Death of iPod Scroll Wheel?
The iPod’s scroll wheel is doomed. Multitouch is such a compelling user experience, it must supplant the scroll wheel. Writes Newsweek’s Steven Levy in one of the first reviews of the iPhone:
Also, the new way of navigatingâ€â€swiping down your song list or fast-browsing by skimming your finger on a vertically arranged alphabet on the right of the screenâ€â€is a superior interface.
I can’t see Apple selling another large-capacity iPod with the old scroll wheel interface. Everyone is going to want multitouch, and maybe soon Apple will have the economies of scale to put it on a sub-$400 device. I doubt the nano will go multitouch, but it’s the beginning of the end for the wheel.



Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: 