An iPod on every street corner

When I was in Japan last year I couldn’t believe the sheer number of vending machines.

It seemed like there was a machine on every street corner, selling just about anything from toothpaste to beer.

I guess if you make and sell commodity products, a vending machine is a pretty easy way to retail them.

Which is probably why Apple has just introduced a limited number of iPod vending machines in the US.

Of course the iPod is anything but a commodity product, but it could easily become one if Apple have their way.

To me the iPod vending machine shows how Apple understand that the kids of today don’t need to have the iPod explained to them.

This generation of digital natives is completely at ease with computer products, so the last thing they need is some guy with too many pens in his shirt pocket trying to sell them something.

Pic courtesy BEL