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Fresh Claims of 3G-Capable iPod Touch in Development

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Back in July, Dutch site AppleSpot.nl revived long-standing hopes and rumors regarding an iPod touch with 3G capabilities, claiming that Apple is planning to introduce the device this month alongside a new iPhone.

ipod_touch_stacked.jpg



AppleNApps is now adding its voice to the rumors with its own claims that a 3G-capable iPod touch is indeed in development, and while Apple is reportedly planning for a launch this September, the report does note that there are "no guarantees" and that Apple's plans are of course subject to change.
After talking with multiple people over the past few weeks, we had a lengthy chat with one person who gave us great news about the next iPod Touch. We've used this person in the past, but they did qualify their remarks, saying that the iPod Touch changes should make it, but there's no guarantee the changes will be ready for fall. The 3G iPod Touch idea intrigued us so much back in July, and we've been trying to find one of our contacts who can give some credence to the idea. A few have declined to comment, while others honestly have no idea, but the source for this report says that Apple is indeed working on a 3G iPod Touch. Apple is intent on announcing the device during their September event which they usually save for their iPod line, but will include the iPhone as well this year.
Click to expand...
According to the report, Apple has already worked with wireless carriers to line up data-only service plans similar to those used for the iPad. Voice plans would not be available, although many users would certainly be interested in using any of the numerous VoIP services to add calling functionality to their devices.

Apple's new iCloud service has naturally increased chatter about a possible 3G-capable iPod touch, with speculation suggesting that Apple would like to provide as many of its iOS devices as possible with "always-on" data connectivity while on the go. Concrete evidence for a such a device has yet to appear, however, with many recent rumors for the next-generation iPod touch pegging it as a minor refresh of the existing model, perhaps with the addition of white as a color option.

Potential evidence of Apple considering the forthcoming iPod touch refresh to be a minor one surfaced back in June with the discovery of a new "iPod4,2" model mentioned in property list files in early iOS 5 builds. Its designation as a minor "4,2" evolution of the existing iPod4,1 rather than being a full "iPod5,1" update suggested that the forthcoming iPod touch could be fairly similar to the fourth-generation iPod touch currently available from Apple.

AppleNApps has yet to establish a significant track record of Apple-related rumors, and so we continue to express a fair amount of skepticism about the general claims of a 3G iPod touch until more evidence surfaces.

Article Link: Fresh Claims of 3G-Capable iPod Touch in Development
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/07/fresh-claims-of-3g-capable-ipod-touch-in-development/
Mord

Mord

macrumors G4
Aug 24, 2003
10,091
23
UK
This is a dumb rumour, why would apple sell what would effectively be an iphone with voice/sms service disabled!?

:rolleyes:
 
Macopotamus

Macopotamus

macrumors regular
Jun 22, 2010
186
0
I'm pretty sure these sites like AppleNApps that nobody has ever heard of and that have zero track record of accuracy are just making stuff up. This is an old rumor rehashed with zero new information or sources.
 
malnar

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
MultiMediaWill said:
The iPod Touch is dead. Apple, let's focus on the iPhone only please.
Click to expand...
Dead wrong. I'd buy two and ditch my and my wife's iPhones if Apple came out with 3G Touches. We don't use the iPhone for talking - we use it for everything else. The phone part is the most useless part of the iPhone to us. I could live without that.
 
0098386

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Given the option of 3G or not, I'd opt for 3G. It'd be great to buy a months worth of Wifi for when I need it and not be tied to another phone contract.

Plus with iCloud I can imagine all of Apples devices to at least have a 3G option.

Mord said:
This is a dumb rumour, why would apple sell what would effectively be an iphone with voice/sms service disabled!?

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Similarly why would Apple invest so much into the iCloud that won't be fully usable on one of its most popular products?
 
srobert

srobert

macrumors 68020
Jan 7, 2002
2,062
0
I think that the carriers would want to torpedo the idea.

(Unless they make the data plans almost as expensive as the voice+data plans).

Edit: My conviction is reinforced by some of the comments above. Such a device would be perceived as an iPhone with a cheaper talk-as-mush-as-you-want plan. The carriers will surely find a way to make it as expensive as owning an iPhone. The reason the iPad pulled this off might be that it is perceived as too impractical to be used as a phone. I could be proven wrong but I won't hold my breath.
 
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0007776

0007776

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Jul 11, 2006
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I highly doubt this is true. And even if it is, why would I want to pay for another data plan? This would be awesome if the carriers let you buy one data plan and use it on all your devices though.
 
TennisandMusic

TennisandMusic

Guest
Aug 26, 2008
1,339
1
Uln4321 said:
soooo an iPhone without sms or voice?
Click to expand...

Except you don't NEED those things. iMessage alone is texting without sms, not to mention the 3rd party options.

Want to call someone? Use Skype. All you need is data.

Data only SHOULD be where things are going really. SMS and voice plans are are an utter rip off.
 
0098386

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
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mrkramer said:
I highly doubt this is true. And even if it is, why would I want to pay for another data plan? This would be awesome if the carriers let you buy one data plan and use it on all your devices though.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't have to. Like the iPad it'd probably be optional.
 
Yvan256

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
998
Canada
At last

In Canada, phone contracts are THREE YEARS. That's insane. I'd rather be phone-less than be forced into those.

An iPod touch with 3G and WiFi? Count me in.
 
M

MultiMediaWill

macrumors 68000
Aug 1, 2010
1,634
378
Minneapolis
malnar said:
Dead wrong. I'd buy two and ditch my and my wife's iPhones if Apple came out with 3G Touches. We don't use the iPhone for talking - we use it for everything else. The phone part is the most useless part of the iPhone to us. I could live without that.
Click to expand...

So you don't text? Thats mostly what I use my iPhone for.
 
B

barkomatic

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2008
4,519
2,821
Manhattan
MultiMediaWill said:
The iPod Touch is dead. Apple, let's focus on the iPhone only please.
Click to expand...

Wrong. It's the iPhone as it exists now that will soon be dead. Fewer people need a traditional voice plan. I think I've got something like 4,000 rollover minutes with AT&T at this point that I will never use.
 
A

ajhaji

macrumors regular
Aug 7, 2006
115
0
mrkramer said:
I highly doubt this is true. And even if it is, why would I want to pay for another data plan? This would be awesome if the carriers let you buy one data plan and use it on all your devices though.
Click to expand...

Rogers in Canada has a new data sharing option, which lets you share your data among all your various devices. Only problem is that it costs $10/month for each additional device on the account. So if you're paying $80/month for your existing iPhone, it'd go up to $90/month. That's not too unreasonable.
 
C

cvaldes

macrumors 68040
Dec 14, 2006
3,237
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somewhere else
MultiMediaWill said:
The iPod Touch is dead. Apple, let's focus on the iPhone only please.
Click to expand...
Wrong.

Apple sells about two iPod touches for every three iPhones. The user demographic for the iPod touch is considerably younger (13-24 year olds) versus the iPhone owners (the lucrative 25-49 year old age group). Steve himself has said that the iPod touch is training wheels for the iPhone. Note that iPod touch users actually download more apps than iPhone users do.

While overall iPod sales have declined, today the iPod touch is the biggest selling iPod. The iPod touch generates significant revenue, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. As these younger users graduate from school, get jobs, and sign up for smartphone plans, many of them will migrate to the iPhone.
 
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