Apple Launches New iPod Touch With A10 Fusion Chip and Up to 256GB Storage, Priced From $199

[Abazigal]

I also have a fifth and sixth GEN. The only problem with the fifth GEN, is that it’s not as efficient with the battery life as the six GEN is with the A8. I’m more curious to see the performance with A10 fusion with the seventh GEN, and I expect there should be some performance results posted soon.

Its going to be overpowered relative to its use case - gaming primarily. Which is why the criticisms of there being better android devices for cheaper miss the mark, because the best android smartphone or tablet in the world still isn’t going to buy you access into the Apple ecosystem.

It’s the same criticism surrounding the iPad mini all over again. People claimed it was doomed when you had the cheaper nexus tablet, and we all know how that turned out.

 

[Pakaku]

Yes, some of the tech is outdated, but it has a headphone jack, so I think I'll be picking one up soon.

 

[ThatiPhoneKid]

Would it have hurt them to at least updated the colours, maybe added the new gold and matte chamfered edges

 

[LizKat]

Will be good to hear how the battery performs in the 7th gen. The prices don't seem bad for entertainment server options to replace say an aging iPod Classic.

I'll hit the refurb shelves for a 7 eventually, since I do like the iPod touch in general and the higher-end storage is appealing, but I long since had to replace my 5th gen with a 6th gen refurb, the 5 was starting to get surly just carrying the last iOS it would actually support... no regrets on my purchase of a 6th gen since I don't make much demand on the thing past serving up music and podcasts or audiobooks.

I'm sure the A10 fusion chip in the 7th gen can support some OK games for action-adventure fans, so I'm not surprised Apple brought this less than astounding but decent hardware out before the WWDC.

It sure took Apple long enough to decide to bring "some kind of update" to this line of iPods. I'm glad they're not killing the line, even though I'm a little surprised they didn't put Touch ID into the thing. Price point issues, I suppose. I can't imagine this gear as much of a threat to either iPhones or iPads. It does make a great little device to stash entertainment on though. Of course one can load it up with other apps but I keep my iPod touch simple and don't even have any news apps on it, so it's pure relaxation when I pick it up.

The 7th gen should be a treat to use, whether its kids whose parents don't want them having a phone yet, or just someone like me who wants a small and not too expensive personal entertainment server aside from whatever I make room for amid the data clutter of news and e-reader apps on my phone.

 

[Andres Cantu]

You do make a point there. Guess we'll see if this is true in about 5 years.

Yup, the math all works out that way!

 

[joeblow7777]

I was just thinking to myself "where's the market for this" until I saw your comment.

The iPod Touch is a really great device for anyone, of any age, who basically wants a smartphone without having a smartphone. Or even even just to have a spare device.

 

[TMRJIJ]

All of those things can be restricted by their parents. And how does Touch ID lock them out? I don't have to use Touch ID to get into any of my Apple devices. And yeah, cameras are a pretty big deal to kids. Maybe not AirPods, but certainly nothing wrong with giving a kid a BT headphone.

Passcodes are easy to figure out. BT headphones are another thing that the kid could lose or break. It is best to go cheaper with in-ear headphones you can get from the dollar store.

Actually, you're making the obvious false assumptions: that the iPhone 7 given to a kid will have cellular service activated and that the kid can use Touch ID to lock the parents out of the phone. Both assumptions are false

iPhones can be used without activating cellular service and work well as a greater quality iPod touch, and older iPhone models can even be purchased for about the same price as this new iPod, thus it makes little sense to buy the new iPod. Even less now that apple has removed the requirement to have a SIM card inserted when setting up the iPhone for the first time. Also, parents can use the phone's settings to restrict whatever features they don't want the kid to use.

As for Touch ID or Face ID, THEY CANNOT BE USED TO LOCK ANYONE OUT OF A DEVICE, since the devices can always be unlocked using the passcode (in fact, Touch ID or Face ID is automatically disabled every so often and requires to enter the passcode to reenable it).

They don't need Quality. They need something that they can drag around to play Fortnite or FaceTime their friends.

It is also pretty easy to get past those restrictions. Passcodes have always been rather insecure and I think you guys are underestimating your children. Heck, we knew how to use proxies programs at school when I was in middle school. You really think a kid can't outsmart a 30 year old who didn't even grow up to any of these appliances?

Here was my second response the other poster contemplating these questions.

You gave me a lot to think about.

Mostly likely, an iPhone 7 would not last that long. If you give the kid today an iPhone 7 at age 7-8, odds are, it probably won't last until he/she is 12 or 13 which is a good age point where they are deemed responsible to have a phone.

Additionally, you have stuff like Touch ID and Apple Pay. These features will get accessed regardless of your restriction. I remember being able to turn off the parental controls on my flip phone when my mom gave me it at age 9. She regretted her decision a month later when her phone bill showed that I used her cellular service for internet usage. Never give your children any openings or anyway to circumvent your command.

Thirdly, the iPhone 7 doesn't have a headphone jack. You want to give your child something that's cheap and easily replacable. Of course, the old Headphone jack on the iPod Touch gives a lot of cheap $5 options compared to the lightning connected earpods or bluetooth.

Plus, you're basing your argument on a Swappa sold iPhone 7 which is not going to always be available. Normal refurbished iPhone 7 models are still in the $200-$400 range. If chip performance is not an issue as a parent, you can definitely go to much older iOS devices.

At the end of the day, we're talking about 7-10 year olds. I really can't believe we having a discussion about how to parent with a music player/communication device. Are you sure you guys want to give your kids tech? I'm 22 with no plans for babies but I was giving my mother and teachers hell as soon as I got my first flip phone and flash drive when I was young

 

[ssledoux]

Since he has an iPad, I would personally skip it.

For kids with iPad, the only reasons to get an iPod touch would be combination of:

• Listening to music
• Using it as a camera
• The kid does lots of activities and needs to wait often (I would personally recommend an eBook reader though, or Nintendo Switch if you want to spoil the kid and kid's parents don't mind)

Well, he HAS been asking for a camera, and he's asked for an iPod for at least the last 6 months. I know the camera isn't great, but it would be a start, and he could have the iPod for in the car. They (as in my grandkids) have the 2018 ipads in bulky cases, which are pretty big to haul around.

IDK - guess I'll think about it...

 

[Bin Cook]

The day after Craig claimed they don’t price for the upper middle classes. Parody of a company.

 

[spiddyman007]

No Touch ID or Face ID? Was hoping for one of those

It’s an iPod touch

 

[Jimmy James]

OK? But why would the consumer care about chipsets? They don’t even know what that means. What they see, is an updated product that continues to receive iOS support, offered in multiple colors and a 3.5 mm Jack. That’s all that matters to the average consumer. They don’t care about processors/ram/resolution, the list goes on. It’s easy for anyone on this site to be ‘technical’ about specifications, but to the average consumer, it’s a foreign language to them and they don’t care. They just want an updated product that continues to receive support, and truthfully, that’s really all the iPod needs without making it too expensive.

My reflection was on the current iPod not this replacement. It’s slow in a way that is noticeable to an unsophisticated user. No spec sheet required.

 

[TVreporter]

A nice little device for the kids when you don't want to lend them your phone. Or an alternative device for an iPhone user.

Certainly enticing - I recently allowed my 7 year old to use my iPhone 5s (data card removed) which I had kept when I upgraded to 8 plus. The battery isn’t the best but for now will suffice

This iPod might be a birthday or Christmas gift!

 

[macbeta]

Its an odd duck, If it had the x camera system and 265 -500 -1tb storage it might be a useful product. as it is 10 year old specs and a slight cpu bump really don't cut it. Home pod anyone?

 

[lartola]

Passcodes are easy to figure out. BT headphones are another thing that the kid could lose or break. It is best to go cheaper with in-ear headphones you can get from the dollar store.


They don't need Quality. They need something that they can drag around to play Fortnite or FaceTime their friends.

It is also pretty easy to get past those restrictions. Passcodes have always been rather insecure and I think you guys are underestimating your children. Heck, we knew how to use proxies programs at school when I was in middle school. You really think a kid can't outsmart a 30 year old who didn't even grow up to any of these appliances?

Here was my second response the other poster contemplating these questions.


At the end of the day, we're talking about 7-10 year olds. I really can't believe we having a discussion about how to parent with a music player/communication device. Are you sure you guys want to give your kids tech? I'm 22 with no plans for babies but I was giving my mother and teachers hell as soon as I got my first flip phone and flash drive when I was young

You didn’t respond anything with regard to giving them the iphone WITHOUT CELLULAR SERVICE ACTIVATED. Again, you are still automatically assuming that if an iphone is given to a kid it will have cellular service activated. Not necessarily. iPhones can be used without cellular service and they basically become the same as the iPod touch, where everything but the cell phone portion works over Wifi.

 

[TMRJIJ]

You didn’t respond anything with regard to giving them the iphone WITHOUT CELLULAR SERVICE ACTIVATED. Again, you are still automatically assuming that if an iphone is given to a kid it will have cellular service activated. Not necessarily. iPhones can be used without cellular service and they basically become the same as the iPod touch, where everything but the cell phone portion works over Wifi.

Well, It looks like you got me on that.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Ah Apple at its best.

Reusing an old design, so out of date it hurts, and pretending its new.

And yes so UNLIKE Apple, Apple significantly reduced the price of the starting model

 

[TriBruin]

The only business I’ve seen use a touch as a POS is Apple themselves at their stores. Most of the POS software I know is iPad only, touches and iPhones have access to overview of the business but not actually the power to make sales.

Just because you haven't seen them, doesn't mean that don't exist. I am very familiar with companies that use them both as Front of the House mobile POS systems and Back of the House inventory scanners. Companies such as Verifone and Infinite Peripherals make both POS and scanner sleds that fit the iPod touch form factor. By introducing this upgraded model with the same form factor, companies that use existing iPod Touches can replace them with newer devices without having to buy new sleds.

Only Apple has the data, but I am guess this is more geared to retail solutions instead of home users (who Apple would prefer buy an iPhone.)

 

[MacDawg]

Just because you haven't seen them, doesn't mean that don't exist. I am very familiar with companies that use them both as Front of the House mobile POS systems and Back of the House inventory scanners. Companies such as Verifone and Infinite Peripherals make both POS and scanner sleds that fit the iPod touch form factor. By introducing this upgraded model with the same form factor, companies that use existing iPod Touches can replace them with newer devices without having to buy new sleds.

Only Apple has the data, but I am guess this is more geared to retail solutions instead of home users (who Apple would prefer buy an iPhone.)

Correct
We use iPod Touch for our mobile POS system to make sales and this is an important development for us
We also use them as inventory scanners
The sleds allow us to scan barcodes for both sales and inventory

 

[mannyvel]

Correct
We use iPod Touch for our mobile POS system to make sales and this is an important development for us

Enterprise-side concerns are driving some upgrades now, which shows that Apple is becoming like the old Microsoft. I wonder how that IBM partnership is working?

 

[smorrissey]

If the battery is as fail as the IPT6 one i'll pass...First i'm gonna wait for the review but i don't expect a better product by far the IPT6 was the worst ipod touch ever.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Buying one right now for the purpose of running the latest iOS Developer Beta.

Want to be able to test Apple’s latest software without risking one of my main iOS devices.

Ooooo, not a bad idea.

 

[ani4ani]

It’s an iPod touch

Exactly, who cares about security anyhow, and obviously in the world of iPod, everyone isn’t moving to wireless headphones?

 

[boombox15]

Anyone know if it has 2 or 3GB of RAM? I am still surprised Apple only upgraded to the A10. I wonder if it would have been possible to at least use the A11 with the same design and still keep the $199 starting price.

 

[mannyvel]

Ooooo, not a bad idea.

It's more cost effective to get used iPhones for testing/limited use. The 5s is ultra-cheap and when you're done with it you can get a cheap SIM card (ting etc) and use it in your car for a music streamer/lojack. The 5 works for that too.

 

[citysnaps]

It probably costs them $10 to make each one! Four year old design and screen, a SOC that’s three years old! The rest costs peanuts. Apple will be making massive profit in this device, should have been $99 or at most $150.

I sure hope so!