iTunes 8 to Feature Slide-Out Keyboard, Dual Batteries?
by John Paczkowski
Posted on September 3, 2008 at 4:38 PM PT
The Apple rumor mill has such a hair trigger, that even passing mention of an unreleased product can set it into yammering motion. As happened today after Digg founder Kevin Rose offered up some purported insider information about the focus of Apple’s “Let’s Rock” media event in San Francisco next Tuesday. If Rose is correct–and his record on handicapping Apple (AAPL) announcements is decidedly mixed–Apple will announce updates to its entire iPod line, including the rumored “tall” iPod Nano. Not exactly a tough call considering that XSKN is already selling cases for them and purported photos of the device — like the one below — are showing up on Alibaba.
More interestingly though, Rose says that Apple will uncrate iTunes 8, the first major overhaul of the software since iTunes 7 launched two years ago. Rose claims that iTunes 8 will boast some significant enhancements, among them HD-quality TV show downloads, a new “grid view” browsing feature and a playlist recommendation engine called Genius. “iTunes 8 includes Genius, which makes playlists from songs in your library that go great together,” Rose writes. “Genius also includes Genius sidebar, which recommends music from the iTunes Store that you don’t already have.”
Notably absent from Rose’s list of new features: iTunes Unlimited–the $129-a-year all-you-can-eat subscription service that Apple has been rumored to be considering for some time now.
Like all such reports, Rose’s should be taken with a grain of salt, if not an entire salt lick. Rose was, after all, the guy who erroneously claimed Apple’s first iPhone would feature a slide-out keyboard, dual batteries and CDMA, and GSM support.
Comments
HD Quality TV Show Downloads? I hope they have Battlestar Galactica or WEEDS available in HD.
Posted by George Mag at September 3rd, 2008 at 5:11 pmThe title to your article is about as misleading as saying the Zune has taken over the digital music seen. Seriously, your reference in the last paragraph about the Digg guy inaccurately predicting an iPhone over a year ago with a slide out keyboard/dual batteries is your lame link to the title in the story to iTunes 8.0?
Does not compute, but it got my attention, and now I’m signed up, so who’s the sucker? I hope things get better from here with All Things Digital.
What am I missing?
Posted by Jeff Worthington at September 3rd, 2008 at 9:13 pmAt this point the rumor mill or rather the reaction to it, producing some of the best marketing feedback around. Throw out some spoilers, see how people react, and then adjust your product accordingly.
Posted by Ken Okel at September 4th, 2008 at 4:46 am