Product transition and the September 9 event

I think one of the 'product transition' Apple's CFO was referring to could be the shift away from hard drive-based iPods to solid state-based memory. That means the iPod classic will be remembered fondly as the iPod nano and iPod touch take center stage. Remember that when the iPods were first introduced they only came in 5 and 10 GB.

The 8GB iPod nano will cost much less to further penetrate the market worldwide. It will be priced at $99, 16GB at $149. The iPod touch will replace the iPod classic and will come in at $249 for the 16GB. $349 for the 32GB and $449 for the 64GB.

The click wheel won't be missed. It will live on with the iPod nano but Apple is shifting away from the less capable, small screen nano to the PDA-like iPod touch. I just hope that they'll add bluetooth this time. I wish Steve Jobs has the same aversion to wires as he has with buttons.

The iPod shuffle you say? 4GB at the same price. Same form factor. No sense in putting in a screen. But the bigger capacity will make it more challenging to 'browse' through your music selection. It's hell to use when listening to podcasts.

So on September 9, the classic will be out; the touch will rule.