iPod touch Ipod Touch from the Apple Store, Ebay, or ..? Thoughts?

[Sid Post]

I am in the market for a 64Gb 6th generation Ipod Touch (I need iOS 9.3.1 and the compute power & WiFi). With sales tax out the door it looks like ~$325 for this at the Apple Store which is an option next time I drive ~150 miles each way to Dallas or some other big city with a retail outlet.

Most major retailers have basically the same price. Then there is Ebay with possibly a ~$50~$75 savings. I don't have a problem with buying from Ebay in general but, I am always a little leery of getting electronics there. Is the seller selling a gently used Ipod Touch because they burned the battery on a high power charging solution or left it on the dash of their car in the sun, among other possible risks.

I am also left wondering if someplace like Best Buy is the same as buying from the Apple store itself.

I am really new to the world of Ipods so, any advice or pros and cons are appreciated!

Best Regards,
Sid

 

[Channan]

I am in the market for a 64Gb 6th generation Ipod Touch (I need iOS 9.3.1 and the compute power & WiFi). With sales tax out the door it looks like ~$325 for this at the Apple Store which is an option next time I drive ~150 miles each way to Dallas or some other big city with a retail outlet.

Most major retailers have basically the same price. Then there is Ebay with possibly a ~$50~$75 savings. I don't have a problem with buying from Ebay in general but, I am always a little leery of getting electronics there. Is the seller selling a gently used Ipod Touch because they burned the battery on a high power charging solution or left it on the dash of their car in the sun, among other possible risks.

I am also left wondering if someplace like Best Buy is the same as buying from the Apple store itself.

I am really new to the world of Ipods so, any advice or pros and cons are appreciated!

Best Regards,
Sid

Just curious why you need an iPod touch. Why not an iPhone? What phone do you have?

 

[Sid Post]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge for phone service. The iPhone 5 I have has a battery life of ~4 hours on standby and dies quickly if I do anything with it on its own. Running my app caused it to get really hot and the compute power, or lack thereof, causes it to lag a lot. I don't want to invest in a more expensive iPhone but, I need to get something iOS TestFlight capable. I could spend another ~$150 on a used iPhone or $80 for a battery but, I am still left with something that isn't working very well for me.

The form factor (i.e. thinness) of the Touch appeals to me and while the weight of the iPhone 5 isn't bad I don't really want to lug it around. I plan on leaving it 'tethered to the computer' to keep it powered while I go mobile with the Touch when I don't want to carry the iPad Air 2. Plus I can always tether the Touch to my G7 if am without WiFi with it somewhere on the road.

 

[Channan]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge for phone service. The iPhone 5 I have has a battery life of ~4 hours on standby and dies quickly if I do anything with it on its own. Running my app caused it to get really hot and the compute power, or lack thereof, causes it to lag a lot. I don't want to invest in a more expensive iPhone but, I need to get something iOS TestFlight capable. I could spend another ~$150 on a used iPhone or $80 for a battery but, I am still left with something that isn't working very well for me.

The form factor (i.e. thinness) of the Touch appeals to me and while the weight of the iPhone 5 isn't bad I don't really want to lug it around. I plan on leaving it 'tethered to the computer' to keep it powered while I go mobile with the Touch when I don't want to carry the iPad Air 2. Plus I can always tether the Touch to my G7 if am without WiFi with it somewhere on the road.

Just mentioned this in another topic, but figured I'd mention it in case you didn't know, just so you know all of your options. Not sure what you plan on doing with your iPhone 5, but Apple will give you $100 credit for it. If you use it to buy a 64GB iPod touch, you'll spend $200. If you trade it in and buy a 64GB iPhone SE, you can either pay the remaining $400 up front or pay $16.16/month for two years. That's what I did, but I traded in an iPhone 5s, so I pay $14.16/month for my 64GB iPhone SE. I also have a Galaxy S7 Edge as my main phone. Then you'll get much better battery life and a better processor for your app, and you can get free service with RingPlus or FreedomPop just as a backup if you want.

You still might want to just spend the least amount of money, but at least you know all your options.

 

[Sid Post]

Just mentioned this in another topic, but figured I'd mention it in case you didn't know, just so you know all of your options. Not sure what you plan on doing with your iPhone 5, but Apple will give you $100 credit for it. If you use it to buy a 64GB iPod touch, you'll spend $200. If you trade it in and buy a 64GB iPhone SE, you can either pay the remaining $400 up front or pay $16.16/month for two years. That's what I did, but I traded in an iPhone 5s, so I pay $14.16/month for my 64GB iPhone SE. I also have a Galaxy S7 Edge as my main phone. Then you'll get much better battery life and a better processor for your app, and you can get free service with RingPlus or FreedomPop just as a backup if you want.

You still might want to just spend the least amount of money, but at least you know all your options.

Thanks Channan! You have really helped me make a better choice and spend my money wisely.

 

[colodane]

The long drive to your Apple store could make this a difficult decision.

If the store were close, it would be a no-brainer, at least for me. I bought a 6G iPod Touch from Target when they had a big year-end sale. Its battery life is TERRIBLE. I delayed taking it back because didn't want to deal with the warranty at Target. If I had bought it at my local Apple store (where I bought all my other Apple stuff), I'd have taken it back for repair/exchange. Live and Learn - I won't do that again.

Whatever you buy, be it a Touch or a iPhone SE, I'd suggest dealing directly with Apple if the drive isn't a deal breaker for you.