One of the things I noticed almost immediately after loading up the iOS 5 beta on my iPhone 4 was that for the first time since I got the iPhone 1st-gen back in 2007, my phone didn't have an iPod app looking back at me from the home screen.
Not unlike the iPod touch and iPad before it, which use separate "Music" and "Video" apps for playing back synced media -- the iPhone has finally dropped the "iPod" app. Ultimately it doesn't mean a whole lot since all the functionality is still there (albeit broken out into two apps, which you must now choose between when deciding what type of media you'd like to play), but the familiar iPod name and icon appears to finally be retired.
Software iPod: RIP.
Screenshot: www.flickr.com/photos/ryanblock/5842453961/sizes/l...
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The iPod app has left the iOS building
Good! I don't know why Apple of all companies chose to dilute the iPod brand by introducing a "software" version in the first place. The iPod has always been, and has always made more sense as, a physical device.
'iTunes' would have been a better name for that app, as that is the equivalent software on my Mac or PC - but that was reserved for a separate iTunes store app, which now coexists with the 'Music' and 'Video' apps a little better.
'iTunes' would have been a better name for that app, as that is the equivalent software on my Mac or PC - but that was reserved for a separate iTunes store app, which now coexists with the 'Music' and 'Video' apps a little better.
I agree it was a little confusing and somewhat of a misnomer, but when it was introduced in 2007 it did make a lot of sense from a marketing perspective. Remember that back then all but the geekiest of consumers had ever loaded up music on their phone -- and not a damn person had ever had a solid, smooth, iPod-like experience.
For Apple to be able to say "we put an iPod in your phone" was an incredibly powerful message to mainstream consumers who were just being introduced to the concept of a smartphone, and who had yet to fully understand their value proposition over dumbphones. (Again, remember that this was a time when the Motorola RAZR was still the top selling phone in the US.)
For Apple to be able to say "we put an iPod in your phone" was an incredibly powerful message to mainstream consumers who were just being introduced to the concept of a smartphone, and who had yet to fully understand their value proposition over dumbphones. (Again, remember that this was a time when the Motorola RAZR was still the top selling phone in the US.)
That does make sense given Stevie J's noted "three devices in one: an iPod, a phone and internet communications device" line when it was announced.
Maybe it's because Apple made the Touch their flagship "iPod" that it no longer makes sense to have an "iPod in your phone", as their definition of iPod has far outgrown the iPod functionality in the iPhone.
Maybe it's because Apple made the Touch their flagship "iPod" that it no longer makes sense to have an "iPod in your phone", as their definition of iPod has far outgrown the iPod functionality in the iPhone.
I think iTunes is also ripe for a remake. I use it all the time for playback and purchases, but it's getting unweildly.
The iTunes program on computers plays media and sells music and music videos while also selling and renting movies and TV shows. The iTunes app sells media but doesn't play anything. These services have outgrown the name. I wonder if, one day, you'll be able to buy relevant media in a store "behind" the appropriate app, like iBookstore or Newsstand, as well as (or instead of) iTunes to simplify matters for everyone.
There's also the added possibility that, as Google and Amazon now offer, you can buy from the Web and have delivered to iCloud devices.
Regardless, I expect the "touch" moniker to disappear from the iPod name when Apple retires the Classic. The Nano and Shuffle will then be training wheels for the real thing.
The iTunes program on computers plays media and sells music and music videos while also selling and renting movies and TV shows. The iTunes app sells media but doesn't play anything. These services have outgrown the name. I wonder if, one day, you'll be able to buy relevant media in a store "behind" the appropriate app, like iBookstore or Newsstand, as well as (or instead of) iTunes to simplify matters for everyone.
There's also the added possibility that, as Google and Amazon now offer, you can buy from the Web and have delivered to iCloud devices.
Regardless, I expect the "touch" moniker to disappear from the iPod name when Apple retires the Classic. The Nano and Shuffle will then be training wheels for the real thing.
As the iPhone is just a computer iTunes as the name for the player and the store makes sense. The separate apps confused me when I went to the iPhone after years of iTunes on the mac usage.
However iTunes has grown into a does everything app now and not sure I would want this to continue in iOS
However iTunes has grown into a does everything app now and not sure I would want this to continue in iOS
My theory is Apple is getting ready to *reposition* the iPod name with the 5th gen Touch. Dropping the Touch from the brand and adding 3G, so that it can take advantage of the full iCloud/iTunes/iMessage features.
Just like 10 years ago the iPod was "1,000 songs in you pocket", the iPod 2 now will be "Everything in your pocket". Wrote more wild speculation on my blog: 5typos.net/post/6521649375/the-ipod-reloaded
Regardless, while I like the iPod icon better, it looked like it was going down the route of the Floppy "Save" button. Relevant to us, but cruft from the past for "future" geeks.
Just like 10 years ago the iPod was "1,000 songs in you pocket", the iPod 2 now will be "Everything in your pocket". Wrote more wild speculation on my blog: 5typos.net/post/6521649375/the-ipod-reloaded
Regardless, while I like the iPod icon better, it looked like it was going down the route of the Floppy "Save" button. Relevant to us, but cruft from the past for "future" geeks.
I believe that the point of an iPod touch is to be same as the iPhone. but without a contract, so unless Apple can strike the same deal that they have with the iPad and make it contract free, this would be a hard sell.
Also, everyone that I know that has an iPod touch tends to be of the younger generation, I'm not sure that it would make sense to add 3G service, most of the are fine being WiFi only.
Also, everyone that I know that has an iPod touch tends to be of the younger generation, I'm not sure that it would make sense to add 3G service, most of the are fine being WiFi only.
Agreed that it has to be some sort of contract-less plan, but since it they already paved the way with the iPad, shouldn't be that hard with an iPod touch.
However, I do believe that as soon as iOS5 is in the hands of consumers, and things like iMessage only works when you're home, many users (specially the younger ones) will feel the lack of 'everywhere' connectivity.
If you're are right and young users that only have an iPod Touch are just fine with WiFi, then Apple has a bigger battle ahead in regards to messaging.
Anecdote is not evidence, but the reason I carry both an iPhone and a Blackberry has little to do with the technical merits of BBM, and almost everything with who has BBM.
However, I do believe that as soon as iOS5 is in the hands of consumers, and things like iMessage only works when you're home, many users (specially the younger ones) will feel the lack of 'everywhere' connectivity.
If you're are right and young users that only have an iPod Touch are just fine with WiFi, then Apple has a bigger battle ahead in regards to messaging.
Anecdote is not evidence, but the reason I carry both an iPhone and a Blackberry has little to do with the technical merits of BBM, and almost everything with who has BBM.
My first reaction when I noticed this was that Apple was just trying to unify its UI across all of their devices to keep it consistent. Currently on iOS 4.x Apple has on the:
-iPhone an 'iPod' app which contains Movies/TV Shows/Music/ Audio & Video Podcast.
-iPad an 'iPod' app that only contains Music and Audio Podcast, but a separate 'Video' app for Movies/TV Shows and Video Podcast (this always bugged me and I reported it as feedback).
-iPod touch a 'Music' and 'Video' app because it doesn't make sense to have an iPod app on an iPod, so like the regular iPods, those two categories are separate tabs.
With iOS 5, all three devices will now have a very similar UI layout.
-iPhone an 'iPod' app which contains Movies/TV Shows/Music/ Audio & Video Podcast.
-iPad an 'iPod' app that only contains Music and Audio Podcast, but a separate 'Video' app for Movies/TV Shows and Video Podcast (this always bugged me and I reported it as feedback).
-iPod touch a 'Music' and 'Video' app because it doesn't make sense to have an iPod app on an iPod, so like the regular iPods, those two categories are separate tabs.
With iOS 5, all three devices will now have a very similar UI layout.
It probably separates the brands but what about the ad with the "iPod"?
I welcome the unification of the separate Music and Video apps across all iOS devices now. Saying there is an iPod on your iPhone really doesn't make sense to me. It helps me out too because I don't keep any video on my iPhone and I keep no music on my iPad, so it's more
i use my Podcast playlist containing both video and audio podcasts - 95% of the time only listening to the audio part of the video podcast (checking out the video, when there's something interesting discussed: TWiT, Macbreak Weekly). it sounds that i won't be able to do that anymore with the separate apps for audio and video.. am i right?
I understand the reasoning behind this in the iOS eco-system. If someone has an iPad and an iPhone, they're not gonna get confused looking for the iPod app.
Could this be the beginning of the end of the 'iPod' in general? With iCloud, will there be a need for a device which can store so much music?
Could this be the beginning of the end of the 'iPod' in general? With iCloud, will there be a need for a device which can store so much music?
I find it a little more cumbersome on my iPad having two different apps for media. I would rather have everything in one place so I don't have to go back and forth when consuming different types of media.
I hear you, but especially with the new iCloud stuff, I think Apple intends to draw a distinction between the way that those media items sync. This brings to light the nuances of those differing media types' cloud availability.
Apple's also augmenting their multitasking with four finger swipe to the left or right to switch apps. This stops you from having to click that blasted home button a dozen times to switch between the apps.
Apple's also augmenting their multitasking with four finger swipe to the left or right to switch apps. This stops you from having to click that blasted home button a dozen times to switch between the apps.
This is very sad, and also bizarre at the same time. Apple has made a huge brand out of the iPod (obviously, since it is the defacto music player on the market) and I don't understand why they would want to get rid of it. I would imagine that they want to continue it on in different forms. The iPod touch, the iPod nano/watch, the iPhone, and the iPad are all, in some way, part-iPod.
It does worry me that the iPod brand will die, but who knows? (well, Apple does).
It does worry me that the iPod brand will die, but who knows? (well, Apple does).
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