Apple unveils the new 1MB iPod

It is not from today that people is considering the question: will Apple sell a version of the iPod with a smaller memory? Will this new version be introduced at the expense of the iPod shuffle?

Well, both questions have been answered today. The answer is: yes Apple is adding a new model to the iPod family, the 1MB iPod nano for just $149.

The idea of the 1MB iPod nano is easy to understand - people love the design of the iPod nano, but many still feel that it is too pricey for the small amount of memory, compared to its larger brother iPod video (if you can call the iPod video big, anyway...).

But this new version will not kill the iPod shuffle, in fact it will make it more attractive. The new versions of the iPod shuffle are now priced at $69 (500 MB) and $100 (1GB). Thus, Apple in one stroke makes it even harder for other companies to compete in terms of features (iPod nano) and price (both iPod nano and shuffle).

I don't see how closer Apple can get to total domination of the music player market. If it was already difficult to compete with the original prices, now it will be hard to justify anyone to buy any music player that is not from Apple. Another smart move that will certainly reflect in the selling of iPods for the next few months.

Technorati Tags: Announcement, Apple, iPod