Apple Revamps iPod Lineup, Boosts Apple TV Play
Confirming popular rumors that swirled prior to Wednesday's press event, Apple CEO took the stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and introduced the new iPod Touch and iPod Shuffle, as well as a redesigned iPod Nano that now features Apple Multi-Touch technology.
The iPod Touch's newest edition now looks a lot more like the iPhone 4 and borrows features such as Retina display, FaceTime video calling, and HD video recording. The device also features the iOS 4.1, Apple's A4, 3-axis gyro, and a rear-facing camera and microphone. The new iPod Touch will be available sometime next week and will be priced at $299 for the 32GB version and $399 for the 64GB version.
Meanwhile, the iPod Shuffle received a makeover that included two new clickable buttons as well as a VoiceOver technology, which tells users what song is playing. But the biggest bonus may be the Shuffle's longer battery life, which Apple says has been extended by up to 50 percent and can play more than 15 hours of music on a single charge. The fourth installment of the iPod Shuffle will also go on sale next week for $49.
Lastly, the iPod Nano was completely redesigned and is now nearly half the size and weight of the previous model. Along with the Multi-Touch addition, the new Nano comes with a built-in FM radio. The redesigned iPod Nano goes on sale next week and will be priced at $149 for the 8GB model and $179 for the 16GB model.
Jobs also introduced the newest version of its Apple TV service, now priced at $99 and offering HD TV episode rentals for 99 cents. To that end, Apple has struck content deals with studios and television networks such as ABC, Fox and the Disney Channel. In addition, the new Apple TV version will also give users access to their Netflix instant viewing queues as well as content from YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe. Apple TV's new model will launch later this month and be priced at $99.