iPod, Therefore iPhone

Big day for the Apple Faithful!

Steve Jobs updated the iPod Shuffle (new colors, same storage/price), the iPod Nano (new colors to match shuffle, new storage, new form factor, new OS), the iPod Classic (né iPod) (IMMENSE storage update, new form factor, new OS), introduced the all-new iPod Touch (iPhone sans phone, camera, weather/stock/maps widgets), and unveiled the iTunes WiFi store, where you can buy songs over WiFi with the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

But the big deal, to me, is that they dropped the price of the 8 gig iPhone to $399.

Here's my story. For years, now, I've said I want two things: a widescreen iPod for videos, and a high-storage iPod for my entire library. Including songs and videos (and a growing number of podcasts), I'm looking at 130 gigs of material... no small feat. And I always assumed they'd be the same device. iPhone comes out, and I think "Cool, when they make a hard drive version without the phone, I'll get that as the new iPod." Figured I'd be set.

Then Apple went and confounded me by making these items two separate iPods. If I want widescreen, I need an iPod Touch. If I want space, I need an iPod Classic.

I see Apple's reasoning-- they need battery power and small space requirements for the Touch, which means flash storage. And maintaining the Classic line allows for the high-storage models to be available, which Apple can't yet replace with flash. Plus, they get an added benefit of maintaining a "premium" status with the MultiTouch interface, which is good for it's own tech cachet. So two devices it is.

Another benefit to Apple in this circumstance applies directly to me. Now that the Touch offers only 8 GB and 16 GB, an iPhone is only a little smaller and a little more expensive, for phone functionality. So people can be seriously tempted to get the Phone, and help build Apple's marketshare in that new market. If they don't, they are still buying an iPod, and Apple wins.

Looking at my usage, I realize something. Since getting my laptop 10 (!) months ago, I have used iPods less and less. The shuffle I got in March gets more use than my 5G (60 GB) iPod. Because when I do most of music listening, I have my laptop, which has all of my music anyway. So now, do I want Touch controls enough to carry an iPod as well as a phone? Well, no-- the internet functionality I need is limited to WiFi, and I usually have my laptop in the office, so I don't need that. I don't want to buy an iPod touch just to have a phone in my pocket too. COnvergence is suddenly seeming more and more appropriate...

So you got me, Apple. Looks like, at your new lower price, I may have to buy an iPhone. I'm going to wait a few weeks, and think about it, but I'm feeling the winds of change a blowin' my way.

Bastards.