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A Closer Look at Apple's New iPod Touch Colors and Features
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Well, the smartphone category is fairly mature now and I'd say there really hasn't been a huge leap since iPhone 4 but that hasn't stopped people from upgrading every few years. Apple has found ways to innovate just enough with every release to keep growing. Heck, the fresh battery alone is worth the cost of the upgrade for many people.
As for it being overpriced, I don't think so. iPhone subsidizes the cost of the components and the massive R&D that filters down to the iPod Touch. Without iPhone, I'd wager the Touch would cost considerably more.
Cannibalization.
Same reason they will (reportedly) be sticking with 16GB as base for iPhone 6s.
Companies will always maximize their profit.
When there's not sufficient competition, things like this will always happen.
You raise a good point about the fresh battery.
I’ll wager that most people upgrade their iPhones principally to get a fresh battery, as it's too much hassle getting a new battery fixed. Everything else is seen as a nice extra.
Same. Most people I know (that are not tech-savvy, new-feature-hungry people), will only upgrade their phone when their last one has gotten too slow/buggy, or can't hold a charge anymore.
Screens vary device by device, I don't think that with a sample size of two one can generalise too much.
I thought of that, but I am not so sure this is the case here. Someone who is willing to have a wifi only phone is not someone who is willing to pay $600 for an iphone. These people are more likely to be lost to the Android/Google ecosystem because there they can get a $300 or under phone. I will grant you that there may be a few iphone users that would "upgrade" from a iPhone to an Touch, but my sense is that would not be in large enough numbers to consider it cannibalization. Maybe Apple has looked at this and figured out there is a big risk here, but my thought is that the bigger risk is that once someone chooses Android, especially at a young age, it becomes increasingly more difficult to convince them to switch. So for me it would make sense to have what I am calling (i should trademark this
) a wifi-phone for younger and price sensitive buyers to get them into the Apple ecosystem. Once in, they will stay and upgrade over time. One last thought is that even if every iPhone user switch to my recently trademarked wifi-phone, Apple's margin are consistent enough that there is no loss of profit. But selling more means they actually increase profit.
Again, I recognize my arguments are theoretical and I hope that Tim and company have actually done an analysis to vet this out, it just that I haven't even heard rumors about anyone seriously considering my game changing approach to cut the telco's out.
What the hell am I going to do with 16GB? After apps, I can hold 4 albums????
Apple earlier this week introduced the sixth-generation iPod touch, featuring a new A8 chip and M8 motion coprocessor, 8-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and Bluetooth 4.1, in six colors: blue, gold, pink, red, silver and space gray. 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models are available through the Apple Store and Apple Online Store for $199, $249, $299 and $399 respectively.
Apple's new sixth-generation iPod touch in blue and pink
The video below submitted by MacRumors reader Jacob Zacks takes a closer look at the new iPod touch colors and features. The existing silver color from 2012 has been complimented with space gray and gold models that match the new MacBook lineup, while the new blue and pink colors are much brighter and deeper than the fifth-generation iPod touch. The sixth color is (PRODUCT)RED and remains unchanged.
iPods have declined in sales and popularity since the iPhone was released, but the portable media players still fill a niche and were long overdue for an update. The sixth-generation iPod touch's most important new feature is the jump to an A8 chip, which delivers up to 10 times faster graphics performance and ensures the device will be capable of running iOS 9 and future software updates.
A recent benchmark test clocked the new iPod touch's A8 chip at 1.10GHz per core, slower than the 1.39GHz per core the iPhone 6 runs at, and confirmed it has 1GB of RAM. The new iPod touch is also the first iOS device to include the Bluetooth 4.1 specification, which is more reliable and offers less interference with LTE bands, improved power management and better data transfer.
Apple's new iPod touch no longer has a loop attachment on the back
Whether this is the last significant update to the iPod lineup remains to be seen, but for now the iPod touch lives on with a vibrant lineup of new colors and under-the-hood improvements. Apple Stores have begun receiving in-store stock of the new iPod touch this week, with Personal Pickup now available in the U.S., and all models and storage capacities currently ship within 1 business day on the Apple Online Store.
Article Link: A Closer Look at Apple's New iPod Touch Colors and Features
You can use Skype and other phone apps with the right service and use a microphone headset. Seen many do this.
Blue and pink look great! I wish they would offer gold with a black front in general.
The new blue was my choice, but the surface is so smooth that I'm going to have to put a case on it.
I think Apple has weighed the pros/cons of going downmarket and decided that they want Apple/iPhone to be an aspirational brand. In their mind there is no stickiness or brand loyalty in the Android ecosystem so once people can afford to upgrade to iPhone they will.I thought of that, but I am not so sure this is the case here. Someone who is willing to have a wifi only phone is not someone who is willing to pay $600 for an iphone. These people are more likely to be lost to the Android/Google ecosystem because there they can get a $300 or under phone. I will grant you that there may be a few iphone users that would "upgrade" from a iPhone to an Touch, but my sense is that would not be in large enough numbers to consider it cannibalization. Maybe Apple has looked at this and figured out there is a big risk here, but my thought is that the bigger risk is that once someone chooses Android, especially at a young age, it becomes increasingly more difficult to convince them to switch. So for me it would make sense to have what I am calling (i should trademark this
One last thought is that even if every iPhone user switch to my recently trademarked wifi-phone, Apple's margin are consistent enough that there is no loss of profit. But selling more means they actually increase profit.
Again, I recognize my arguments are theoretical and I hope that Tim and company have actually done an analysis to vet this out, it just that I haven't even heard rumors about anyone seriously considering my game changing approach to cut the telco's out.
Not sure if you were replying directly to me or not. But I was more interested in making it a mobile internet device and not a phone. One where you can stream Apple Music and use GPS but not be tied to a phone at all. I'd probably drop the phone all together if they had that since I never use the phone unless I'm calling the phone company to complain about something anyway.
You are probably right. I am sure that Apple has a crack team that has done analysis on this stuff. Still, I will give the tiniest of pushback one last time. I am a cable cutter. I don't like the month ransom money paid to these companies for horrible service. The same is true for telcos. As wifi is becoming ubiquitous, it really could be possible to create a wifi phone that does not require cell/LTE service. Apple has all it needs to create a true wifi phone or Internet phone that eliminate the telco. This could be a whole new segment one day. But it's also possible that I am just a dreamer. We shall see what the future holds.
You should call and talk to people. Some of them may talk back and enhance your life in some small way.
Say what? Of course it is LED-backlit. Every mobile device is. There isn't a tiny fluorescent tube or a Christmas light incandescent or something in it
Yes, it's a low quality screen in comparison, but it's definitely LED backlit. As is even the oldest, rubbishest flip phone (exception - the Motorola Startac uses LEDs directly, as do some modern Samsung/Nokia/HTC etc phones (OLEDs) - oh and some black and white screens are LED-frontlit)
You should call and talk to people. Some of them may talk back and enhance your life in some small way.
Meh... why talk to them if I can just type? And no... it won't most people are narcissists who just want to talk about themselves.
And that reason is Apples high profit margins, has nothing to do with the cost of the components.
If you think about it logically for a second, I can buy a cheap phone outright for a few dollars which has all the things you mention.
The problem is if Apple introduced an iPod touch phone, it would sell like hotcakes and eat into the iPhone sales.
Isn't it odd then that the spec sheets for all iPhone and iPad models specify "LED‑backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology" while on the iPod touch page it only says "widescreen display with Multi-Touch IPS technology"?Say what? Of course it is LED-backlit. Every mobile device is. There isn't a tiny fluorescent tube or a Christmas light incandescent or something in it
You must be skimming through it
. From the Touch 5 spec sheet- Mercury-free LED-backlit display
