the added to the iPod to control the configuration of access points. Some form of data entry (either clickwheel based scrolling or a touchscreen/stylus combination) will be needed to enter credentials at protected hot spots.

A wireless iPod could also be the forbearer to a new subscription version of the iTMS where subscribers could download all the music they want for a flat fee per month. There are several of these subscription music services already on the market (Rhapsody, Napster, Yahoo, AOL, Virgin) and Apple may be considering ways to extend it's market dominance in digital music into subscriptions as well. (...)»

fonte: «Coming to an iPod near you: streaming and subscriptions», ZDNet, Posted by Jason D. O'Grady, 28/08/06

O iPod tem de convergir?

«(...) The iPod remains an amazing phenomenon but its heydays are over unless, as happened before, it reinvents itself with a new line such as a much-rumoured cameraphone. Tomi Ahonen, a mobile expert, claims that with a fall in total market share (of players and phones) from 80% to 14% in 18 months, the iPod is "wilting away before our eyes"(...)».

fonte: Guardian, Dump your iPod, the mobile's taking over, Victor Keegan, August 24, 2006

8 milhões de iPods no terceiro trimestre

«The company said Wednesday that it sold 8.1 million iPods in the third quarter, while analysts were expecting about 8 million. (...) Apple's share of the digital audio player market is stronger than ever, according to NPD Group, which says Apple's May market share was 76.9%. At the end of 2005, Apple's share was 72.7%.»

fonte: Forbes.com, «Apple's Profit Soars On iPod Sales», Rachel Rosmarin, 07.19.06, 6:45 PM ET