And now, the reason you were curious about the Apple media event: new iPods. Per Macworld, Apple released dramatically updated iPod nano and shuffle music devices, the iPod nano receiving a touchscreen interface while the shuffle’s buttons were returned to its control scheme.
At long last, the iPod nano has shed its Click Wheel interface for a multitouch interface that uses tap and swipe to control. Apple says the new design makes this nano 46% smaller and 42% lighter than the previous version.
“Almost half as small, almost half as light as its predecessor,” Jobs said.
To get the nano that small, though, Apple shed the built-in camera that was introduced just last year to the fifth-generation iPod nano is gone, meaning users won’t be able to snap pictures and record video with the new device. They also won’t be able to watch video on the nano’s 1.54″ color screen; instead, Apple is positioning this version of the nano entirely as a music device.
The latest nano features an iPod shuffle-like video clip, making it easy for users to attach the music player to their clothing. The device also features physical volume buttons, a Shake to Shuffle feature for summoning new songs, and VoiceOver technology to announce artists, songs, and albums. There’s also an FM radio, support for Nike+, a pedometer, VoiceMemos, a Photos app, and support for 29 different languages. According to Apple, the built-in battery can handle 24 hours of audio playback.
During a demo of the new nano’s software, Apple CEO Steve Jobs pointed out multiple Home screens, each capable of holding up to four icons. As on Apple’s iOS devices, you can rearrange the icons by tapping and dragging them. Unlike iOS devices, there’s no Home button—you tap and hold on the screen to return to the Home screen.
While you’re playing back a track, you can tap to bring up the controls as a translucent overlay over the album art. Just in case you clip the nano to your clothes upside down, you can use the two-finger rotate gesture to turn the Home screen.
As with previous versions of the nano, there’s the usual 30-pin dock connector and a headphone jack.
The new nano comes in seven colors—graphite, silver, pink, blue, yellow, and green, and a Product Red version. It will ship next week in two capacities: a US$149 8GB model, and a 16GB for US$179.
Prior to its unveiling, Jobs discussed the changes that had progressed with last year’s iPod shuffle, which was scaled down in its previous generation.
“People clearly missed the buttons,” Jobs said. So Apple combined elements the second- and third-generation models to create an iPod shuffle with the same circular playback controls that appeared on the second-generation iPod shuffle: Play/Pause, next track, previous track, and volume up and down. The fourth-generation shuffle also includes the third-generation iPod shuffle’s support for multiple playlists and the VoiceOver feature. Apple’s also added support for Genius Mixes, which automatically create mixes from songs in your music library. In addition, the shuffle’s built-in battery can last for 15 hours of music, according to Apple
The aluminum exterior of the shuffle comes in five different colors: blue, pink, green, yellow, and silver. Like its predecessors it comes in a single 2GB capacity for US$49.
Per the iPod classic, the device essentially remained the same, the device still offering up to 160GB of drive space and retailing for US$249 on Apple’s web site.
