Two years after release, Apple takes another shot with the budget iPod SKU

Feb 20, 2008 10:48 GMT  ·  By

Are you a fan of the iPod? Got a Nano/Touch already, huh? Well, say you're out jogging and you don't need the extra weight, or something wiggling in your pocket. A cheap yet neat iPod Shuffle is just what you need! Not that 1GB of memory wasn't enough to keep you going all day, but now Apple is introducing a 2GB iPod Shuffle for just US$69, dropping the price on its low-end sibling to a much more affordable US$49.

What's strange is that after two whole years into introducing newer, smarter iPod models and the elusive iPhone, Apple has turned its head once more to the innocent, budget model in Apple's iPod family, the iPod Shuffle. The device weighs a mere half an ounce and measures just a half a cubic inch in volume. Customers have the option to choose from five different colors - purple, blue, silver, green, and a red special edition - with a streamlined aluminum design, complete with a built-in clip.

Thanks to the built-in clip, iPod shuffle goes with anything. As Apple themselves say, "clip it to your sleeve, lapel, coin pocket. No matter where you wear it, iPod shuffle speaks volumes about your style."

The headphone jack does double-duty as a dock connector. Flip iPod shuffle upside-down and drop it into the included dock. Connect the dock to your Mac or PC for a quick sync and charge. Away from your computer? Charge on the go with the optional Apple USB power adapter.

"At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle."

iPod Shuffle 1GB (US$49) and iPod Shuffle 2GB (US$69) are both available for purchase via the Apple Store.