Ah , the iPod classic ; the neglected extremity of the iPod family . It support no magazine , it does n’t run apps , and it ’s the only iPod that still use a slight , birl surd drive . But it ’s still chug along like that old Volvo that wo n’t give up after 150,000 miles . A unmediated descendent of the very first iPod , the iPod classic still has a Click Wheel controller , and stores a heck of a batch of music .
And that ’s where the classic stand out : its capacity . Apple say it can hold up to 40,000 songs , though that bit assumes your music is in 128 - kbps format , and your songs average four minutes each . Even with the current iTunes Store format — iTunes Plus , or 256 kbps — the classic can still carry 20,000 songs , or 80,000 transactions of music .
That ’s 1333 hours , 55.5 days , or nearly eight weeks — or , if you prefer , 500 thankful Dead appearance .
Apple doesn’t break down iPod sales by model, although sales are on the decline. Would a new classic help reverse the trend?
( It could also carry 200 hour of video , if that ’s all you put on it , or 25,000 photo , says Apple . )
liken the iPod classic ’s 160 GB capacitance to that of the iPod touch sensation or iPhone : Those gadget max out at 64 GB and 32 GB , severally , and since you ’re going to also put a tidy sum of apps , video , and other files on them , you ca n’t apply all that space for music . With the exclusion of a few lame games , the iPod classic is all media all the metre .
Some people speculated a while back that the classic would see its strong drive boost to 250 GB , but 2009 ’s product update did n’t vary the current 160 GB mental ability , or anything else about this example . alternatively , Apple came out with a mistaken iPod nano and repaired its previous errors regarding the ingress - level iPod shuffle . But nary a give-and-take was spoken about the iPod Greco-Roman atlast class ’s Apple medicine outcome .
Apple doesn’t break down iPod sales by model, although sales are on the decline. Would a new classic help reverse the trend?
I ’ve been neglect my iPod classic for a while , instead using my iPod touch for much of my listening . It has apps , and — have ’s face it — the show is a lot better , allow for big artwork and more selective information about my euphony . But I was always juggling my music around to have what I wanted to listen to on it . Recently , I had to send off my iMac , which hold my 80,000 - lead music library , for repairs , and while working on my MacBook Air , I ’ve been using my iPod classic , connected to an Apple dock , to play music through my stereo . While it ’s not gross , it sure can hold a lot of music ( still , alas , only about one - third of my library ) .
For those who simply need to hear to music , the iPod classic is idealistic ; in fact , it ’s the only gadget that offers decent content at an affordable monetary value . After all , for around the same price ( $ 20 less ) you only get 8 GB on an iPod soupcon ; that ’s one - twentieth of the medicine , though you do get a touch screen and the ability to play secret plan , watch videos , check your e-mail , and tweet , among other thing .
So , as we draw close Apple ’s counter annual euphony event — no appointment has been yet announce , but it ’s traditionally hold in in other September — is it meter for the iPod classic to be recede , or will it be spruced up ? I ’d care to see some changes , and I think Apple could revive this blank out iPod . or else of the Click Wheel , the company could add a touchscreen , offering admission to feature article in a personal manner like to that on the iPod nano . This would give the gadget two projection screen , or perhaps the two would be merged into a single , two - part showing . electrical capacity could be upped ; after all , most of the buyers of this model are people with large euphony libraries like me , and 250 GB hard drives are available in the size used by the classic . ( Interestingly , many iPod classic proprietor also seem to own an iPhone or iPod touch , so they ’re still capable to use apps and play game . ) I ’ve even encountered many people who own more than one iPod classic . It seems to be specially popular as a machine to put up kind when listening to music in cars , or on long trips .
Apple does n’t break down iPod sales by manikin , although sales are on the decline . Would a new classical help reverse the trend ?
And why not play back the idea of particularly ornament iPod ? recall the iPod U2 Special Edition from back in 2004 ? It came withThe Complete U2pre - loaded and cost , at the time , $ 349 . Why not some other limited iPod classic ? A Beatles iPod , in icteric ? Or a Grateful Dead iPod , with astealiedecorating the Click Wheel ?
Apple does n’t generally offer up sales information for specific iPod models — other than touting how the iPod touch accounts for about one-half of all iPods sold — so there ’s no mode to know how many classics it sell . However , Amazon.com currently has the classic at the numeral three spot behind the 8 GB and 32 GB iPod touches , and just forward of the first non - Apple twist in the list . Both iPod classic ( fatal and silver ) are before of the iPod nano and shuffle in any of their semblance . So while many people think the classic is a ecological niche machine , this might not be the case . Even if it were a niche , it would be one deserving keep onto , because the emptor of this exemplar are the actual music fans , with lots of tunes , and require a gadget that holds as much as possible .
Perhaps updating the iPod classic every two years do more common sense than an one-year makeover . The last update was in 2009 , so maybe we ’ll see a newfangled simulation shortly . No matter what , I do n’t think the iPod classic is going away any clip soon .
How do you feel about the iPod classic ? Should it cling around , or should Apple finally the terminal nail in its coffin ?
[ Senior contributor Kirk McElhearn indite about more than just Macs on his blogKirkville . Twitter:@mcelhearnKirk is the author ofTake Control of iTunes 10 : The FAQ . ]
