Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPod touch I'm confused about the 2.0 ipod touch update.
- Thread starter skittlez
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If you want to save yourself money paying for the update, wait until 2.0 is out in June and they ship iPod Touch units with it.
It's a firmware update that improves upon applications that are already in the device and adds the app store. Really, it's stuff that should have been included in the January update.
Apple is charging money for these updates under the guise of an accounting requirement but really, it's simply to make more money off existing Touch owners.
Can you explain that further please? Your understanding of the accounting system, and why they don't have to follow it (and instead are just fleecing Touch owners)?
Thanks.
well if it truly was only about the accounting practices then they could have charged $1 or $2. The $20 makes it seem a little like a money grab. But I got my touch after it already came included, so I'll save my complaining until we find out the price of the 2.0 update.
Or the features... Sheesh, the word "fee" is making so many people compain when you don't even know what the "fee" is for.
If someone has an iPhone, about $10 per month of the subscription goes to Apple. This can be used for software development. So instead of getting slammed twice, iPhone users don't have to pay to download the upgrade through iTunes as they already sent their money to Apple with their phone bill. But to make it fair, people with iPod touches also have to pay for the same update as they don't send monthly money off to Apple. People with iPhones pay AT&T who turns over part of that money to Apple. But people with iPods pay via iTunes for the same thing. And because there's no "pay $19,95" button for iPhone users (when they're actually paying more than that to Apple), people with the iPods think that they're getting "nickeled and dimed" because they don't understand iPhone users ship their money off to aapl through different means.
In answer to James L, Apple cited Sarbanes-Oxley, a largely successful accounting reform enacted in the wake of Enron, as imposing a requirement that products accounted for at one time (such as the iPod touch) be treated differently with respect to upgrade pricing than products that are accounted for over time (such as the iPhone and Apple TV). Specifically, Apple asserted that because it accounts for software upgrades for the iPhone over time, it can distribute them without charge, but that the corollary to this principle requires them to charge for software updates to products like the iPod touch.
The problem is that Sarbanes-Oxley says nothing of the sort. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how companies charge end-users. It most definitely does not require any company to charge any fee for any product, ever. Apple is perfectly free under SOx (as many securities lawyers call it) to use different accounting methodologies for the iPod touch and the iPhone. But that does not affect whether they charge, or don't charge, for a software update for either product.
Apple has made a business decision that it will charge iPod users and won't charge iPhone users. One can agree or disagree with that decision (you probably can guess how I feel). But blaming the decision on SOx is pure bunk.
The problem is that Sarbanes-Oxley says nothing of the sort. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how companies charge end-users. It most definitely does not require any company to charge any fee for any product, ever. Apple is perfectly free under SOx (as many securities lawyers call it) to use different accounting methodologies for the iPod touch and the iPhone. But that does not affect whether they charge, or don't charge, for a software update for either product.
Apple has made a business decision that it will charge iPod users and won't charge iPhone users. One can agree or disagree with that decision (you probably can guess how I feel). But blaming the decision on SOx is pure bunk.
Hello there,
Newbie posting here, asking a few newbie questions! I have done the relevant searches in accordance with "newbie etiquette". Forgive if i've missed anything!
As with the new software update; what does it offer to technologically disadvantaged folk like me? I have a MacBook, nana, and now a 16gb iPod Touch and i enjoy all three. The touch has to be the most incredible piece of gadgetry i have ever held, and am absolutely in love. No problems paying £12 for the updates...but...
What can i do with them? Me?
Tech talk confuses me (sometimes, not always), and so simple talk would be lovely! Thanking you...
Jake
Newbie posting here, asking a few newbie questions! I have done the relevant searches in accordance with "newbie etiquette". Forgive if i've missed anything!
As with the new software update; what does it offer to technologically disadvantaged folk like me? I have a MacBook, nana, and now a 16gb iPod Touch and i enjoy all three. The touch has to be the most incredible piece of gadgetry i have ever held, and am absolutely in love. No problems paying £12 for the updates...but...
What can i do with them? Me?
Tech talk confuses me (sometimes, not always), and so simple talk would be lovely! Thanking you...
Jake
The new 2.0 touch update offers some good features for specific clienteles:
I should note that we don't really know exactly what the fee is going to go towards, it could just be for the ability to download apps onto the touch, but it may even include the other features like 802.1x support.
- Gamers: The new update will allow you to download and buy games from the iTunes app store through the iPod touch directly. The games that they demoed during the keynote seemed really cool and seem to make the touch the next wi-fi mobile gaming platform. But you must pay to have this ability to even download paid or free games.
- Businesspeople: Exchange support is huge, and people have waited for push email, contacts, and other features that were normally impossible (not even jailbreakers have messed with this area).
- Students: The new update will allow native apps for the touch to play nicely with campus wi-fi (WPA2/802.1x) and as well as allow campuses like Stanford implement their technology in their iPhone (like staff location awareness and stuff).
I should note that we don't really know exactly what the fee is going to go towards, it could just be for the ability to download apps onto the touch, but it may even include the other features like 802.1x support.
If you're talking about the update you can purchase at the moment, it basically adds five more applications to your iPod.
Email - lets you access your email from an application you can simply tap on the home screen. See how you've got Safari, Contacts, Calender, etc, on your home screen? It would add a separate email application.
You can still check your emails by using Safari, it's just not as convenient.
Notes - allows you to create and save notes. Handy if you don't have your phone or pen and paper with you.
Googe Maps I guess this wouldn't be really useful to you? It basically lets you find places, etc. It's good, I don't really use it so much.
Stocks Stockmarket stuff - guess you won't be interested?
Weather Lets you check the weather in your area.
Another addition is that you can add web clips in Safari. They are basically bookmarks, but they appear on your homescreen, as shortcuts. Kinda like how you can do that on your mac.
Maybe SOP got confused with SOX at some point and the confusion has just perpetuated over time.
Great stuff.
Sorry Ubuntu, Re-reading my post i wasn't actually clear on what update i was going on about. I meant the 2.0 update. Stocks? I know, i shouldn't fined it useful, well, i don't; but it is interesting. The January upgrade applications were absolutely fantastic.
I heard a few rumours about iCal, and not being able to add events? Mighty relieved to find they did. As a traveling English teacher, iCal and Notes are my more highly used applications. It's the best PDA i've ever owned.
Thanks for the clarification in simple speak! Looks like i have something to look forward to!
Jake
Sorry Ubuntu, Re-reading my post i wasn't actually clear on what update i was going on about. I meant the 2.0 update. Stocks? I know, i shouldn't fined it useful, well, i don't; but it is interesting. The January upgrade applications were absolutely fantastic.
I heard a few rumours about iCal, and not being able to add events? Mighty relieved to find they did. As a traveling English teacher, iCal and Notes are my more highly used applications. It's the best PDA i've ever owned.
Thanks for the clarification in simple speak! Looks like i have something to look forward to!
Jake
