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Next Generation Video iPod?

Tuesday May 2, 2006 11:08 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
PortalPlayer responds to ongoing concerns that their upcoming chips are not planned on use in upcoming Apple flash-based iPods. Specifically, it appears the next-generation iPod nano will use a Samsung chip as previously reported.

Of interest, PortalPlayer's CEO Gary Johnson stated that the next generation video iPod chip has yet to be decided and remains "up for grabs".

According to another eeTimes article both the PortalPlayer chip and the Samsung chip are described as "ARM-based" processors, indicating that there is some code portability between chips.

The next-generation Video iPod has long been rumored to be a touch-screen iPod, but the most recent claims have indicated that it has run into technical difficulties delaying its release until (at least) late 2006.
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nagromme
76 months ago
"Up for grabs" could simply mean THEY haven't heard anything about any such product either :)

But I believe! I think some kind of bigger-screen, video-centric iPod will come eventually.
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msandersen
76 months ago
I supposed the rumors of a switch and Apple working with Samsung has to do with price negotiations. :D
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longofest
76 months ago
Interesting... seems to conflict with ThinkSecret who said that the next gen iPod was almost ready, but had flaws and then had to be re-designed.
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twoodcc
76 months ago
well it seems like we won't see a new iPod for awhile now
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poundsmack
76 months ago
with apple and intel being friends and all it confuses me why they would not use an Xscale chip as it to is arm...
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Multimedia
76 months ago
Reads like this product is in redesign phase due to technical difficulties with what they thought it was going to be. I think we'll be lucky to see this ready for the Christmas shopping season. :( Maybe they'll bump the storage capaciry on the 5G meanwhile. :)
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EricNau
76 months ago
Gary Johnson, the first step is admitting you've lost. :D
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Shamus
76 months ago
Well hopefully they make a small upgrade to the iPod line, like larger capacity Nano, between now and the time they release the iPod 6g or video or whatever its called.
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kev0476
76 months ago
Wow, i bought my 5g ipod the day it came out, like the second that i found out, and it is still top of the line 60 GB! Can't wait to see what the new ones will look like though, the nanos also are looking for an upgrade, people need more than 1000 songs, my brother filled his up fast. I think apple is currently focusing on the macbook and the mac pro, and the last macbook pro. Xserves as well or macserves? Apple still needs to upgrade its high end computer desktops before it comes out with a high-end ipod.
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Superdrive
76 months ago
We all know that there is more coming down the line. It really isn't a bad thing for Apple to be sitting on this gen for a little more than six months. They just need to make sure the next iteration is done right so everyone will be happy Christmas morning.

As far as the chips inside the iPods go, is there really anything different we can expect to see? Or will this be similar to the PPC->Intel transition where the soul is the software?
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