Mr Jobs,
Having been an avid iPod supporter and user for years, as well as a seller of iPod products through an Apple Authorised Reseller in Australia, I, along with thousands of others, watched recent release of the new iPod range and have recently ordered a 16Gb iPod Touch from the Australian Apple Online store. I am writing this letter as I would like to take the time to comment on the recent rumors that the iPod Touch is being deliberately and artificially restricted in the available applications (particularly the Notes, Mail and Maps applications, as well as the ability to add new calendar events), presumably to greater differentiate the product lines of the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
While I can certainly see why Apple may feel that this is a decision they can or should make and get away with, I personally feel that the decision is flawed for a number of reasons.
Primarily, the idea that the Touch should be differentiated from the iPhone is only really relevant in the United States, as the iPhone is currently limited to sales there. The rest of the world was eagerly awaiting an "iPhone without a phone" to be released at the recent "The Beat Goes On" event as something to tide us through until the iPhone is released in our part of the world (currently some time after 2008 in Australia) - at the time the Touch appeared to be a godsend, and in many ways it still is, however the lack of some of these applications pointlessly limits the device for those outside of the US - you are not encouraging us to move to the iPhone as it is not available, you are instead pushing customers AWAY from your product to competing brands that can offer those features.
Secondly, in my mind there is really no reason why these Applications should be disabled. By all accounts it appears that the Touch is running the same software as the iPhone, and may even be running some of the same hardware, meaning that the limit is purely artificial. If people are considering the purchase of either the iPod Touch or the iPhone, there is already enough of a difference between the products without needing to artificially enhance one over the other. The inclusion of a camera, bluetooth, "always available" internet access and the phone module itself is already more than enough to place the iPhone as an attractive option for the consumer - especially with the recently announced price drop.
I fully understand that these are only rumors and that this may be premature, however I firmly believe that limiting the functionality of the Touch with no real basis behind it will, in the long run, do more harm to Apple than good. I sincerely hope that if the iPod Touch does not come with these applications installed, that they will be available somehow as an official download, either via firmware updates or even for purchase via iTunes - as long as the purchase is available to people outside of the United States.
Sincerely yours,
Eugene Turner,
[my email]
[my phone]
