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iPod touch Is the future of the iPhone the iPod touch?

S

swingerofbirch

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Original poster
Oct 24, 2003
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The Amalgamated States of Central North America
I was thinking about something. The iPad has a more powerful processor than the iPod touch, larger screen, plus a 3G sim card option, all at a price that isn't orders of magnitude greater than an iPod touch or iPhone.

Yet, the price of an iPhone at 199 is still far greater than that of an iPad due to the minimum $2,000 chain ball attached to it with ATT. With the iPad, the price is unsubsidized, yet still low. Couldn't Apple come out with a relatively inexpensive, unsubsidized iPod touch with 3G sim card slot? You could pay for data and use it for VOIP wherever 3G is available. Or at this point come out with an unsubsidized iPhone for that matter with pay as you go service, since it seems like the hardware costs have come down a lot (as evidenced by the iPad). I suppose the only difference between those two hypothetical beasts is that one would get 3G data and one would get 3G data and voice service (I'm not sure what that means hardware wise).

Maybe other people have said this, I was just thinking about it this morning, as my next Apple purchase will likely be the next iteration of the iPod touch.
 
I think that all the reasons that you gave for it happening are the reasons why it wont.
Yes it would mean that you would pay less money. But that also means that Apple would receive less money. Not something that they would be happy to do.
 
miles01110 said:
The iPhone is a phone. The iPod touch is an mp3 player that has other uses as well. People who need a phone generally buy an iPhone, people who don't need it will be served quite well with the iPod touch.
Click to expand...

Granted it is only opinion, but calling the the iPod Touch an MP3 player with other uses a bit narrow minded. I think the iPod Touch is a Pocket computer that also can serve as an MP3 Player. If anything, the iPod Touch is more of a pocket iPad than it is a phone, or a simple MP3 player.

At the time of the Touch's release, consumers wanted a wide screen ipod, with touch screen controls (according to Apple). That is exactly what Apple released, and bundled in some other features. When Apple introduced Mail, and the App store, the iPod Touch transitioned from being a feature rich iPod, to a genuine pocketable computer. At the time of it's release, the concept of a pocket computer likely wouldn't have sold well, but marketing it as feature rich iPod made it instantly recognizable, and successful.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple introduce more features to the iPod Touch after the iPad is released, and re-brand it the iPad Pocket, or something similar.
 
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840quadra said:
Granted it is only opinion, but calling the the iPod Touch an MP3 player with other uses a bit narrow minded. I think the iPod Touch is a Pocket computer that also can serve as an MP3 Player. If anything, the iPod Touch is more of a pocket iPad than it is a phone, or a simple MP3 player.
Click to expand...

Sure- it's not really important how you classify the touch, really. It's hard to argue that the iPod touch could replace the functionality of the iPhone, but it's nothing to go in the opposite direction. The iPod touch is not an iPhone replacement... because the iPhone is a phone :-\
 
miles01110 said:
Sure- it's not really important how you classify the touch, really. It's hard to argue that the iPod touch could replace the functionality of the iPhone, but it's nothing to go in the opposite direction. The iPod touch is not an iPhone replacement... because the iPhone is a phone :-\
Click to expand...

I agree with that 100%!
 
the future is pure data so what the OP said is true if the ipod touch had 3G and you just paid for data then it would by far replace the iphone the only reason it's not happening is because the networks scared of VOIP
 
miles01110 said:
Sure- it's not really important how you classify the touch, really. It's hard to argue that the iPod touch could replace the functionality of the iPhone, but it's nothing to go in the opposite direction. The iPod touch is not an iPhone replacement... because the iPhone is a phone :-\
Click to expand...

Ironically, speaking to an AT&T call centre support rep friend of mine, it seems as though the phone app is the weakest link in the iPhone experience.

Personally, I view the iPhone and the iPod touch as simply two different tiers in a single product line. I find it misleading to say that either the iPhone could be an iPod touch replacement, or vice versa, when at their core they are essentially the same product, but sometimes with extra features added on.
 
goosnarrggh said:
Ironically, speaking to an AT&T call centre support rep friend of mine, it seems as though the phone app is the weakest link in the iPhone experience.

Personally, I view the iPhone and the iPod touch as simply two different tiers in a single product line. I find it misleading to say that either the iPhone could be an iPod touch replacement, or vice versa, when at their core they are essentially the same product, but sometimes with extra features added on.
Click to expand...

Yeah right. Who uses an iPod touch that already has an iPhone? Why would you?
 
No. iPhone is not equals to iPod touch or iPad.

The iPad is more of the future of the iPod touch, IMO.
 
I would say the future of the iPod touch is the iPhone.

Mobile device convergence is the future.
 
There is a 3G version of the iPod Touch, it's called the iPhone. Here, in the UK networks charge around £300-350 for it. If you want the iPhone 3GS, closer to the speed of the newest iPod Touch, than it's around £440. Apple must know that there are so many consumers who would not consider the iPhone, if the iPod Touch was better specced, that I think they intentionally didn't put a camera in the Touch with the last update.

But I always wondered, why nobody manufactured an add-on battery for the Touch that had at least a built-in camera with a GPS module. Or a USB/SD port. Is it Apple's refusal to licence them or allowing the software sold in App Store?

Personally, I think the 3G is pretty expensive for what it is. I agree with the Thread Starter that the next time, I will just buy an iPod Touch. But first, I will sell this iPhone. There is something immoral about spending this much for a phone that is not a very good one in making phone calls (I still use my Nokia 6300 for that) and as we know, the battery life is really poor.

The iPad is a different matter. Albeit it can be seen as an oversized Touch, the size defines its usage. To listen to music as an iPod, it is almost as good as a laptop. So, not really. You can do it, but it's too large for that. In fact, any iPod is better for music on the move. However, for e-books, despite the unfit screen, an iPad beats any iPod.

You can have an iPhone or an iPod Touch AND an iPad; and have good use of both. Once you got an iPhone, it is silly to have an extra Touch. But as I said, I use my Nokia for calls and I have a dedicated Garmin unit in my car. For me, it's only the free mobile internet usage that justifies having the iPhone. Otherwise, I would have already sold it. The difference between the used iPhone and a new iPod Touch would go towards a tablet. It might be an iPad, I haven't made my mind up.
 
saudansari said:
Yeah right. Who uses an iPod touch that already has an iPhone? Why would you?
Click to expand...

You are totally misconstruing what I was saying. I was not trying to suggest that somebody would ever own both an iPod touch and an iPhone.

I was trying to imply that you could start out your purchasing decision by deciding that you want a device with the features in the general class of a "iPhone OS" device -- that is, either an iPod touch or an iPhone.

Having made that decision that you want a device with the general capabilities offered by an "iPhone OS"-type device, you would subsequently decide which tier of the product line you're interested in - either the baseline tier (the iPod touch) or the phone-enhanced tier (the iPhone).
 
I started out with a G1 touch- in fact I still use it every day. I held out on getting an iPhone for a long time because I have a blackberry from work (although it's totally neutered by IT) and didn't need the phone component of the iPhone. I did however, really want access to the Internet outside of my wifi network.

I was hoping for a 3G enabled touch- as it would have been the perfect complement to my situation. A month to month AT&T data subscription like that offered with the iPad would have been perfect. I don't see this happening for the Touch anytime soon though due to it's potential impact on the iPhone. The iPads size certainly impacts it's portability - and therefor usefulness of 3G (still very useful but in much more limited situations).

I finally gave up and got an iPhone last year - and love it. As expected, I've got more rollover minutes than I know what to do with but i knew that going in.
 
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