News & Views

I saw a news story on the iLounge some time ago which showed a couple of new capacitive touch screens that available from a company named Host Optical. The 3.2 inch version was destined for the new iPhone 3G, which still left the 2.8 inch screen version unexplained.

My question: Will it be used on a smaller iPod Touch?

Using a 2.8 inch screen on the existing iPhone or iPod Touch would be a bit of a problem because they both include a lot of data capabilities like E-mail and Internet access. This requires the extensive use of an on-screen keyboard. Making such a keyboard significantly smaller would render it fairly useless. So, a simple scaled-down iPhone or iPod Touch seems like a bad idea.

What about a middle device like an iPod Nano Touch?

A Touch version of the Nano would be a different machine than a scaled down Touch. If you think about it, the interface for the Nano is somewhat different than the normal iPod. Its design caters to the limitations of of a much smaller screen. Since a Nano version of the Touch would have a smaller screen, it would also need to deal with those limitations.

So what would be missing in a Nano Touch?

I'm guessing the onscreen keyboard would be absent. I also think the Internet browser, email, and related functionality might be gone. Below a certain screen size, it just becomes ridiculous to try to type or scroll all over a web page. Older generation cell phones proved this. That doesn't mean Apple would eliminate the wireless connection, however. There is a much better use for that.

Some are speculating that the next generation of Touch will be able to sync to your PC wirelessly using Bonjour. Perhaps a Nano Touch would be able to perform this task, as well. It would certainly add to its value and appeal. So if we are correct, this gives us a Nano with a 2.8 inch wide touch screen and wireless sync abilities.

What else might be different about a Nano Touch?

Well, it's the Nano Touch, so it should be priced much lower than a Touch. But unlike the previous Nano, the Nano Touch will almost certainly play video. BAM! That's the defining application for a Nano Touch. This 2.8 inch wide screen display will be perfect for that task and the interface for playing video will fit on a display like that quite nicely. I'm sure it would also make use of "Cover Flow" for selecting media, just like its big brother.

It's a perfect fit and it makes business sense for Apple to do it. Why do I say that?

One big benefit for Apple in making a video-capable Nano is that it provides a lot more potential clients for the iTunes video rental service. If they can keep the price low enough to build a large Nano Touch base, their potential for video rental revenue could skyrocket. Currently, their rental service is still in the early stages of growth. Launching a Nano Touch could make video rentals a real profit center.

This also makes sense from a device limitations standpoint. Any Nano device typically has much less memory than its full-sized brethren. A device with limited memory won't be storing much content locally. This makes a wireless-enabled, wide screen iPod Nano the perfect client for a rental service. It could be wireless, easily pocket-able, cheap, and incredibly easy to use with easy access to any movie you care to watch. At least that's my theory.

SO - Look for the iPod Nano Touch (or Touch Nano?) to appear at Apple retailers sometime before Christmas. :) Tell them Oil Painter Bill sent you to buy one. Maybe they'll give me a commission. LOL

Labels: Apple