Adam Kos When Apple introduced the first iPhone, it also introduced the first iPod touch, a real multimedia player from the company's workshop with an appropriately iconic name. However, this device is often presented as an iPhone without the possibility of calling via GSM. Apple is currently still offering its 7th generation, if it will also be the last, it may also be revealed soon.
If you go to the Apple Online Store, you'll be looking for an iPod touch for a while. Compared to the Mac, iPad, iPhone or Apple Watch's own section, it is hidden under the Music menu. But it primarily presents the company's streaming service, followed by AirPods. The iPod, previously a staple of the company, shrinks to the bottom of the lineup. So does such a device still make sense these days?
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Amaya Toman Very limited in terms of hardware
The fact that there is a design with a desktop button under the display certainly does not matter. Maybe not the fact that it doesn't have Touch ID either, because it would make the already quite expensive product even more expensive. The price is what lowers its quality. It is still the most affordable game console from the Apple stable, but in order to meet the demands of today's times, it would also have to have the appropriate chip. The A10 Fusion was introduced with the iPhone 7. It still runs the current iOS 15, but you won't want to play the latest games on it.
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Since the device is based on the iPhone 5/5S/SE, it has a 4-inch display, which also does not add much to the gaming experience. Sure, the web and music might not matter, you won't want to play movies on it these days either. Everything could be forgiven for the device if it didn't have such a high base price. No matter which color variant you go for, of which there are 6, the 32GB version will cost you a hefty 5 CZK, 990 GB for 128 CZK and 8 GB for a ridiculous 990 CZK.
Price is what matters here
This is the iPod touch's biggest problem. Because it doesn't have a SIM card slot, it doesn't have mobile data. Since this is a media player, it is expected that you have your favorite music stored in it. Gone are the days when we used 256MB MP3 players and that was enough. Paying 6 for the 32GB version simply doesn't make sense, because you won't even have space for applications, games, or even photos, which the device can also record.
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At the same time, the highest configuration costs a few hundred more than the basic 64GB iPhone SE 2nd generation. Of course, with its purchase you will have 192 GB less (which you can solve with 200 GB iCloud for CZK 79 per month), but you will get the ability to make calls, you will be able to use mobile data, the photos taken with the iPhone will be of better quality (iPod touch offers an 8 MPx camera), the display is larger, Touch ID support will not be missing either.
And we are only comparing the iPod with the iPhone, of course there is also the 9th generation iPad, i.e. the most modern basic tablet, which costs CZK 64 in its 9GB version. Yes, it won't fit in your pocket, but the investment in a backpack to carry the device is definitely worth it here. The price/performance ratio here will still be completely different than it is in the case of buying an iPod.
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Who is iPod touch for?
According to the text so far, it seems that it is one-sidedly directed against the last member of the line. But there is no other way. This device is simply out of date and without proper use. After all, rather than buying a new iPod touch, it is worth buying any older second-hand iPhone, which offers disproportionately more for the same price. E.g. You can get an iPhone 8 at bazaars for around CZK 5.
The only target group can be younger children, for whom this device can be a gateway to the world of technology. They can play simple games on it, curl up with funny videos on YouTube, communicate with friends through available services, if they are on Wi-Fi. But why not give the child more comfort with the said iPad? Certainly some older generations? Except because of its weight. Otherwise, there is simply no justification for buying an iPod touch.
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A bright future
Apple's autumn keynote is scheduled for Monday, October 18. The main thing here should be the new Macs with the M1X chip. The next one is the AirPods. So when else to introduce the new iPod touch to the world, if not with the device that is primarily intended for the consumption of music content? And now, of course, we don't mean the HomePod, although even that would certainly deserve to expand its portfolio.
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If Apple introduces new headphones on Monday and doesn't introduce us to a new iPod touch, its future is more or less certain - sell out of stock and say goodbye. Then no one will miss the device as much as its label. So is the 7th generation iPod touch the last representative of this family? Reason says yes, but the heart would like to see one more generation.
Few mention you can find about a possible next generation across the Internet. But they are rather wishful thinking of fans of the product. It is said that the design could be based on the iPhone 12/13, there should be a frameless design, where the display does not have to have a cut-out, because the iPod does not need Face ID or the top speaker, on the contrary, there should be a 3,5 mm jack connector. But nobody wants to talk about the price, quite logically. She could shoot really high.
iPod. Apple's most useless product right now.
Hello Adam, I will offer you a possibly unexpected explanation as to why Apple still offers this unattractive end-user product. In the world, especially in the USA, iOS devices are widely used in industrial environments, especially as warehouse and sales terminals, for example with accessories from Honeywell or Infinea, such as the Captuvo SL22. In practically every Walmart, Target, BestBuy, Nike and other large global retail chains (after all, even Apple itself uses a similar solution in stores), you can find this device in the hands of employees who handle goods (Honeywell even produces a branded color version for large chains). Across the US alone, there are likely to be higher statics up to millions of devices that need to be renewed regularly. For this purpose, the iPod Touch is still the most affordable terminal in the industry, and even though Honeywell also came up with applications for the iPhone 5,6,7 and iPad mini, it did not spread much due to the price. In Europe, this solution is not very widespread, because Honeywell, for example, does not import this solution to the Czech Republic, so there is no general awareness of this in our country, and we rightly wonder why they still produce it... :-). So maybe it makes more sense now...
I will add another area: companies dealing with sound installation use iPods as remote controls. I also solved it in the same way, on a multiroom audio system.
so personally, I would also see how to handle the ipod so that it makes sense even today - the first is the ipod touch camera - i.e. make it a compact camera - i.e. an angular and thicker body would offer a photo module from the iP12/13Pro and a larger battery, and the second use I would see it as a game console a la Nintendo Switch, it would only be enough to add a frameless display from the iP Pro Max and create an "apple joy-cony", which already has the technology for this in the older Apple TV controller, the new apple could possibly serve as a docking station tv… the ipod touch would get a new reboot and apple would get a bigger share of the casual gamer market than it has now with arcade