Apple unveils iPod Touch, new video Nanos

By Tom Krazit and Jennifer Guevin on 06 September 2007
iPod Nano
iPod Nano gets video playback capabilities.

Apple announced on Wednesday in the US a complete overhaul of its line of iPod portable music players, including a wireless-enabled player resembling the iPhone.

The iPod Touch, essentially a phoneless version of the iPhone, has the same 3.5-inch screen, multitouch interface and home screen as the smartphone. The iPod Touch has the ability to connect to the Internet with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, slower than the current 802.11n shipping in most notebook PCs. The Touch comes with Apple's Safari Web browser and has built-in Google and Yahoo search.

The new iPod comes in two configurations, an 8GB version that costs AU$419 and a 16GB model that costs AU$549. The battery in each can handle 22 hours of audio playback or 5 hours of video, according to Jobs. Both versions are expected to be available this month.

iPod Touch
iPod Touch comes with Wi-Fi for Web browsing and downloading music.

Apple is also revising some of its previous iPods including the regular iPod, the Nano and the Shuffle. Now known as the iPod Classic, Apple will offer a 160GB version of the regular iPod, which is enough storage for 40,000 songs, according to Jobs. It is thinner than the regular iPod and has better battery life, enough to handle 40 hours of audio. That model will go for AU$479, and an 80GB version will now be AU$349, a price drop of AU$150. Those iPods will be available immediately, according to Apple Australia.

Apple is making only minor changes to its iPod Shuffle line, which will come in new colours and is available now for the same price as the previous line. A new Product Red Shuffle will benefit a program fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The iPod Nano will now have video capability, though its screen is only 2 inches wide. It comes loaded with new games and Apple's Cover Flow software, which lets users scroll through album covers when searching for music. The Nano will come in two configurations, a 4GB version priced at AU$199, and an 8GB version that will cost AU$279. The Nanos will come in the same new colours as the Shuffle and are expected to be available in stores this weekend, according to Jobs.

iTunes Music Store goes Wi-Fi
On the software side of things, Apple announced a new version of its iTunes media player, which is planned to be released Wednesday night.

Apple also announced the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, which allows consumers to buy songs wirelessly. Users can preview, download and listen to songs right away on their iPod Touch (after a software update expected later this month). Upon syncing the device with a computer, those songs will be transferred into the user's iTunes library.

CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos and Marguerite Reardon contributed to this report.

iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch and iPhone
The new iPod family (from left): iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch and the iPhone.

Topics: wi-fi, mp3 player, ipod, apple, ipod touch, nano, touch, shuffle

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Comments (5)

  • puzzled commented on 04/09/2008 10:22

    Just quoting the article: - "an 80GB version will now be AU$349, a price drop of AU$150."

    This does not seem correct as the current price of the 80Gb classic is $319.

    What's the story CNET ?

  • unkown commented on 10/09/2007 19:53

    this sucks i just bought a zune and now this cums out im soo annoyed caus it doesnt have any of these good features will they bring out and kool firmware that u can play games or sumthin plz im desperate :(

  • Nill commented on 08/09/2007 14:05

    wireless headphones have been around for years. I'm sure creative still make 1-2 models.

  • Clarissa Elwood commented on 07/09/2007 00:36

    Re: Wireless headphones, you can currently buy third-party accessories which will allow you to have cordless headphones with your iPod.

  • fiddickc commented on 06/09/2007 16:15

    The only thing I wanted in the old iPod I have is built in bluetooth, And they still don't get it right!! Imagine no wires to your headphones. Now that would be cool!!

    Is there such a beast as WiFi headphones instead? If so, I'm buying one.

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