The new Apple iPod Photo should be available in South African stores in time for Christmas, says Bruno Verolini, head of Apple SA.
Apple announced yesterday it would release its new version of the iPod portable music player. The new version comes with a larger colour screen so that stored digital photographs are more easily accessible. The iPod Photo comes with 40GB or 60GB of storage.
Apple has also launched a digital box set compiling all the albums by Irish rock band U2, which fans will be able to download for $149 from the company`s online iTunes music store next month.
More than six million iPods have been sold worldwide since it was first launched in 2001 and gives Apple a 50% share of the portable digital music market. Coupled with its iTunes music download site, the company now has a key hold on the music retail arena.
It has also announced iTunes will be available in Canada and Europe, but not SA.
Verolini says Apple`s South African distributor, The Core Group, has placed orders for the new iPods.
"The new versions will be shipped worldwide, but a lot will depend on demand," he says.
Preliminary pricing, including VAT, for the 60GB version will be about R4 999, while the 40GB and the U2 version will retail at around R2 999.
Verolini says shipments will be prioritised for the Apple centres, as the iPods are part of the digital lifestyle concept promoted by Apple.
There are three Apple centres in SA - one in Sandton City called Cool Apple Buddies and two in Cape Town (DigiCape and Project 3).
DigiCape director Gaynor MacArthur says of the iPod Photo: "This is fantastic news. We are hoping the first shipments arrive before the end of November."
MacArthur expects professional and amateur photographers will be among the first customers for the new iPod.
"While the old iPod could store photographs, one could not view them. The bigger screen is a big advantage," she says.
Verolini says year-on-year sales for all the iPod models have increased by 1 000% as more retail outlets are selling them.
MacArthur says demand for the available models remains strong. "If we get a shipment of 50 iPods on Monday, we are lucky to have five left by Friday."
Share
