Have your say & ask the experts

A more accurate headline would be "Apple finally adds in what every other MP3 player has included for eons", or "Apple adds FM radio because it's a feature that can now be added for almost no cost, and that works worldwide without any need for localisation".

By the time the FM switchoff happens, we'll be several generations of iPod along and it'll all be long forgotten....

Though to be fair it does have up to 15min of Live Pause, previously only available on DAB radios.

Not that I can imagine using it much...

I would wager that the iPod has been responsible for an explosion in the number of people who listen to music on the move. Now, they always had the possibility to do this, initially during the golden age of the walkman (small "w"), then more recently with personal CD players and minidisc. However, I'd say that you're much more likely to see people with a pair of headphones on now than in any time in the last 25 years.

It's debatable why this has come to pass; could be the convenience offered (no tapes to cart around), the desirability of the players, or simply the snowballing effect in terms of popularity of iPods.

My point is that for a long time, many people who could have been listening to music on the move in fact didn't until recently.

I wonder if it might be the same for radio? FM radios in pocketable form have been available for many years, but most people chose not to use them. Now that millions of people will have them in their pockets as a byproduct of owning an iPod, could it be that listening figures will take off?

I think the headline should be "Apple comes up with another innovation to make everyone buy the latest and greatest Apple product".

In 12 months' time the headline will be "Apple nano now has DAB; time to buy another Apple product".

Cynic?  nah.

Clare Newsome:

A more accurate headline would be "Apple finally adds in what every other MP3 player has included for eons", or "Apple adds FM radio because it's a feature that can now be added for almost no cost, and that works worldwide without any need for localisation".

One reason Apple didn't have FM radio as one of their original could have been that (and I stand corrected here) it costs 14% import duty on radio capable systems. Against A LOT less for a "basic player" with no radio capability. And Apple spend big on design and marketing but also charge big bucks to the consumers for that, and they watch their profit margins very closely. From a cost point of view though, building FM in doesn't add much at all.

I'm not so sure as to them playing 'catch-up' as, in their eyes at least, they are adding an "innovative" (lol) feature. Which helps justify the new annual crop of product. And as ever, the fanboys will follow in their droves. Hopefully.

The fact remains that iPods and mp3's (or portable music players) are losing ground (as far as sales volumes are concerned) vs the "convergence" products such as the millions of mobile phones being sold every year. Blame (in part) Apple's own iPhone for this! ;-P

They're clearly targeting the nano toward kids - hence the radio and camera.

And the radio is a half-joke - this thing doesn't even tell you RDS station names - something my 4 year old Sony Ericsson mobile could do.

As far as I can see there are only two 'serious' or semi-serious iPods - touch 32/64.

the less said about the classic the better.

whats wrng with the classic?

For me the only ipod worth having as the only one that doesn't make you decide what to put on it - my 160gb is not quite full yet but getting there!!!!

With my wadia transport its the perfect home dukebox and the only solution that offers me that much storage without the need for my computer to be on!

matengawhat:

whats wrng with the classic?

For me the only ipod worth having as the only one that doesn't make you decide what to put on it - my 160gb is not quite full yet but getting there!!!!

With my wadia transport its the perfect home dukebox and the only solution that offers me that much storage without the need for my computer to be on!

For starters it's horribly dated - it's OS is sloooooow - I flogged my 120 classic not soon enough.

2nd - and some may disagree here - but it's possibly the worst sounding iPod - I had the 120 classic and it was as dull as dishwater - even with AIFFs and my CX300s - my Nano fatty sounded far better.

It's excruciating I know - but if one can hold out there's sure to be a 128GB Touch in a year's time - and that would surely be the death of the classic.

It's a shame - cos the pre-120 classic may have been the best sounding iPod - Apple then ditched the Wolfson (?) dac for an inferior one from the 120 onwards.

tractorboy:

I would wager that the iPod has been responsible for an explosion in the number of people who listen to music on the move. Now, they always had the possibility to do this, initially during the golden age of the walkman (small "w"), then more recently with personal CD players and minidisc. However, I'd say that you're much more likely to see people with a pair of headphones on now than in any time in the last 25 years.

It's debatable why this has come to pass; could be the convenience offered (no tapes to cart around), the desirability of the players, or simply the snowballing effect in terms of popularity of iPods.

Not to mention that in some circles, an iPod is an essential fashion accessory, to be worn like an item of jewellry.