It seems like our electronic devices seem to be getting smaller and smaller, and combining more and more into one. With so many people interested in a pocket sized “do everything” gadget it should come as no surprised that Apple is considering the release of an iPod cell phone.
An article in the Apple Insider yesterday indicates that Apple may have an Ipod phone up its sleeve. The companies main reservations for releasing a phone would be the damage it would do to their market for smaller ipods like the shuffle and Nano.
I recently went to my cell phone company to pay my bill and browsed through the cell phones available. There were several different cell phone models that would already allow you to play music on your hone, a few which even worked using itunes. I think that we will defiantly see an iPod cell phone in the next year.
I think one big question is, is this something people really are going to want? I could see myself purchasing one just for the sheer novelty of it. I think long term I would miss having my digital camera on my cell phone, a feature I more than likely use a little more than would an mp3 player. Some competing cell phones have built in digital cameras and the ability to use itunes, if I wanted both why not buy a competitors product?
You also run into a situation now with an iPod cell phone that rather than have tons of different electronic devices, you now have tons of different ipods in your life. I personally already own a traditional iPod and an iPod Nano. If you were to use the Nano for running using iPod + Nike, and a traditional iPod at the gym to watch videos and work out, then the addition of a cell phone iPod would mean three ipods in your life, hardly an improvement.
If Apple released an iPod cell phone how many of you would buy it?