Apple's Jobs shows new iPods, jokes about death
David Lawsky and Eric Auchard, Reuters
A thin and smiling Apple Inc chief executive Steve Jobs launched a much thinner, curved iPod nano music player and joked about the state of his much-discussed health on Tuesday.
But shares of Apple fell more than 4 per cent after the presentation, which had no major surprises for investors. Apple last week invited reporters to a music-related event, stoking expectations of new players. Some had hoped for new computers as well as iPods, but that did not happen.
Mr Jobs introduced a curved aluminium and glass nano - the best-selling iPod - for $149 with 8GB of storage, $50 less than the predecessor model and a 16-gigabyte version for $199, with up to 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video. He also rolled out a thinner, $229 version of the internet-connecting iPod touch with rounded edges and 8GB of storage.
Apple dominates personal digital music players, with nearly three-quarters of the US market in July, Mr Jobs said, adding the product line-up was strong for gift-giving season.
"I would call it a series of both expected and unexpected announcements. Clearly the new iPod nano in the flesh is certainly more appealing than it's been. It was expected, but I think it will sell well in the holiday season," said Michael Abramsky, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.
He added that Mr Jobs did not look much different from June, when his gaunt frame drew speculation of a recurrence of cancer or other problems and unnerved investors who see him as crucial to the success of the company.
But shares of Apple fell more than 4 per cent after the presentation, which had no major surprises for investors. Apple last week invited reporters to a music-related event, stoking expectations of new players. Some had hoped for new computers as well as iPods, but that did not happen.
Mr Jobs introduced a curved aluminium and glass nano - the best-selling iPod - for $149 with 8GB of storage, $50 less than the predecessor model and a 16-gigabyte version for $199, with up to 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video. He also rolled out a thinner, $229 version of the internet-connecting iPod touch with rounded edges and 8GB of storage.
Apple dominates personal digital music players, with nearly three-quarters of the US market in July, Mr Jobs said, adding the product line-up was strong for gift-giving season.
"I would call it a series of both expected and unexpected announcements. Clearly the new iPod nano in the flesh is certainly more appealing than it's been. It was expected, but I think it will sell well in the holiday season," said Michael Abramsky, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.
He added that Mr Jobs did not look much different from June, when his gaunt frame drew speculation of a recurrence of cancer or other problems and unnerved investors who see him as crucial to the success of the company.