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iPod touch New iPod to arrive in Oct with the new iPhone?
- Thread starter fel10
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That's just the USA today article I posted last Friday. Not interesting at all- old news.
I would say that it is unlikely that the iPods would be combined with the iPhones event but it is possible that the iPod event may be delayed this year until after the iPhone event..
I would say that it is unlikely that the iPods would be combined with the iPhones event but it is possible that the iPod event may be delayed this year until after the iPhone event..
My guess:
iPhone 4S = replacement for iPod touch (with design closer to current iPod touch than iPhone 4 but can functions as a phone at a price identical to current iPod touch)
iPhone 5 = iPhone 4 + A5 + GSM/CDMA hybrid + LTE
And virtually no change for iPod nano, just minor update to software and different color scheme
iPhone 4S = replacement for iPod touch (with design closer to current iPod touch than iPhone 4 but can functions as a phone at a price identical to current iPod touch)
iPhone 5 = iPhone 4 + A5 + GSM/CDMA hybrid + LTE
And virtually no change for iPod nano, just minor update to software and different color scheme
They would do a cheaper iPhone but with old hardware (Apple A4, 256MB RAM, etc). iPod Touch usually has the latest hardware, so making iPod Touch a phone would badly affect the iPhone sales.
That'd be cool if the new IPT were an iPhone 4 without the cell phone features. I'd certainly go for that.
Say, to the person who wrote,
"That's just the USA today article I posted last Friday. Not interesting at all- old news" I had to chuckle!
It was obviously interesting enough last Friday for you to post it! And clearly many of us haven't seen it-- so it is NEWS!! And it is interesting!
Say, to the person who wrote,
"That's just the USA today article I posted last Friday. Not interesting at all- old news" I had to chuckle!
It was obviously interesting enough last Friday for you to post it! And clearly many of us haven't seen it-- so it is NEWS!! And it is interesting!
I came to the same realization that the iPhone 4S is going to replace the iPod touch. Ok, why you ask? Here are a few good reasons:
- The iPhone 4S is based on the iPhone 4 form factor, but we know Apple is making attempts to give it at least some minor upgrades from the original device. Users wouldn't feel like they were using "last year's" iPhone.
- Consolidation of markets. People who bought the 3GS as a cheaper alternative and those who bought the iPod Touch having something in common - they don't need / can't afford Apple's latest iPhone. This brings the low-end consumer market under the same tent, with product consolidation.
- Referring to the last bulletpoint, both target audiences - those who want cheap phones and those who only want a music player - can be satisfied if the iPhone 4S is sold without a contract. Those who don't want a phone simply don't buy a contract. Simple.
- iCloud, a MAJOR feature in iOS 5, will require the ability to connect to the internet from anywhere. WiFi may not cut it. Having an iPhone 4s which can double as a music player / internet-anywhere-capable device, you would be able to take full advantage of all of iCloud's features. Like the iPad 3G, there might be a data-plan-only model available, with no voice plan necessary. This builds upon the last data point: You can customize the iPhone 4S into one of at least three tiers: no plan, data-only, and data + voice.
So, there you have it. I think there's a good chance the iPod Touch might get killed off in a few weeks.
Good points. I tried making the same argument a month or two ago but still good points. I said if there is a cheaper no contract iPhone then the market for the Touch would significantly shrink and probably would be dropped. I like how you are able to tie in iCloud as yet another reason.
I hope we find out soon. Invites should go out today if there is to be an event next week as Monday is a holiday.
I think there are a number of reasons why the iPod touch will continue to march on.
Price. I'm not sure if its realistic to expect a slightly upgraded iPhone 4 to an iPhone 4S will be able to sold unsubsidized for $229 or $199. The existence of the iPod touch allows the iPhone's price to tower over the iPad. Secondarily, I reject the notion that iPhone 3GS and iPod touch customers are really comparable. While an iPhone 3GS may be cheaper than an iPhone 4, it has the same expensive data plan associated to it. An iPod touch is literally thousands cheaper than any iPhone.
Form factor. I don't think people should underestimate the appeal of the iPod touch's size relative to the iPhone. It's dramatically thinner and offering an iOS device with its dimensions probably has value for Apple.
iPod, the name. Perhaps the most effective iPhone ad lately is that the iPhone is the phone that has an iPod in it. Although it is no longer the most important product line, the brand still has some value dating back to the prior decade. Additionally, it allows Apple to obfuscate the iOS v Android debate. While one could argue that if you turn all iPods into iPhones, it will help iPhone's numbers vis-a-vis Android, it would remove Apple's ability to claim that iPhones aren't the only thing important to platform marketshare, but also iPods and iPads.
The iCloud Argument. This is particularly weak as people who buy iPod touch or the wifi only iPad fully acknowledge the inherent limits of a wifi only device. Also, if iCloud really needed mobile broadband, why was it not included in the recently refreshed Macbook Airs?
Most importantly, the carriers. The typical way you get an iPhone in the States today is you give the carriers $199 for a subsidized device over a two year contract where you pay a minimum of $55 plus tax for 2 years. Are they really going to let phones on their network where the burden of entry is an iPad type data plan? Call me skeptical.
Price. I'm not sure if its realistic to expect a slightly upgraded iPhone 4 to an iPhone 4S will be able to sold unsubsidized for $229 or $199. The existence of the iPod touch allows the iPhone's price to tower over the iPad. Secondarily, I reject the notion that iPhone 3GS and iPod touch customers are really comparable. While an iPhone 3GS may be cheaper than an iPhone 4, it has the same expensive data plan associated to it. An iPod touch is literally thousands cheaper than any iPhone.
Form factor. I don't think people should underestimate the appeal of the iPod touch's size relative to the iPhone. It's dramatically thinner and offering an iOS device with its dimensions probably has value for Apple.
iPod, the name. Perhaps the most effective iPhone ad lately is that the iPhone is the phone that has an iPod in it. Although it is no longer the most important product line, the brand still has some value dating back to the prior decade. Additionally, it allows Apple to obfuscate the iOS v Android debate. While one could argue that if you turn all iPods into iPhones, it will help iPhone's numbers vis-a-vis Android, it would remove Apple's ability to claim that iPhones aren't the only thing important to platform marketshare, but also iPods and iPads.
The iCloud Argument. This is particularly weak as people who buy iPod touch or the wifi only iPad fully acknowledge the inherent limits of a wifi only device. Also, if iCloud really needed mobile broadband, why was it not included in the recently refreshed Macbook Airs?
Most importantly, the carriers. The typical way you get an iPhone in the States today is you give the carriers $199 for a subsidized device over a two year contract where you pay a minimum of $55 plus tax for 2 years. Are they really going to let phones on their network where the burden of entry is an iPad type data plan? Call me skeptical.
I raised this question in the iPod section.
Makes total sense to combine the iPod and iPhone event this year. I honestly think there is no way they aren't going to do so at this point.
In the past this would have happened of course with an event in the fall that came months after the new iPhone was unveiled. But seeing that it's very different this year with the iPhone coming in the fall, it makes sense to combine the events. If the new iPhone is getting a bigger screen, then of course so will the iPod Touch. The iTouch will most likely keep the traditional backing and perhaps remain thinner than the new iPhone. But it will share screen sizes with the new iPhone and come in a white variety.
Makes total sense to combine the iPod and iPhone event this year. I honestly think there is no way they aren't going to do so at this point.
In the past this would have happened of course with an event in the fall that came months after the new iPhone was unveiled. But seeing that it's very different this year with the iPhone coming in the fall, it makes sense to combine the events. If the new iPhone is getting a bigger screen, then of course so will the iPod Touch. The iTouch will most likely keep the traditional backing and perhaps remain thinner than the new iPhone. But it will share screen sizes with the new iPhone and come in a white variety.
There will be an iPod Touch this year, mark my words.
I will quote this post when iPod Touch comes out to bury these nonsensical rumors.
I will quote this post when iPod Touch comes out to bury these nonsensical rumors.
Sure there will be AN iPod Touch this year... But I doubt that there will be a new model. In a similar manner as the iPod Classic... Keep it around unmodified. But we'll see soon enough.
After a major update next year, we should all expect a minor update, Apple has never not release a new iPod Touch each year.
Ipod classic and ipod touch can not be compared.
One is a hard drive mobile music player while the other is a mobile touch screen computer. And there are possibilities of a 128 GB touch to replace the classic.
Classic remained since there were no more upgrades and who would have an ipod classic and buy another ipod classic in the year after. Practically no one.
ipod touch still has a market and Apple has reason to update it to continously rival Google for iOS - Android marketshare.
I wasn't comparing the hardware. I was comparing the unchanging state of the iPod Classic with the potential future of the iPod Touch. Even though sales of the Classic continued to decline, Apple kept it around. The iPod Touch IMO has nearly reached the end of it's product life.
Apple will not abruptly kill the Touch, but do something similar to what it did with the Classic... keep it at the current hardware configuration. In my opinion.
The Samsung Galaxy S and SII are the only Android-based media players currently available for sale in the US with the same/similar form-factor as the iPod Touch. Standalone media players are not the future.
You are free to ignore the continuing declining iPod Touch sales, but I'm certain that Apple is not. They know that the tech market pendulum has swung into "converged device" territory and that every iPhone owner is a captive audience (due to the 2 year contract requirement by cell carriers).
Every person who owns an iPod Touch and an Android smartphone (there are quite a few out there) will soon be looking to ditch one or the other in an attempt to consolidate. If their carrier offers an iPhone, they may grab that. If not (or they can't afford it), then they'll gravitate towards their Android smartphone.
I believe that Apple will produce a lower cost iPhone with the intention of swaying those bi-OS people over to iOS. And they'll produce a higher-end iPhone for premium use.
Android phones are so inexpensive in comparison to the iPhone that Apple has to do something to capture that lower end. The iPod Touch isn't it.
Apple can very well keep the iPod touch and release a lower end iPhone!!
Not eveybody can take an iPhone even a low-end (it won't be less than 300$)
(i can do it but not everybody can) so we wait and see
Not eveybody can take an iPhone even a low-end (it won't be less than 300$)
(i can do it but not everybody can) so we wait and see
I still doubt they're going to discontinue the iPod. Not all people have ATT/Verizon, can afford data, or really want an iPhone that would buy an iPT. But who knows. I could be wrong.
Do you have any statistics pointing to a precipitous contraction in iPod touch sales? Certainly the iPod line as a whole has declined over the years, but I do no think there are any hard numbers that iPod touch numbers are declining. In 2010, there was an assumption that for every 3 iPhone that were sold 2 iPod touches were sold. According to filings in April, the iPod touch accounts for 1/3 of iOS devices in the wild.
I also have some serious doubts that people who have an iPod touch are going to buy a cheap android phone to consolidate their devices. Will they have to repurchase games if they even exist on Android? Will their be a similar ecosystem?
I see plenty of people in airports with either a blackberry or an android phone and whip out an iPod touch to play a game or watch a movie. I do not see those people consolidating devices for whatever reason.
Regardless, you need to demonstrably prove that iPod touch sales are declining.
I really don't get your point because you assume something that's wrong: i don't think no one buys the ipod just because they can't afford the iphone. Plus, the difference in prices is huge, so if someone just wants to buy an mp3 player why paying more for something you are not going to use? I'm saying this because I read multiple times that someone could buy a iphone with no contract.
There is one thing that you are missing. By suppressing the Ipod Touch, there will be less iOS devices around, something that the Android team will be very happy about.
An iPhone / iPod Touch merger is not going to happen. Why you ask?
I personally think the Touch should be renamed iPad mini or something.
- It would have to be $300 at least - not good for people who could easily buy a comparable device from a different manufacturer for much cheaper.
- Not everyone wants a clunky phone form factor. One of the key features of the iPod Touch is how thin it is.
- If people buy a Touch, then realize they want an iPhone, they will ultimately buy an iPhone, and have a Touch laying around as well. More money for Apple this way.
I personally think the Touch should be renamed iPad mini or something.
No, because I never said that iPod Touch sales dropped precipitously. That's the word that YOU used.
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That's what I believe is going to happen.
For some reason when people see "no new model" it gets interpreted in their brain as "discontinued".
I have never heard so much bull in all my life! The reason why no other MP3 players are selling is because iPod Touch dominates that segment! So much so that it is pushing even Windows users into setting roots in an iTunes ecosystem.
There an numerous groups of people that still want to have an iPod with App store and iOS experience with internet but do not (not necessarily can not afford) want the iPhone. For instance children! I have 4-5 nieces and newphews around the ages of 9-12! They all have iPod Touches but their parents would not dream of letting them have an iPhone. Another group is business users with many businesses tied into a Windows ecosystem into which RIM devices still function more optimally across 3G networks (at least in Europe they do). Clearly using an RIM device for anything other than email is not a very pleasant experience so it keeps the bills down! Employers don't want to pay for the ever growing consumption of data. So these guys carry a Blackberry for work email and a iPod Touch for everything else! Clearly some of those same people will get their employer to pay the iPhone 4 phone bill but we are in a sluggish economy so not every employer will agree to that. The list goes on.
In fact I will go as far as saying that for Apple, it is better if there was universal wifi so that we didn't use the networks! We'll still eat the data and we'll still buy content. Apple wont be missing much in revenue.
So in short, no. I don't think iPod Touch will be killed off. If anything, I am expecting the next generation to have a screen that is somewhere between the iPhone and the iPad. It will have an excellent processor (probably the A5). It will have an excellent camera (probably 5MP) and bigger RAM. Of course it will also carry the rest of the goodies from the current generation.