So evidently, Apple has established a whole new product rollout cycle for its products:
1. Research and Development
2. Product Release
3. Apple sued over product defects
4. Apple acquiesces and settles. But no matter, the next product cycle has already begun
And so it is with the iPod Nano. Not having learned from its previous product fiascoes, Apple’s Nano now has its very own class action suit alleging design flaws significantly shorten the life of a rather expensive product:
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) — Apple Computer Inc. faced a lawsuit that alleged the company knew its Nano portable music player was defective but still decided to press on with the product’s release last month.
The credit card-sized Nano, which replaced the best-selling iPod mini and is smaller than the traditional iPod, met with rave reviews. But users quickly started grumbling on Internet message boards that the device’s screen scratches too easily.
Consumers have filed a proposed class action lawsuit in San Jose, California, on Wednesday, claiming the Nano scratched “excessively during normal usage” and alleged Apple released the product knowing the problems and led consumers to believe it was durable — forcing them to shoulder the cost of replacing defective music players.
I’m not sure I buy this claim, however. It’s not as if Apple has ever attempted to make their products appear durable. In fact, ever since the advent of the iMac, Apple has gone through great pains to sacrifice durability in favor of good looks.
I remember my 40GB iPod: the polished aluminum was so fragile I carried wrapped in felt to keep it from scratching. The same is very true of their iBook line, which is notorious for having it’s pearl white finish wear off with normal use, revealing a dingy eggshell-colored plastic underneath.
So, why would the nano be any different? It’s a very light, very thin piece of plastic that costs up to $299. That’s not something that instills a lot of confidence in terms of durability. Compound this with the fact that Apple discontinued its iPod mini line only two years after its initial release, and has a history of “obsoleting” products very quickly, and the case crumbles. If you buy Apple, it’s a foregone conclusion you’re buying for the short-term fad-y-ness of the product.