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iPod touch Defending Apple's choices on the iTouch
- Thread starter wongulous
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I obviously can't proclaim to know THE answer, so who knows. Something like this can get complex, because you also have to measure intangibles such as customer goodwill.
In this case it doesn't make that much of a difference. But we'll see what happens- maybe Apple will add stuff in an update, or better yet hopefully the Touch will be hacked, so we can do what we want.
Again, yes, it's a music player with a webbrowser, YouTube video streamer, editable contacts list, and all sorts of other features that are equally outside of the realm of a purist music player. This defense again doesn't hold water. But it does help you validate your $400 purchase to tell yourself you don't need/want what you didn't get, eh?
Just like every other company on earth Apple likes to differentiate its products for different purposes even if the underlying technology is essentially the same.
You are obviously smart enough to realize that the two device are basically the same hardware with different software. This implies you are clearly tech savvy enough to apply some 3rd party modifications to add the features you want (mail and calender) so do it!
You are obviously smart enough to realize that the two device are basically the same hardware with different software. This implies you are clearly tech savvy enough to apply some 3rd party modifications to add the features you want (mail and calender) so do it!
Why can't people just be happy it came with wi-fi and safari? I didn't even think it would come with those features so I'm more then happy with the Touch although I still might get an iPhone instead. I haven't decided yet. I guess I just have a different perspective in that I wasn't expecting as much as we got in the first place.
Yeah, hopefully. But even if it does, it'll be a scramble and a loss of features with every update and potentially void your warranty. As stated earlier, these scenarios of jailbreaked iPhones being denied returns and warranties for a purely software difference are disturbing.
Okay, maybe this would be a stopgap solution if the 3rd party modifications existed--but they don't. It has NOT been hacked. There is no jailbreak--and even if there were, there are already claims of warranty claims being denied and iPhones being blacklisted from Apple's support because of being modified/jacked/jailbreaked. Why would I drop $400 on a device that had an intentionally-disabled software feature, use a 3rd party hack to enable it, and then lose my warranty on that $400 device? Dumb.
Because it's an existing feature. It's like building a clock into a car and then going out of your way to put an opaque sticker over it and vaguely referring to a policy that removal of the sticker constitutes ending your warranty... because if you want the clock, buy the upgraded model!
Besides, we're not asking for the world here. THE CALENDAR IS ALREADY THERE, just read-only. We just want to be able to add, edit, and delete the items, not just read them!
Some folks want a phoneless iPhone and are frustrated because although the touch is quite capable of being that, Apple isn't marketing the touch that way.
Marketing... wow. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that spending time/effort to remove a software feature/framework that was already programmed, existing and working perfectly is NOT marketing. I think that's product redevelopment, if you want to use some kind of nice euphemism for it... and I think it's pretty crappy.
what pisses me off is that the software was already there, but no it was too good so lets spend time and money to take features out.
Call it whatever makes you feel better.
And out of curiosity, how much time/effort do you think it really took Apple to "not install" all of the iPhone features on the touch, assuming that those applications are truly not installed (vs. just being hidden via SpringBoard)? I know when I do a custom install of OS X, it takes approximately 10 seconds of my time/effort to remove Printer Drivers, Other Languages, and the Office 2004 Test Drive.
I'd be less offended if I wasn't one of the SIX BILLION PEOPLE who don't live in one of the three countries where one can buy an iPhone legitimately. Furthermore, the iPhone has a third-world data system on it, and not as much storage as the Touch, so even if I could get one I'd rather have a touch with the iPhone software.
Oh well, it'll be hacked eventually and we can make up for Apple's disdain for countries other than the US.
Oh well, it'll be hacked eventually and we can make up for Apple's disdain for countries other than the US.
Call it whatever makes you feel better.
And out of curiosity, how much time/effort do you think it really took Apple to "not install" all of the iPhone features on the touch, assuming that those applications are truly not installed (vs. just being hidden via SpringBoard)? I know when I do a custom install of OS X, it takes approximately 10 seconds of my time/effort to remove Printer Drivers, Other Languages, and the Office 2004 Test Drive.
Not including an app is trivial, but they actually modified an app (Calendar) to remove features (creating and editing events.)
Obviously that didn't take long either, but what was the point? Editing calendar events is too much like an iPhone, but editing contacts is not? It just seems rather petty to me.
And they should have filled the gap they left by removing the iPhone Notes app, since iPods have had read-only notes for years now.
I have no clue what "their point" is, just curious why some people think that not installing an application took any measurable effort or time?
Same thing with the read-only calendar. I'd be very surprised if the application wasn't developed from to the start to have a read-only mode that could be enabled, perhaps through a plist setting.
I don't know. I'm not Apple, and I don't know anyone that develops for Apple. Just some guesses.
I doubt anyone thinks it took significant time, people are just wondering why they would even bother to do so at all.
I agree the time is trivial either way.
I agree the time is trivial either way.
I too agree with the OP... and I voted with my wallet. I had ordered the iPod Touch on the announced day, but cancelled the order last week. I sent them an email saying that I would buy the Touch once they added Mail & Notes.
To those who bought it as an iPod, great! It's no doubt a great iPod! I have gone through 4 iPods already... the touch screen alone is not enough incentive for me. If it has Wi-Fi and a keyboard, it should have the BASIC applications that would come with such capabilities. None of us are complaining about the lack of Flash or being able to print to our wireless printer.... we just want BASIC applications!
To those who bought it as an iPod, great! It's no doubt a great iPod! I have gone through 4 iPods already... the touch screen alone is not enough incentive for me. If it has Wi-Fi and a keyboard, it should have the BASIC applications that would come with such capabilities. None of us are complaining about the lack of Flash or being able to print to our wireless printer.... we just want BASIC applications!
As my 2nd iPod ever (1st being a G3 Classic), the Touch is a great device. However, I too agree with the op. Damnit Steve, get out of bed with Mother Bell and give us what we want and we'll happily continue to buy what you give.
Don't cheapen up items you've already developed. This is a 300-400 dollar piece of equipment, Steve!
When we buy stuff, we intend to get what we pay for!
Furthermore, Steve jailed up iPhone so people couldn't hack the carrier and stuff. Why do the same to the Touch?
Don't cheapen up items you've already developed. This is a 300-400 dollar piece of equipment, Steve!
When we buy stuff, we intend to get what we pay for!
Furthermore, Steve jailed up iPhone so people couldn't hack the carrier and stuff. Why do the same to the Touch?
Ultimately, I always knew that this move was about profits, and that Apple is of course a profit-based company. What surprised me were the type of profits this is attempting to cause: forced consumer upgrades for a very basic feature. I can understand not including Nanosaur or whatever on a Mac Pro, or not putting a Logic demo on a MacBook, but to not put a NOTES app on a device with a keyboard? That's just not respectable IMHO.
Like other repliers, I am voting with my wallet on this one. I won't buy until there's an update with an editable calendar. I MIGHT be swayed if there is a hack, but as we know the hacks are coming a lot harder with the new authentication system, and more difficulty is down the road if Apple has their way. They have new brilliant hacking minds (the guy who hacked the iPhone first now works for them), a team of brilliant programmers, and several billion dollars in the bank. It's not cat-and-mouse... it's David-and-Goliath. I hope that there will soon be a clear group working on this in an open source manner, because I would like to donate via PayPal (again voting with my wallet). That would still only be a stopgap solution even if it came to fruition, however, so I don't know that I would want to support Apple's choices by buying an iTouch.
This news about Apple threatening the hackers/unlockers because they're causing "damage" (wtf? it's our devices to damage, and I don't think it's damage if you can just reflash it) disturbs me but it fits into the puzzle.
iPod touch @ 50% profit margin = $150-200
iPhone @ 25% profit margin + carrier stipends = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Unlocked iPhone @ 25% profit margin =
Like other repliers, I am voting with my wallet on this one. I won't buy until there's an update with an editable calendar. I MIGHT be swayed if there is a hack, but as we know the hacks are coming a lot harder with the new authentication system, and more difficulty is down the road if Apple has their way. They have new brilliant hacking minds (the guy who hacked the iPhone first now works for them), a team of brilliant programmers, and several billion dollars in the bank. It's not cat-and-mouse... it's David-and-Goliath. I hope that there will soon be a clear group working on this in an open source manner, because I would like to donate via PayPal (again voting with my wallet). That would still only be a stopgap solution even if it came to fruition, however, so I don't know that I would want to support Apple's choices by buying an iTouch.
This news about Apple threatening the hackers/unlockers because they're causing "damage" (wtf? it's our devices to damage, and I don't think it's damage if you can just reflash it) disturbs me but it fits into the puzzle.
iPod touch @ 50% profit margin = $150-200
iPhone @ 25% profit margin + carrier stipends = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Unlocked iPhone @ 25% profit margin =
if its a platform, it will be hacked, apple always underestimate hackers, maybe because its product never been so high profile for quite a long time.
If apple think "soft" pressure can persuade me, then Im sorry, I have far more confidence in freeworld than apple. even if that means I won't ever be able to sync Touch with my Mac again... lol, I haven't sync my palm with my computer for ages.
If apple think "soft" pressure can persuade me, then Im sorry, I have far more confidence in freeworld than apple. even if that means I won't ever be able to sync Touch with my Mac again... lol, I haven't sync my palm with my computer for ages.
Well, the plot thickens.
Rumors break out of a PDA multi-touch device with larger screen and all of these personal information management apps whose loss been lamenting on the iTouch... stating that this may be announced in 2-4 months and may not be an available product until mid-2008. (Don't hold your breath, friends. )
And the same day we find that Apple has proactively served Martyn a DMCA/copyright violation notice for even uploading the RAM dump code from an iPod touch.
I don't like where all of this is going. Where did the people's Apple go?
Rumors break out of a PDA multi-touch device with larger screen and all of these personal information management apps whose loss been lamenting on the iTouch... stating that this may be announced in 2-4 months and may not be an available product until mid-2008. (Don't hold your breath, friends.
)And the same day we find that Apple has proactively served Martyn a DMCA/copyright violation notice for even uploading the RAM dump code from an iPod touch.
I don't like where all of this is going. Where did the people's Apple go?
I thought the features deleted just would not make sense on a device that is not connected to the internet 24/7.
Or rather, leaving those features in would just make the lack of a 24/7 EDGE connection more like a handicap instead of the availability of wi-fi a feature.
Or rather, leaving those features in would just make the lack of a 24/7 EDGE connection more like a handicap instead of the availability of wi-fi a feature.