When Will Everyone Who Wants an iPod Have One? Soon

Back in my Apple retail days, it was quite impressive to see the number of people buying 3rd gen iPods. The third generation (with the four buttons across the top) marked the start of mass adoption. The buying frenzy was so strong, and so long, I started to wonder if the market of people willing to spend $250 on the device would soon dry up.

Well as history has shown, Apple had far more people willing to buy that player than I thought, and soon Apple began addressing the lower-priced market with the iPod Mini, Shuffle, etc.

It looks like we might finally be reaching the saturation point though. AppleInsider took a look at the latest Piper Jaffray teen survey, and it looks like in the teen market at least 92% of the respondents had a digital media player, and 86% of those who did, had an Apple player. In case you're curious, the Zune came in at 4% (gee, it's almost the exact opposite of OS market share...)

With this market nearly filled, Apple will either need to add more features, or convince more of these teens (and their parents) to get an iPhone. Eight percent said they owned an iPhone, and 16% said they planned on buying one this spring. Unfortunately, the report didn't provide data on computer purchase plans.

iTunes' Taxing Problem

I recently noticed my app purchase from the iTunes Store had sales tax, while my previous music purchases did not. In doing some digging, I discovered the way in which digital purchases are categorized varies widely from state to state. In my home state of Pa, music is tax-free, while games and videos are taxed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not proposing everyone get taxed on their purchases, but it would be nice (and make fewer headaches for Apple) if there could be more consistency in taxing digital downloads. Here's a chart of how taxes are currently handled in different states. For more info/specifics visit Apple's page on the subject. (An "X" indicates tax is charged.)

Macgirl's Media Pick of the Week (3/21/09)

Well I've been threatening to share my bests and worsts of iTunes, and so this week I start "macgirl's media pick of the week".  If you have any suggestions for a future post, pelase email me at stacy@thedigitallifestyle.tv

 
I'm starting off slow, with a dated and fairly well know album recommendation.  I noticed the iTunes home page listed "Get Off" By DIPLO and Blaqstarr in the What's Hot section.  While a fine tune, I suggest listening to DIPLO's 2004 release, Florida.  Maybe it's the Philly connection, maybe I'm just stuck in 2004... but I think it holds up and is still good hip-hop inspired dance music.  Check out Florida in iTunes and let me know what you think.

Like an App in an iPod/iPhone commercial? Here you go!

Apple has made it easy for those apps seen for fleeting seconds in commercials to become huge. Apple has created a page highlighting the apps from the commercials within the iTunes Store. Yes, there are a lot of ways in which Apple and developers could live more harmoniously, but this is a great way, especially for casual app buyers to find the apps they love from the commercials.

Kudos Apple, and enjoy the pile of cash, developers.

The iPod in 2009: Still Cool, or Commodity?

I can remember the first time I saw a stranger with an iPod. I was jogging with my own iPod at a local park, when I saw the tell-tale white earbuds headed towards me in the ears of a lovely young lady. She smiled, and I smiled, and no it wasn't my exuberant charm, or that she was exceedingly pretty (she was lovely, but not that lovely). No, it was the recognition that we were part of a club. We were part of a small group of people who "got it."

Here we are, 2009, and those iPod headphones have become so ubiquitous that it's numbing. Seeing someone with an iPod is like going to a friend's house and seeing they have cable: you have something in common, but there's nothing intrinsically cool about it. Now if they had cable in the early 80's, well that's a different story.

When I had that iPod, I was the only person in my family (immediate or extended) to own any Apple product. Today, I've troubleshooted iPods for 10 year-old nephews, and Uncles and Aunts of a certain age, as well as my parents. When you buy a cool new gadget, and then see grandma on the treadmill with it, it takes something away.

So what do you think? Is there any "cool" left in the iPod? Is there anything Apple can do to keep it "hip" in addition to ahead of the competitors? Does it even matter if it's "cool"? Can you have anything selling millions of units for years on end, and still feel like you're part of a "club" for having it?