I don't really see why the flash based market is an important one for Apple. It is very unlikely that they are going to secure a market-share that even remotely compares to what they have done with HD based players. There are just too many off-brand flash players out there that can be had for obscenely low prices.
The iPod is considered a "premium" product; like it or not a lot of the iPods popularity is due to the fact that it carries a certain amount of image and prestige. Doesn't Kate Spade and Gucci sell Ipod cases that cost almost as much as the Ipod itself?
By releasing a low-cost version Apple is really risking "cheapining" the brand and damaging its image.
I would think Apple has much more to lose, in the long term, than they have to gain by releasing this product.
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I don't really see why the flash based market is an important one for Apple. It is very unlikely that they are going to secure a market-share that even remotely compares to what they have done with HD based players. There are just too many off-brand flash players out there that can be had for obscenely low prices. The iPod is considered a "premium" product; like it or not a lot of the iPods popularity is due to the fact that it carries a certain amount of image and prestige. Doesn't Kate Spade and Gucci sell Ipod cases that cost almost as much as the Ipod itself? By releasing a low-cost version Apple is really risking "cheapining" the brand and damaging its image. I would think Apple has much more to lose, in the long term, than they have to gain by releasing this product.