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iPod touch Apple needs to get over their thin obsession

S

sportsfrk214

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2007
566
32
It's official, I'm sick of Apple's obsession for thinness. It's nice to have thin products to a certain extent, but there is a time when too much is too much, and that time is here. I have a second generation Touch, and I find it to be too thin. I need to have it in a case otherwise it's too uncomfortable to hold. Now Apple has made it even thinner. I just don't like it.

I don't have the patience to get detailed on this right now, I'm just sick of it. The Touch's thinness clearly compromised the quality of the camera included in it, and it also compromised the screen to an extent (no IPS). The Touch is now 1.3 mm thinner than the previous generation. The difference is almost unnoticeable, so they should have added 1.3 mm to it instead - maybe then we could have gotten a camera with a megapixel count that isn't a decimal.

I would gladly buy a Touch as thick as the iPhone, so I just wish Apple would stop making it smaller. It's nice to have thin devices, but it gets to a point where thinness reaches its limitations. Apple has arrived at this point in my opinion. I don't see how they can possibly improve the Touch much more in the future without making it thicker. If Apple increased the thickness by 1mm, no one would care. It would be a minor detail in a news story. People would not pick up the device and think its fat.

Thinness was important for a while. Apple let you hold more and more songs in a less and less clunky device. But now, we're just at a point where we don't need it any thinner. I hope next year the Touch gets bigger. I know it won't, but it should. Make it bigger, stuff in a better camera, etc. The only thing Apple is obsessed with more than thinness is battery life, so they could use that to cloak the thickness. Just increase the battery life for audio to 50 hours. They can market it as the iPod that will "let you listen to all your music for 2 days." No one will care it's thicker. I'm not saying it should be as thick as the iPhone, as it doesn't need that much space. But 1 mm more than the previous generation would have been fine.
 
The OP does have a point.
I wonder what is going to happen when the EU requires mini usb connections in all devices next year.
 
I agree. On the list of things I wanted in the new touch, being thinner would've ranked dead last. A 3+ MP camera, however, was #1. I really question their priorities with this latest generation.
 
It's kinda like phones, for awhile they were getting so thin people were accidentally inhaling them.
 
Resplendent said:
I agree. On the list of things I wanted in the new touch, being thinner would've ranked dead last. A 3+ MP camera, however, was #1. I really question their priorities with this latest generation.
Click to expand...

100% agree with this.

Also, I'll add this. IMO...The reason the Touch 4 even got a back camera is that the Nano lost it's cam. If the Nano would not have changed, the Touch would not have a back camera. The front camera is for Apple to stack the numbers on Facetime, not to make customers happy.

Despite my complaints, I think this is an awesome device on paper. Can't wait to try it out!
 
Every generation seems to be thinner, rather than every generation having optimal hardware. I agree with the OP; not a good thing. I'll probably be using a case to make mine thicker, as right now it's too thin, IMO.
 
As long as the touch 4 does not become too easily breakable I don't care. One thing that is interesting is the huge difference in thickness between the iphone and touch 4. The iphone 4 is pretty thick. Could the cell and better camera tech cause such an increase in its thickness? :confused:
 
The bottom line is that thinness is nice and all, and to a certain extent it's welcome, but not when it limits the hardware inside. I would have gladly taken a 1.3 mm increase in the Touch's thickness if it meant a 3 megapixel camera. When push comes to shove, and a compromise needs to be made, the devices thickness should be compromised, not its internal hardware.
 
It's more than thin:

Mac mini (all): too small
iPod Nano 2010: too small
AppleTV 2010: too small
Mac Pro: too big (because there's nothing in the middle)
MBPs: too big (bezel)
MacBook Air: too thin, too few ports
AEBS: ridiculously few ethernet ports
Cinema Displays: too few buttons

Everything: too few connectivity
 
Smaller and Thin

Apple products are getting smaller and very thin. Apple Products do look very nice as well. But when they do try to make there products very thin and stylish, I wonder if that adds up the price. They could definitely improve the performance of their products with their everlasting appealing physical looks.
 
I dont like it either they are starting to go over the line of style and practicality such as my iMac. It makes my room so hot and most peoples are u to a wall so they can add a little more vents if you ask me there are way too small I mean a 4mm vent running across the back is a waste
 
Does Apple like minimalist design? iMac has only 2-3 USB hubs, iPod nano is now the size of the shuffle... I'd rather have it few millimetres thicker than compromising the hardware. And OP, I guess you can get a thick case if you like it thicker ;)
 
Huge Problem with Thiness/Smallness

Yeah, Apple is totally losing perspective on their supposed design philosophies. There is absolutely a point where thinness becomes an impediment to using the device. I think, for example, when you hold the device with your thumb and finger tip and the device is too small to make contact with your thumb pit, then you are going to end up holding the device with at least four fingers, the way jobs uses it in the presentation. You are not going to want to hold it like a cookie. Using four fingers to hold and the other hand to point on an iPod!? Like, unless this thing is clipped on to your arm, its a two hand, or five finger job to use. DESIGN FAIL

Another example of thinness impeding the design is in the tapered edges of the iPhone 2nd generation. Holding the device in anything less than a four side wrap with the hand,(except a two side pinch) the iPod WILL slide out of your hand.
 
I agree with the OP.
Don't get me wrong though - Apple makes GREAT hardware. Very stylish and quality materials - I love it. But the ipod Touch was already thin ENOUGH. Why not keep it at the same thickness and have a decent camera and maybe double the battery life. Wouldn't that be AMAZING?
 
sportsfrk214 said:
It's official, I'm sick of Apple's obsession for thinness. It's nice to have thin products to a certain extent, but there is a time when too much is too much, and that time is here. I have a second generation Touch, and I find it to be too thin. I need to have it in a case otherwise it's too uncomfortable to hold. Now Apple has made it even thinner. I just don't like it.

I don't have the patience to get detailed on this right now, I'm just sick of it. The Touch's thinness clearly compromised the quality of the camera included in it, and it also compromised the screen to an extent (no IPS). The Touch is now 1.3 mm thinner than the previous generation. The difference is almost unnoticeable, so they should have added 1.3 mm to it instead - maybe then we could have gotten a camera with a megapixel count that isn't a decimal.

I would gladly buy a Touch as thick as the iPhone, so I just wish Apple would stop making it smaller. It's nice to have thin devices, but it gets to a point where thinness reaches its limitations. Apple has arrived at this point in my opinion. I don't see how they can possibly improve the Touch much more in the future without making it thicker. If Apple increased the thickness by 1mm, no one would care. It would be a minor detail in a news story. People would not pick up the device and think its fat.

Thinness was important for a while. Apple let you hold more and more songs in a less and less clunky device. But now, we're just at a point where we don't need it any thinner. I hope next year the Touch gets bigger. I know it won't, but it should. Make it bigger, stuff in a better camera, etc. The only thing Apple is obsessed with more than thinness is battery life, so they could use that to cloak the thickness. Just increase the battery life for audio to 50 hours. They can market it as the iPod that will "let you listen to all your music for 2 days." No one will care it's thicker. I'm not saying it should be as thick as the iPhone, as it doesn't need that much space. But 1 mm more than the previous generation would have been fine.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this. And I can tell that you're not obsessed with the thinness of your posts either :D
 
Also agree. The 2nd and 3rd gen were as slim as anyone could possibly need a device to be. I think the iPhone 4 thickness was right on the border of being too thick. But somewhere between the touch 3g and iPhone 4 would have been a nice thickness for the new Touch, especially if it allowed them to up the hardware specs. I wonder if we bitch enough if Apple will eventually come around next year or the year after and thicken things up a bit.
 
Of course because next year the touch will have a 5mp camera making it thicker and ppl will be buying the touch next year as they did this year and years before. Its called planned obsolescence folx. steve jobs is the master of this...

skiltrip said:
Also agree. The 2nd and 3rd gen were as slim as anyone could possibly need a device to be. I think the iPhone 4 thickness was right on the border of being too thick. But somewhere between the touch 3g and iPhone 4 would have been a nice thickness for the new Touch, especially if it allowed them to up the hardware specs. I wonder if we bitch enough if Apple will eventually come around next year or the year after and thicken things up a bit.
Click to expand...
 
theolympix said:
Yeah, Apple is totally losing perspective on their supposed design philosophies.
Click to expand...
You are absolutely correct. I've been wondering about what happened with the design of apple products since they introduced the iMac G5.

Just look at the imac G4, ipod 5th gen, the G4 cube, or the G5 case -- these products set the bar a bit higher for other manufacturers, in terms of design. I just don't see this happening with today's apple products. They just slap some black trim around the screen, use aluminum instead of plastic, and shave another millimeter off of the case. It's the same old design with a few modifications, take the iMac for example. And when Apple redesigns a product it goes completely wrong, for example the iPhone 4 antenna, iPod nano 6th gen, new apple tv, etc.

Maybe it's time to fire Ive, maybe Steve needs a kick in the ass, either way I hope that apple starts designing products like they did in the early 2000s. Hopefully they learn that functionality comes first, then design.
 
Well they will always change the shape to make money from case sales.

So it's either fatter or Slimmer. Unless they make it an octagon.
 
The new Touch DOES look sleek and sexy, but I personally was hoping for more of a body like the iPhone. The thinness of this Touch makes me worry I will crack it in half...now where did I put that bubble wrap?:D
 
cube said:
It's more than thin:

Mac mini (all): too small
It's called a MINI for a reason..
iPod Nano 2010: too small
I agree completely with this.
AppleTV 2010: too small
Why does it need to be any bigger? There's no point in using more material for the sake of making this bigger..
Mac Pro: too big (because there's nothing in the middle)
I'd rather have a full sized case than a mATX style case any day of the week
MBPs: too big (bezel)
No they're not.. I'm looking at mine right now and it's perfectly fine.
MacBook Air: too thin, too few ports
The goal was portability and it's the first of it's kind in the market; I don't see how it's too thin. I do agree with the ports though.
AEBS: ridiculously few ethernet ports
Doesn't bother me since I'm all wireless but I would agree if I wasn't
Cinema Displays: too few buttons
Why do you need more buttons? It detects when your computer goes to sleep, you adjust brightness with a keyboard and set calibrations in DISPLAY. You don't need the "presets" the other monitors come with.

Everything: too few connectivity
Click to expand...
:apple:
 
well screw the camera i seriously do not care about it at all.

But the same thickness with more battery life would have been awesome.
But unless this, thin is always amazing. Seriously i would love to have nothing but a multitouch display in my hand with all the capabilities i need to have.
Also thin means light and portable. Also thin means stunning. I'm pretty sure you don't want to have a fat and greasy girlfriend yourself.
 
izimzis said:
well screw the camera i seriously do not care about it at all.

But the same thickness with more battery life would have been awesome.
But unless this, thin is always amazing. Seriously i would love to have nothing but a multitouch display in my hand with all the capabilities i need to have.
Also thin means light and portable. Also thin means stunning. I'm pretty sure you don't want to have a fat and greasy girlfriend yourself.
Click to expand...

On the same token, you could look at Keira Knightley and say she's too thin. I'm sure you don't want a scrawny girlfriend either.

There's also a point where a product gets so thin that it just seems too fragile.
 
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