Why mini? Criminy!

>Dude u have to many Ipods. Why did u even get a Ipod mini if u have a 40g Ipod already?

To answer this eloquent email about why I bought an iPod mini, below is an email I wrote to John on March 5th of this year. I also thought it was appropriate considering recent rumors that Apple will be releasing an even smaller, flash-based iPod in time for Christmas.

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A little over a year or so ago, I was looking through the Spymac galleries. There used to be a section for "future Mac products," which were basically photoshops or 3D-rendered designs of what future Apple hardware should look like. Most were pretty bad, but some people who were skilled in the various graphics programs produced pretty good-looking designs.

Anyway, someone designed a smaller version of the iPod, using the touch-sensitive features of the current (3rd) generation iPod. It was about the size of half a deck of cards. It had a 3-line screen, the four standard buttons under the display, and a scroll wheel on the side, rather than on the front to navigate through menus. The more I looked at it, the more I realized it would be a really good idea if Apple produced a smaller version of the iPod for a few reasons.

Perhaps the most important was the fact that the full-size iPods are not well-suited for vigorous activity, such as an athletic workout. I have heard stories about people who used their iPod as they ran or worked out, and basically shook the hard drive to death. I don't know how familiar you are with how hard drives work, but they're pretty similar to a record player. A small metal arm glides over the top of the platter on a cushion of air and reads the sectors that the computer needs at that moment. The more a hard drive is shaken, that arm becomes less precise, and eventually can't find what it's looking for because it's out of alignment. The platters can also shift and bend the arm, making the whole thing completely useless. The hard drive in the iPod is essentially the same thing, just smaller.

A smaller iPod wouldn't have have as much capacity as a regular model, but wouldn't really be expected to. Type I compact flash cards can be as large as 1gb, which could hold 250 songs, and would have no moving parts, making them ideal for a smaller mp3 player that could be used while working out. Plus, if it was based on a compact flash card, that card could be removable, and you could have another 250 songs in your pocket just by carrying another CF card. Throw in an arm band, and you're all set.

Of course, these are all just thoughts I had based on a computer-generated rendering of a fictional device.

Then, a few months ago, I heard rumors that Apple was planning to unveil a smaller iPod at MacWorld San Francisco in early January. Different sites were reporting that it would have either 2gb or 4gb capacity, and cost between $99 and $149, or that there would be two versions of it, at both price points. I was reminded of my original thoughts when I saw the mockup months earlier. If it turned out cool, I decided, I would probably buy one, even though my 20gb iPod was working just fine.

Then MWSF happened, and Steve Jobs introduced the iPod mini with a much smaller form factor than the "classic" iPod, a 4gb hard drive, and a $249 price tag. What the hell? Not only was it hard drive-based, but it was $100 more than what everyone was hoping. l wasn't too thrilled with the design, since it didn't seem different enough from the regular iPod. I decided I probably wouldn't get one. Besides, by the time they were unveiled at MWSF, I had a 40gb iPod, though I hadn't opened the box yet in case Apple upgraded the iPod to a higher capacity at the same price point as the 40gb.

The iPod mini seemed like a terrible idea. Sure, it looked cool in its one-piece anodized aluminum case, and I liked the "clickwheel" control, but Apple has made a good looking mistake before in the G4 cube. My biggest problem with the iPod mini, like a lot of other people, was the price. Why would anyone in their right mind pay $249 for 4gb worth of music when another $50 would buy a regular iPod with 11gb more space?

Then Apple announced that it had 100,000 pre-orders for the iPod mini. Now, only a few weeks since it first became available, Apple is selling every iPod mini they ship, and stores can't keep them in stock. They've sold 125,000 so far, and there's no sign of a slowdown, at least until supply meets demand.

How can that be? I tried to understand the desire of it. Sure, I still kind of want one, and if I had $250 that I absolutely didn't need anywhere else, I would probably get one, just because I'm a technogeek and I like Apple products. You already knew that. Still, $250 does not compute. If 4gb costs $250 in the mini, how could anyone not spend $300 for 15gb?

I did some reading on various sites, and I remembered what Steve Jobs had said during his keynote speech at MWSF, that the iPod mini was not intended as an alternative to the hard drive-based mp3 players, but instead as competition to flash-based players. When you compare the mini to its competitors, you find that most flash-based players have only 256mb or 512mb, and they cost the same as the iPod mini. Plus, they're larger, and made of plastic. The iPod mini is the size of a business card, and only 1/2 an inch thick. While it's not flash-based, its Type II CF card 4gb hard drive is better suited to high impact activity than its bigger brother.

Then I realized why it cost $250, and I'll tell you why. First, the 4gb hard drive inside the iPod mini sells for $400 alone. Granted, that's the retail price, but still, Apple must have purchased enough of the drives to get a considerable discount from the manufacturer. Second, and this is what I consider brilliant thinking on Apple's part: People are going to buy the iPod mini just because it's an iPod. I'll explain.

The original iPod has sold over 2 million units since it was first introduced, giving Apple 70% of the mp3 player market. When people think mp3 player, they think iPod. When people decide to purchase an mp3 player, they think iPod first, because it is the standard by which all others are now judged. So why would someone buy an iPod mini when the 15gb iPod is only $50 more? Here's Apple's answer: Who cares?

Consider this: A person has decided that they are going to buy an iPod mini, because it's the cheapest one at $250. Then they get to the store, and see that the 15gb iPod is $300. After a moment of thought, they decide that the 15gb iPod is a better deal, and they instead purchase it over the iPod mini. Besides, what's another measly $50 when they're already set on spending $250? They leave the store with their new 15gb iPod, thinking that they got a better deal, while Apple gets that extra $50. There is no loser here. The customer gets what they think was a good deal, and Apple gets $300, instead of $250. Either way, chances are that Apple was going to get that guy's money. In this case, they got another $50.

This wouldn't be the case if the iPod mini cost $100, $150, or even $200, because then, we're talking a difference of at least $100 between the iPod mini and the 15gb classic iPod. Making the jump from $250 to $300 is a lot easier to rationalize than the jump from $200 to $300. See what I mean? By pricing the iPod mini at $250, Apple almost guaranteed itself increased sales of the 15gb iPod. And that is marketing genius in my book.

So back to your original question: Why would someone buy an iPod mini? Well, I'd buy one because they are small. Sure, the iPod is small, but not exactly something you could carry with you everyday without having to clip it to your belt or carry it in your hand, or some other sort of case. It's small, to be sure, but the iPod mini is even more portable, and while the iPod clips on your belt, the iPod mini fits in the pockets of your jeans.

Someone else might buy an iPod mini because they like to workout and want an mp3 player, but want more capacity than most other small players. Another potential iPod mini owner is someone who doesn't feel the need to carry their entire music catalog with them wherever they go. Then there are the people who will buy the iPod mini just because everyone else is.

Initially, I wasn't impressed with the iPod mini, but when you consider its actual competition, it's actually a good deal. Dammit, now I've talked myself into buying one.

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So, you see, I wasn't sold on the mini until I actually held one, and realized that my life just would not be complete without one. Or two.