Apple’s September 9th Event Redux

Today's Apple event entitled "It's only rock and roll, but we like it" was aptly named.  iTunes, iPod nano, and iPod touch were all graced with updates, and Steve Jobs is back as Apple's lead singer.

iPod Touch

• No camera!
• 8GB model is now $199, $30 bucks cheaper than before
• The 16GB and 32GB models prices at $299 and $399 are gaining a lot more space for the same price. The lower end model now has 32GB and the higher end model has 64GB. Both new models are up to 50 percent faster than before and provide OpenGL ES 2.0 support.
• All models are available now.

iPod Nano, 5G

• 9 colors to choose from, all made of anodized aluminum and lacquered to a glossy sheen
• Camera in the back of each
• larger screen, now 2.2 inches, allowing for a wider aspect ration when watching video or viewing more menu items when held vertically
• video camera that resemble's the iPhone 3Gs video capabilities
• FM radio built in
• Voice recorder app plus built in mic
• iTunes Tagging features
• Support for Genius mixes
• Nike + capable pedometer.
• 8GB for $149 16GB for $179 available now.

iPod Shuffle

• 2GB for $59, 4GB for $79 still available in 5 colors
  
• press a button and VoiceOver will tell you the title or the artist of the playing song
  

iPod Classic

• Stayin' alive: same dimensions, colors (silver and black), and $249 price point.
• 160GB drive-120GB bigger than the previous model
• Available now

iPhone OS 3.1

• Bluetooth Voice Control-using a Bluetooth headset, iPhone 3GS users will be able to access Voice Control.
• download 30,000 pre-made ringtones directly from four major music labels-$1.29 each
• Genius for Apps recommends apps for users based on their previous downloads
• 3.1 update is free for all iPhone and iPod touch owners running OS 3.0, and is available today for iTunes.

iTunes 9

• iTunes LP, a new album format that allows users to have a richer experience from their downloaded music including lyrics, photos, writing, videos, etc.
• New content will launch on a bunch of new albums including: Pearl Jam's upcoming Backspacer and "Deluxe Edition" reissues of classic albums such as Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited; American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, and The Doors: 40th Anniversary Mixes.
• No mention of the Beatles, yet
• iTunes Extras will offer a DVD-style interface with extra features such as outtakes, or in the case of Wall•E—3-D set fly-throughs and profiles on various robots.

Steve Jobs

• Acknowledged publically that he had a liver transplant 5 months ago
• He received the organ from a 20-something who died in a car crash and donated his organs. He plugged organ donorship saying, "I wouldn't be here without such generosity. So I hope all of us can be as generous and elect to become organ donors."
• In thanking the Apple community, Steve said, "I'm vertical, I'm back at Apple and I'm loving every day of it."

Apple

• 30 million iPhones sold in just over 2 years
• 75,000 apps available on the app store
• 1.8 billion apps downloaded (not including updates)
• iTunes now the #1 music retailer in the world; available in 23 countries
• iTunes is now one of the largest stores on the web with 100,000,000 accounts
• 220 million iPods sold including 20 million iPod touch and 100 million iPod nanos.
• 50% of iPods sold are bought by new iPod customers.
• The iPod touch is the fastest growing model.

For those looking for some real surprises, you’ll have to wait a while longer. But the Mac Observer reported this morning that Yoko Ono hinted this morning that the Beatles WILL be coming to iTunes. EMI was careful to state that this would not be in September, but said nothing more to quell the idea. No word of the tablet, but for now "it's only rock and roll [and] we like it."

Note: We will publish the outcome of our contest tomorrow.