The new generations of the iPod shuffle, iPod nano and iPod touch were released by Steve Jobs at the Apple press event on 1 September 2010.
The shuffle has a new design, and reintroduces the round control pad seen in the first and second generation of the shuffle but absent in the third generation. This change addresses Media Access Australia’s criticism of the previous shuffle that users were forced to use Apple’s earphones which were the only way to control the shuffle. It has 15 hours of battery life, 2GB storage and will cost you AU$69.00. And it’s tiny – a mere 1.14 x 1.24 inches.
The shuffle still supports VoiceOver and has some added access features too. You can press the new ‘VoiceOver’ button located on the case of the shuffle and VoiceOver will announce the name and artist of the song you are listening to. You can hear the names of your playlists and switch between them. VoiceOver will also tell you if your battery needs charging, which is a new feature.
The design of the new nano is significantly different to previous generations with the introduction of a tiny 1.54-inch multitouch screen. It’s significantly smaller and lighter than previous nanos and includes hard volume buttons, FM radio, Nike+ support, a pedometer, and an external clip to attach it to your clothing. It also has a 24-hour battery life.
Using the nano with VoiceOver works very much like Apple’s other touchscreen devices (i.e. iPod touch, iPhone and iPad). You can touch the screen to hear a description of the item under your finger, then use gestures (double-tap, drag and flick) to control the nano. Like the shuffle, it can tell you details about the song you are listening to. It also supports white-on-black and mono audio.
Tech magazine Gizmodo has concerns that the small size of the nano touchscreen will mean that it is difficult for people to see what is under their finger as they navigate around the nano. If this does become a problem for users, it will be interesting to see if more people start to use VoiceOver to control their nano.
The iPod touch has also been upgraded, and is moving closer to being an iPhone without telecommunication features. It is slimmer and lighter, with front and rear-facing cameras capable of FaceTime and HD video recording. It also features the retina display found on the iPhone 4 and all the accessibility features that come with an iPhone.
Apple continues to support accessibility and bring access into mainstream technologies. The new shuffle is a good example of access features such as VoiceOver being talked about as standard features, just like design and control. The introduction of the prominent VoiceOver button will not only make it easier for people who are blind or vision impaired to use this feature, but also for all owners of the new shuffle.
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