If there was one object lesson to be glean from Wednesday ’s Apple event in San Jose , Calif. , it ’s this : whatever I betoken , expect the opposite .
After all , I ’m the hombre who , just a hebdomad ago in this very space , explained patiently and with plenteousness of endure grounds why Apple would never , everthink ofunveiling a video - play iPodduring its October 12 medium effect . “ Not the ripe fourth dimension , ” I said . “ Steve Jobs just got done telling us all that telecasting - playact hand-held gadget were n’t on the quick apparent horizon . ”
So what does Apple do Wednesday?It unveils a video iPod . by nature .
Stay tuned for another round of can’t - miss - predictions like “ the Boston Red Sox will repeat as World Series champ ” on our next episode of Ridiculously incorrect in Public !
OK , now that we ’ve settled the question of whether Apple will create a video - playing iPod , allow ’s wrench our attention to the next upshot at hand : whydid Apple create a video - playing iPod at this particular time . And as tempting as it might be for me to guess “ Because Apple delights in making me take care silly , ” I ’m jolly sure the company ’s reasoning is impregnable than that .
First off , the great unwashed are going to corrupt one . Enough readers have said as muchin our assembly , and while that may or may not be representative of the grocery store as a whole , you for certain have to get into there’ssomedemand for an iPod that plays telecasting . And the iPod brand has built up enough of a seal that consumer in the grocery store for such a gimmick will be uncoerced to take a flier on something build by Apple , thanks to the not - at - all unreasonable assumption that Apple , more than any other twist maker , will belike get it correct . ( And with the 30 GB and 60 GB video - capable iPod costing the same as the late 20 GB and 60 GB color - screen models , it ’s not like Apple is expect you to pay up for video . )
Secondly , Apple made indisputable that there would be content for people to download to these new iPods . With the freshly announcediTunes 6 , you’re able to purchase telly Shows likeDesperate HousewivesandLost , animated shorts from Pixar , and medicine videos for $ 2 . Will that contentedness make a stampede of multitude to their nearest Apple Store to get their hand on a young iPod . Maybe , maybe not — but for some people , that initial content ( with the hope of more to add up ) will be incentive enough .
Finally , Apple rolled out a video recording iPod now because administrator at the company can read a calendar and know that Christmas is a - comin ’ . And thereactionto Tuesday ’s quarterly earnings show , Apple needs to keep up iPod sales if it hopes to keep Wall Street happy . The company plausibly compute that video - playback features are the best way to do that .
Which raises a new question : willyoubuy one of the new iPods ? I know what the answer is for me — probably not , since the greenish iPod mini I bought in August still has that raw iPod smell — but , like wrong - headed prediction about Apple events , I hold the right hand to change my judgement once I obtain one in my spicy , footling hand . Still , I ’d be concerned to hear how you do that interrogation .
