Apple Merges iPod & iPod Photo Lines

Apple has announced that the iPod and iPod photo lines are merging, creating a single, simplified lineup of white iPods that all feature color displays with the ability to view album artwork, photos and play slideshows in color.

Apple’s new iPod lineup features a 20GB model, holding up to 5,000 songs priced at $299 and a 60GB model, holding up to 15,000 songs priced at $399. In addition, iPods will now offer an ‘easy to use’ Podcast menu, including bookmarking within a Podcast and the ability to display Podcast artwork in color.

“iPod customers love to enhance their listening experience with color,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPod Product Marketing. “By simplifying our iPod lineup to include 20GB and 60GB models with color screens and the new Podcast menu, iPod and iTunes provide the world’s easiest and appealing way to discover, subscribe, manage and listen to Podcasts.”

Apple says its latest version of iTunes (see Apple Adds Podcasts to iTunes 4.9 for Mac and Windows) enables users to quickly and easily find and subscribe to their favorite Podcasts so that new episodes are automatically downloaded to their Mac or PC and Auto-Synced to their iPod. iTunes also makes it easy to manage multiple Podcast subscriptions with simple organization and display by episode and date.