This morning as I was listening to a podcast of the Wall Street Journal on my way to work, I heard a report today in the Wall Street Journal indicating that Apple is holding discussions with recording labels to license music videos through the iTunes music store. Could this mean that Apple will release a video capable iPod? Hmmmm…. now this is an interesting idea. Although this idea has been pushed around on Apple rumor sites it has always been based on wishful thinking vs. reality. Steve Jobs has mentioned that he would not release a video iPod based on the fact that he doesn’t feel that the small screen is conducive to watching a full length movies. However, Steve has been known to talk down a technology before Apple adopts it as a way of throwing off the rumor mills.
Here are my thoughts. While this would be a interesting idea and a natural progression of the technology, I am not sure that I would enjoy watching a full length film on an iPod in its current configuration. The screen is just too small to be a truly enjoyable experience. Now with that said the screen would be acceptable if we were talking about short length videos i.e. video podcasts. For example if you enjoy watching a 15-minute block of CNN headline news, but don’t have time before heading out for work. Download it to your iPod and watch it on the Subway on the way to work. Maybe even tie the ipod into a TiVo type system that automatically records the shows you want and puts them on your ipod during a sync. (Best Homer Simpson voice here) mmmmmmmm…..video.
I am interested in the direction that Apple will be taking here. Although there are other companies that are already selling devices capable of doing this very thing, it seems that technology catches on only when Apple decides to adopt it and make it cool. As always only time will tell.