Apple
has decided to cut the price on the Apple iPod Touch Line of products as of
Thursday June 26th 2014 as stated in “Apple
cuts prices on iPod Touch line, refreshed 16GB model”, published June 26,
2014 5:48 AM PDT by Ben Fox Rubin, CNET News
and “Apple
launches $199 16GB iPod touch with rear camera in 6 colors, slashes prices on
32GB & 64GB models”, published Thursday, June 26, 2014, 05:07 am PT
(08:07 am ET) By Neil Hughes, Apple Insider.
Additionally, they’ve may be sprucing up the
offering for this ageing format for music deliver that was dependent on having
an iTunes Account….. and downloading, not that they’ve officially acquired
Beats Electronics for some US$3.7 Billion as reported in my blog
article entitled “Apple
officially confirms Beats Audio Purchase - US$3.2 Billion as Apple gears up for
Subscription Streaming and improved Headphones”.
Both
these moves have raised a few eyebrows, including mine, as it’s been two (2)
years since they’ve even refreshed
the Apple iPod Touch line which only sold 26.4 million units overall and
generated US$4.4 billion in revenue. By comparison, the Apple iPhone, now
Apple’s Top Earner both on handset sales as well as from Apple iTunes sold some
150 million units, raking in US$91.3 billion in sales. So a US$3.7 billion
spend to improve Music Sales on iTunes, even if Apple has to go the
subscription route, seems worth it, fo’ sure!
So
clearly this move is overdue. In fact, it’s absolutely necessary, as not only
are sales low, but downloading of music is slowing down on iTunes as Americans
with 32GB Storage on their smartphones get hip to Streaming over 4G LTE
Networks as I’d explained in my article Apple
iOS 8 may free Apple iTunes Radio on Google Play Store. The prices on the
Apple iPad Pouch in USA are now as follows:
1. US$299
for 64GB iPod Touch, down US$100 from US$399
2. US$249
for 32GB iPod Touch, down US$50 from $299
3. US$199
for 16GB iPod Touch, down US$30 from US$229
In
the UK, the price drops are somewhat similar:
1. £249
for the 64GB iPod Touch
2. £199
for the 32GB iPod Touch
3. £159
for the 16GB iPod Touch
As
for the sprucing up of the Apple iPod Line, the lower-tiered 16GB model got
upgraded with a rear-facing camera and now comes in four (4) additional colours
aside from Silver and Space Grey, completing the rainbow:
1. Pink
2. Yellow
3. Blue
4. Red
I'd
urge many to buy the 16GB model as a way of supporting the RED Campaign in the fight
against the AIDS virus, one of many philanthropic gestures Apple’s known to
support over the years.
It’s
also clear that Music will be the centerpiece of Apple' strategy going forward,
especially as they've bought Beats Audio as reported by Kelroy in his Geezam blog article entitled “Apple
to Acquire Beats Music & Beats Electronics”. With it they acquired the
three (3) key ingredients to making a great Music Streaming Platform:
1. Beats
Electronics co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre
2. US$449
high-end Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones, US$99 Beats by Dr. Dre. Earbuds and other
products
3. Beats
Audio, curated Subscription Music service where each song is personally hand-picked
by Dr. Dre
The
question now on the minds of many is what will this mean for the Apple iPod?
Will Apple kill the iPod line, even though it’s still a big money-maker? Or
will it undergo an upgrade a la Beats
Audio, as the 16GB model has being upgraded, and be reincarnated as a dedicated
Streaming Radio devices with an Apple iTunes Radio as a native App?
In
the process, Apple may also develope a new way of delivering Music that may involve
direct interface via the use of Mind Controller Devices similar to Interaxon's
US$199 Muse Mind Controller and other similar devices as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “Interaxon’s
Muse Mind Controller and Tailly the Wearable Tail”. But alas, this is pure
speculation, albeit it’d be totally fun to listen to music within your mind
instead of via your ears.
One
thing is for sure though.
Now
that Apple has acquired Beats Electronics and their Streaming portal Beats
Audio, they most likely will include an offering of those US$449 high-end Beats
by Dr. Dre Headphones the US$99 Beats by Dr. Dre. Earbuds and their other
products, which are already a featured staple in Apple Stores.
Only
this time, buyers will have more reason to invest in good sound, especially
with such high-fidelity and stylish Headphones from a Music Store that's got
the Dr. Dre's Magical Touch he's famous for using to save the careers of many
rap artiste back in the 90's. That’s just the Way it is, folks, Tupac Shakur
Style!
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