Yawn with Me Now at the New iPod Nano

Ars Technica isn’t impressed with Apple’s new iPod Nano — which is probably exactly how it should be.

When was the last time you bought a new iPod? I’ve been using the same sixth-generation iPod Classic for five years now. And it’s been that long since Apple last updated the Classic. The screen is gorgeous. The UI is as good as it can get. The clickwheel still works. And it stores a metric crapload of music. When it dies, I’ll replace it with an identical model. If Apple has cancelled it by then, I’ll send it out for repairs.

Same goes for my wife’s iPod Nano, which dates back to 2008. If you aren’t a music packrat who needs to bring along Everything, All the Time, 16GB is more than enough storage space. Apple seems to know this. They also seem to understand that — unlike the Classic — the Nano is still something of a fashion accessory, and cheap enough to be an impulse purchase. So every fall they tweak the UI and the form factor and a couple other features, and bring out new colors. But Melissa’s still works fine for the gym, which is about the only place she still uses it. Upgrade? Why?

Truth is, Apple’s iPod lineup has had shrinking sales since iPhone use exploded. They cannibalized their own best seller when they created the world’s first truly smart phone.

So the new iPod doesn’t excite? Outside of some bitter MP3 clingers, there aren’t many buyers left to excite.