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The End of the iPod Clickwheel

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the if-it-ain't-broke-fix-it dept.

Rockgod quotes a Mercury News article saying "If a recent patent filing is any indication, Apple Computer may abandon the iconic wheel that has become virtually synonymous with its popular iPod music players. The company had previously explored replacing the click wheel with a virtual one as part of a touch-sensitive display. But now Apple appears to be looking at a third option: a touch-sensitive frame surrounding the display. Rather than click a physical button or press a virtual one on the screen, users would touch an area on the frame to operate their iPod."

1 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why do people consider this an OR situation? by SilentChris · · Score: 0, Troll

    ARRRGGGHHH.... you're the third guy who's responded this way.

    Read my comment again. SAME VERSION OF THE PRODUCT LINE. The Nano is a different version of the product line than the 5th-generation iPod. The Shuffle is a different product line.

    I'm pointing out that once Apple chooses a design, they keep it consistent WITHIN THAT VERSION. You will not see two iPod 6th generations with different designs, just as you don't see two different 5th generation iPods acting differently today.

    Btw, I guess what they say is true -- idiots act in groups. That's the only way I could possibly understand 3 different people not reading a comment fully before responding.