iPod's designed to last four years, or is it for years?
Hey, looks like a really good game of chinese whispers has gripped the web. We ran the story below about iPods lasting four years, which was a link from Mac World which picked it up from the Chicago Tribune. Anyhow according to Apple’s UK PR the original quote was that ‘iPods last for years,’ not four years.
Well we can only take Apple at its word. Anyhow four years is a pretty long stint for a portable music player, a few years longer than most devices I have ever owned. Apple has said that its iPod’s are designed to last at least four years.
This statement comes in response to criticism that the iPod is prone to malfunctions. An Apple spokeswoman said that the failure rate is less that 5%: "Fairly low" compared with other consumer electronics.
It’s not surprising, given the high volumes of the gadget and the demanding environments it finds itself in (being jostled on the Tube, for example).
A previous survey carried out by Microsoft analyst (hmmm) Rob Enderle said that iPods had a 15% failure rate.
iPod users display a fanatical brand loyalty, however, and despite problems seem quite happy to stick with the brand. Good news for Apple. The new Walkman, according to one user interviewed.
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