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Current iPod Touch Now 1,000 Days Old With No Sign of New Model

Apple needs to get back to its roots with their iPods.

Make iPodOS if necessary - a heavily boiled down version of iOS, focusing on Music, without apps (or only with music apps as an option), with special audio tweaks found only in iPod. Extra good HiFi sound, AUX input, special equlizer tweaks, special included headphones, or free Apple Music includes (though only on the specific iPod) - what ever, just something that makes it not just an outdated iPhone, without a SIM card. The iPod must be made exclusive again if it is to be eligible.

Sony is trying a bit with the insanely expensive walkman. Apple should not go that way - but they should think music device rather than multimedia machine.
 
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Wait, people don't just use their old iPhones as iPods? I've got multiple old iPhones setup for the kids that work great for this purpose. No safari, no internet, no email... just music and audiobooks.
 
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aliasfox said:
I’ve considered getting an iPod touch as an at-home Airplay remote for my sound system, with $200 being acceptable for such a use case (An iPhone SE would be a bit much). My wife is considering getting one to access work emails now that her 3yr old Pixel 3 is no longer supported (but otherwise works fine). I think it’s a great entry level device - just plug in an A13 when the base iPad gets updated and don’t worry about putting any new R&D into it…
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At home, we use the iPod Touch as a stationary phone with which you can play music to wireless speakers. Children listen to music while doing their homework and music automatically stops when a call is entering (through FaceTime or similar data-call apps). Also they use it as a non-distraction dictionary (specific offline apps for that). I have it protected with a very resistant case (Blason brand). So, for 460€ (256GB version) I get a device that lasts 4 years (0,33€ per day considering the durability I got on the previous one) and that allows me to get my children listen to the music we choose (purchased music, not streamed). We follow the same dynamics when going on vacation. Using other devices would be too expensive for me. One of the things I miss is a longer-lasting battery.
 
trainwrecka said:
Wait, people don't just use their old iPhones as iPods? I've got multiple old iPhones setup for the kids that work great for this purpose. No safari, no internet, no email... just music and audiobooks.
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If you have to purchase it, an old device is always a risk because you never know how long is going to last. If you have "old" iPhones that were once yours, think about the fact that not everybody has the money to frequently purchase iPhones. So, to be able to buy an iPod touch (as long as it exists) is always a very good deal for many. I believe the problem is that Apple has never promoted much the iPod Touch. This is why its potential is not much considered by people.
 
horatio5000 said:
I think I remember Steve said that they should never stop selling the iPod and got Tim to agree to that. That's literally the only reason why they still sell it in token fashion. We will see a new Touch at some point with another middling CPU upgrade and double the memory. I don't think they will ever axe it because of the previously mentioned and also it's too strong of a hook for younger kids into the iOS ecosystem.
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I’ve got to think it’s solely the former. People are far far far more likely to just give their kid their old phone with no sim at this point. Most people dont even know Apple still sells an iPod
 
RadioHedgeFund said:
Jobs knew the value of gateway products and quite happily sold a £40 iPod Shuffle alongside his £2k G4 Tower.

Apple should resurrect the iPod brand. Relaunch the Touch with a starting price of £99 with the current spec and then bring out a new iPod Classic with a 1Tb SSD, bluetooth, updated UI (and maybe throw in remastered versions of Song Summoner, Musika and Phase).

Sony do a great line of Walkman devices for people want lossless audio. Apple should release a collectable iPod reboot to follow suit.
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What’s the use case? Not that many tweens are listening to music that regularly who don’t already have phones. iPod Classics aren’t a form factor great for video either, you can’t play games on one.

What parent is going to spend money on a high capacity iPod classic (when there kid streams everything anyway) when they could get them a cheap tablet or even a carrier subsidized iPhone for less?
 
Bring back the iPod! They would have sold millions of them and if they brought it back they would sell millions.
Jobs was smart enough to know that many if not most consumers want a stand alone music product and don't want to use their iPhone for everything.
Timmy is too dense to see beyond his glasses
 
russell_314 said:
It’s about price. I think the cheapest iPhone is around $600 in this thing is around $200. It’s a lot easier to give your four year old a $200 device that he can smash versus a $600 device.

If we are going by that market that’s the reason why it doesn’t get frequent updates. Why does it need to have the latest processor or go super fast if it’s just for a kid or maybe something people bring on a jog for music. The most important thing is low price so in order to keep the price low it gets less frequent updates. I suspect that’s probably the worst selling device that Apple has. It’s primary market is gone so Apple is just keeping it around for the niche market and nostalgia. Don’t be surprised if it gets discontinued within a few years.
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iPhone SE is $400 MSRP
 
sracer said:
For me, the greatest deficiencies with the current iPod Touch are, poor battery life and the heavy reliance on... touch. I know that I'm in the minority, but I'd like to see an iPod Touch that had more physical buttons and a slider-switch to disable/enable the touch screen.

That obviously won't happen and that's why I have an iPod Classic 5.5, Zune 30, and a few iPod Nanos.
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I paid $50 to replace the battery on my Classic iPod rather than buy a Touch. The Classic is much easier to use for finding songs
 
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I’ve come so close to buying one of these to use daily instead of an iPhone. I love the size and weight. It’s the only iOS device most people can fully use one-handed, and it basically disappears in your pocket.
 
trainwrecka said:
Wait, people don't just use their old iPhones as iPods? I've got multiple old iPhones setup for the kids that work great for this purpose. No safari, no internet, no email... just music and audiobooks.
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I have a dirt cheap flip phone.
I have zero need for a smartphone.
I have a 100% need for a quality music player!
 
iPod touches come in really handy in commercial / industrial applications where employees need mobile apps and don’t leave wifi. I’ve seen one company use them for maintenance ticket tracking and another for taking inventory. Much less expensive to purchase and operate than a phone.
 
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These are still heavily used in some corporate/enterprise settings needing non-cellular mobility (warehouses are one major example) and I think Apple knows this. I predict these don’t go away until they sell a similarly-priced iPhone that doesn’t require initial activation to use.
 
steve333 said:
Bring back the iPod! They would have sold millions of them and if they brought it back they would sell millions.
Jobs was smart enough to know that many if not most consumers want a stand alone music product and don't want to use their iPhone for everything.
Timmy is too dense to see beyond his glasses
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Tim Cook was around through the rise and fall of the iPod, and iPod sales tanked as iPhone sales grew. Turns out that most consumers were happy to have one device.
 
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LovePeace said:
The thing is, if Apple does not promote it, then people are not going to buy it neither for their children, nor as a scanning interface (by the way: why doesn't Apple get the control of database software such as Claris, the old FileMaker?). Also, an IPod Touch could be re-thought as a device you use for domotics (including music streaming) in offices or homes.
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I wasn’t making an argument that Apple should keep it, really I think the opposite. It’s time to let’s the iPod go.
 
LovePeace said:
If you have to purchase it, an old device is always a risk because you never know how long is going to last. If you have "old" iPhones that were once yours, think about the fact that not everybody has the money to frequently purchase iPhones. So, to be able to buy an iPod touch (as long as it exists) is always a very good deal for many. I believe the problem is that Apple has never promoted much the iPod Touch. This is why its potential is not much considered by people.
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No, purchasing new iPod Touch is terrible deal. Why would you want spend $199 for a new iPod Touch 32GB when you can get iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 for similar price?

The reason why iPod Touch is not seeling is because new iPod Touch is terrible deal now. Out dated design, no TouchID, A10 chip etc. It way to expensive for what it does. Used iPhone makes much more sense.

Depends if Apple really wants sell iPod Touch. I do believe if Apple able to staff a iPhone SE design with A12 chip and selling for $199, then you have a very compelling devices for kids.
 
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MacCheetah3 said:
This is why I have laughed at the posts with comments such as, ”just hand down your iPhone.“ Seriously? There are several threads on the forum complaining about battery life (i.e. realistic operating time) on new and less than one year old devices. Do people really believe a child is not going to be similarly upset, especially with the performance of a few year old gadget? 😆
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A new battery is readily available from Apple and a lot cheaper than an iPod Touch.
 
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