Jeff Jarvis is off to war again. He's recovered from a widely publicized assault on fortress Dell and has decided to take on Apple.
Jeff thinks Apple has screwed their customers by launching the new video iPod just weeks after the nano. I can't help but think he's just trying to stir up controversy, and I'm not convinced he'll succeed this time.
The nano and the new iPod are both GREAT products. But their form factors and functionality are clearly differentiated and I believe they'll attract different consumers. In some cases customers may choose to own one of each. The nano holds 1,000 songs versus 15,000 for the new iPod. The nano is small, sexy, and cool. It's perfect for exercise or for travel. The new iPod is a media center. It can hold all your music, all your photos, plus your favourite home videos.
Regardless, at $199 the nano is approaching a "disposable" price point. It's just not a lot of money for a hugely desirable piece of kit. I doubt there's much buyer's remorse out there.
They're both great products. I love my nano. My son loved his. He used his hard-earned money to get it. But if he had known the other would be out imminently, he would have used that hard-earned money to get it instead. Now he's stuck. Other Apple customers are in the same unfortunate boat. That's the issue.
Posted by: Jeff Jarvis | October 13, 2005 at 10:07 PM