An interesting piece of information has surfaced regarding iOS 5 – the music app, previously called “iPod” on devices, is now simply called “Music.” Could this be an indication that the “iPod” brand is dying? You decide.
It might be nothing – Our source suggests that the name change of the music app could be explained as Apple simply wanting to unify the experience between all of their devices – this, I think, is likely. Yet, at the same time, it is difficult to overlook the fact that the iPod brand has been around for very, very long time, and Apple may be interested in retiring the name.
Additionally, the “iPod” brand may have simply lost its meaning – back when the iPod was new, it was just a music player. It eventually gained the ability to play videos – this is the basic idea behind the iPod – a simple media player that just works. But today’s iOS devices are more than just iPods – they are, in addition, web browsers, game consoles, productivity devices…the list goes on. Could Apple be trying to distance itself from the past, or from the perceptions that sometimes arise when people see or hear the term “iPod?
Personally, I don’t lend much credit to this theory until the iPod Classic is discontinued – something which, due to its massive capacity – probably will not happen until at least 128GB of storage is feasible and relatively affordable in an iOS device. Some people might regard internet radio, music streaming, or even iCloud as an answer to this concern – but it’s also important to remember that these things only work if a data connection is present. This can present problems for someone that likes to take their music on the road, as cell reception isn’t always the best when travelling, or someone with an iPod Touch, who doesn’t have constant access to a Wi-Fi connection.
In short, I don’t expect the iPod brand to go anywhere anytime soon – the iPod Touch continues to gain traction (although it could be called an iTouch, as it already is in some circles…), and iPods (even Classics, Nanos, or older models) still serve a significant number of consumers, so I’d consider it unlikely to see the titan that is the iPod brand fall in the foreseeable future.
Your thoughts? Sound off in the comments!
