Is the iPod Losing Its Magic?

The grumbling is getting louder about Apple's hugely popular line of iPod mp3 players:

IT IS the gadget that no fashion-conscious bright young thing can afford to be seen without.

But two years after Britain fell in love with the iPod there are signs that the pocket-sized box that transformed the way millions listen to music is beginning to lose its shine.

Internet chatrooms are carrying accounts of "unreliable machines", while questions are being asked about working conditions in the Chinese factories where they are made.

The "very significant" fall in public confidence is highlighted in new figures from YouGov's brand awareness index, which show a steady fall in the popularity of the Apple brand.

More than 50 million have been sold since its launch in 2001, and the company insists that the quality of its products is not an issue, with the iPod remaining the most popular portable music player.

I own four of the things - three 4 gig minis and one 20 gig model. In the first year we had them one of the minis failed completely and had to be replaced, and one of the other minis had a battery failure that resulted in a 3 week stay at the service center (thankfully I bought the extended service plan on all four). So far the other two have worked fine.

I love the 20 gig model I bought because I was able to take my entire CD collection (more than 200), put them on the iPod, and box them up and put them in the garage. Even after all that I still have more than half the hard drive available. When I performed at Saddleback Church last week the music director emailed me an mp3 file of the song which I downloaded to the iPod and was able to practice with it. Very handy.

They are huge sellers for Apple, so if the public perception deteriorates, it could be a bit hit to Apple's bottom line.