Recommendation for iPod Touch vs Refurb iPhone

[LotusLord]

My company uses several hundred iOS devices for sales and delivery and we are now planning on piloting a warehouse picking system. Our oldest hardware in the field now are iPhone 6. The question though is do we order iPod touches, despite their older hardware? Or do we order refurbished iPhone 6s or SE or potentially 7 and simply not activate the cellular? Storage requirements are minimal so 16 gig phones would be fine. What do you fine folks think?

 

[Bart Kela]

It really depends on the anticipated device usage pattern and work load.

You'd really have to install whatever software on the devices and try them out. Obviously the warehouse users won't be streaming video or playing games on their devices but battery life may be an important factor.

I have both the current 6th generation iPod touch as well as the iPhone SE. The iPod touch has terrible battery life compared to the excellent iPhone SE's battery life.

My suggestion is to try the iPod touch (32 GB model, $199). If the battery life is acceptable, then that would seem to be the way to go.

The other issue is that an iPhone without a SIM card will probably pop up a notification to insert a SIM card which might be a bit annoying. I actually have a second iPhone SE that I'm basically using as an iPod touch (no cellular plan), but I have an old deregistered SIM card in the phone, so there are no annoying SIM card notifications. If you go the iPhone route, you look into the availability of SIM cards without signing up for service.

 

[LotusLord]

Unfortunately the pilot involves 10-15 devices and covers just one of 6 locations that would be using the software. We're using a competing package in one of those locations now (we acquired that location and they were already using this software) on iPod touch. Most of them are older models and battery life hasn't been an issue but I have no idea what to expect from this new software, aside from it requiring iOS 11. Mostly I worry about support for newer versions of iOS going forward. If they continue to update this app and require the latest version of iOS who's to say Apple will support iOS 12 on the current touch even?

Your no SIM pop up is a good point though. I don't really want that either. However if this doesn't work out we can re-use phones with the delivery software, but couldn't do so with the iPod Touch.

 

[Bart Kela]

The iPod touch (6th generation) came in out July 2015, the original software was iOS 8.4.

It is supported on iOS 11, the fourth release. It is possible that this device would be supported on iOS 12, but it may run poorly. I have deliberately held back my iPod touch to iOS 10.

Considering that the software vendor is requiring the latest version of iOS, that seems to make the iPod touch a less viable choice for your particular scenario. It could soon be obsoleted by software or performance.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I think I would be tempted to use iPad minis probably refurbed ones, or even the new standard iPad they are cheap enough give far more screen space to work on for different eyesight and finger size and software.

 

[LotusLord]

I think I would be tempted to use iPad minis probably refurbed ones, or even the new standard iPad they are cheap enough give far more screen space to work on for different eyesight and finger size and software.

My only concern there is pocket-ability. These guys are loading cases and kegs of beer onto pallets and trucks. The smaller form factor allows them to pocket the device as they do the physical part of the job.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

My only concern there is pocket-ability. These guys are loading cases and kegs of beer onto pallets and trucks. The smaller form factor allows them to pocket the device as they do the physical part of the job.

I do get that it’s an easy thing to pocket, but it can also be fiddly for filling in forms or checking off items, they may need to constantly zoom in and out to read entries it has no multi tasking so they can have things open side by side.

For warehouse work I would go iPad it’s no worse thean the clipboards and paperwork they undoubtedly carry around now and a darn sight more useful.

 

[LotusLord]

I do get that it’s an easy thing to pocket, but it can also be fiddly for filling in forms or checking off items, they may need to constantly zoom in and out to read entries it has no multi tasking so they can have things open side by side.

For warehouse work I would go iPad it’s no worse thean the clipboards and paperwork they undoubtedly carry around now and a darn sight more useful.

In talking with operations and warehouse management anything larger than a phone would be too big.

 

[CrystalQuest76]

is the application just an optimized web interface? If so, save money and get an android type mobile device.
Save the money. Apple executives don't need the money.

 

[LotusLord]

is the application just an optimized web interface? If so, save money and get an android type mobile device.
Save the money. Apple executives don't need the money.

No it's a native app. We're all iOS for device management purposes in addition to the fact that until this app none of our developers have done anything on Android. This one is available on Android because the original developer started there, however our vendor acquired them and now they'll be developed in tandem. If by some chance this pilot doesn't go well we'd want to be able to reuse the devices, which we couldn't do with anything Android.