iPhones are not that expensive if you look around. I bought my mom an unlocked iPhone 5C for $240, and I got my dad an unlocked 5S for $380
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iPod touch The Future of the iPod touch
- Thread starter Yebubbleman
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iPhones are not that expensive if you look around. I bought my mom an unlocked iPhone 5C for $240, and I got my dad an unlocked 5S for $380
16gb.
Although my friend was originally wanting a 64gb iPod Touch, but ended up getting a 64gb iPhone 5 with a Bad ESN for $300 a while ago
Honestly, if I didn't care so much about my grandfathered unlimited data plan that I have on Verizon, I'd have ditched my smartphone last year, gone back to a dumb-phone and have gotten a second generation iPad mini with cellular and a decent data plan. I'd have done that and called it a day. Cellular on the iPad isn't anywhere near the rape it is on phones. It just isn't. And honestly, that's what makes all the difference in the world when comparing the prospect of owning an iPhone to the prospect of owning an iPod touch instead. Otherwise, I'd stash my fifth generation iPod touches where I keep all of the other tech gadgets that I own, don't use and am too sentimental about to get rid of and I'd be looking into a 64GB iPhone 5s to replace it with (sans a cell plan if need really be).
Cellular is what makes all the difference in the world. Both in terms of importance and, more importantly, in terms of price.
These days kids are given phones as soon as they start elementary school. It makes sense. Why give them a dumb phone and an iPod touch, when an iPhone, for them serves both needs. That is a consolidation that I can understand. Otherwise, if the iPhone is not to be used as a phone, it's almost too expensive to use as an iPod touch. It's much unlike Android where there are tons of decent phones that you can buy out of contract and use without a plan in iPod touch fashion. I may just switch to the combination of an iPhone Plus and an out of contract Android phone without a plan used as an iPod touch from my current combo of an Android phone and aging iPod touches.
I don't think the cannibalization is in the iPad, but rather the iPhone and the tendency to listen to music via streaming services that require constant data anyway. The idea of local storage playback devices as a primary means of playing music seems to be becoming increasingly uncommon. I don't think many people store the bulk of their music on their phone's storage; I think they use iTunes Match, Google Music, Spotify, Beats Music, Pandora, iTunes Radio, and anything similar to or in between that range of services instead, in which case a wi-fi only device is impractical. The only reason why I think the Wi-Fi only model iPads make sense where the iPod touch is starting to not (and it hurts me to even say that the iPod touches are starting to not make sense) is in that there are more tasks that are superior on a tablet form factor than on a phone that don't necessarily require constant connection.
To be fair, when it comes to pricing and how easy it is to buy one versus the other, that is the only difference that really matters. If iPhones were priced identically to iPod touches for OUT OF CONTRACT pricing, then there really would be no reason for the iPod touch to exist as it would be functionally redundant if not deficient in every possible way.
Not my kids.
That being said, I'm not naive enough to think that Apple is producing the Touch for me. I'm just saying why I prefer the iPod Touch. Beyond that, I don't see it as a reasonable compromise to either A) Find/buy a used iPhone and not activate it in place of a Touch, or 2) Buy an iPhone for $299 (64GB) plus $15 a month data fee to activate (+$360) instead of a new Touch for $299 (also 64GB).
But maybe that's just me.
Time will tell, but my guess is that you've identified the reasons that the Touch is dead even though the death certicate hasn't been made public yet.
A used iPhone is about the same cost as an iPod touch, can be less if you are buying something like the 4s that has nearly identical specs to the 5th gen touch, but a smaller screen. If you want the premium model like the 5s then yes you will pay more. If you go for a 5 or 5c the cost is nearly the same. Depends on where you buy too, eBay is a lot cheaper than Amazon for example.
Let's not forget that for at least 2-3 years now parents have been handing down their old iPhones to their kids so now kids are almost grandfathered into permanent iPhone upgrades whenever the parents upgrade.
As far as android phones you can get one that matches the specs of the 5th gen touch just with a lower quality screen and use it on wifi only. There are also large amounts of good android phones out there for cheaper prices than the touch if you want to go that route. The touch is nice but I am not sure if it's worth a $289 markup over the $10 android phone. Ok so you might have to spend a few bucks on a microsd card to get it up to 32gb but those are cheap these days. The android phone also has a removable battery and expandable storage which the touch does not. I have this phone so I know, and it definitely compares to the touch it just has a low quality screen that is the only downside to it.
The only difference for the touch as you say is parents can go to the store and buy one in a box give it as a gift and it's good to go. I see a lot of people on slickdeals buying them so people are still buying them .
Spring is not the time to release a new touch though, the touch is a holiday gift product so it should release in October or November. If it releases in the spring no one will buy it. People will not rebuy the touch a couple months later after buying it during the holidays
Let's not forget that for at least 2-3 years now parents have been handing down their old iPhones to their kids so now kids are almost grandfathered into permanent iPhone upgrades whenever the parents upgrade.
As far as android phones you can get one that matches the specs of the 5th gen touch just with a lower quality screen and use it on wifi only. There are also large amounts of good android phones out there for cheaper prices than the touch if you want to go that route. The touch is nice but I am not sure if it's worth a $289 markup over the $10 android phone. Ok so you might have to spend a few bucks on a microsd card to get it up to 32gb but those are cheap these days. The android phone also has a removable battery and expandable storage which the touch does not. I have this phone so I know, and it definitely compares to the touch it just has a low quality screen that is the only downside to it.
The only difference for the touch as you say is parents can go to the store and buy one in a box give it as a gift and it's good to go. I see a lot of people on slickdeals buying them so people are still buying them .
Spring is not the time to release a new touch though, the touch is a holiday gift product so it should release in October or November. If it releases in the spring no one will buy it. People will not rebuy the touch a couple months later after buying it during the holidays
Right, but family plans, which are common with a lot of families (not saying it is with yours) makes it so that your third, fourth, and so on lines are substantially cheaper per month. The family plan I'm on makes my bill $40 a month as I'm the third line.
And look, I'd much rather pay $300, even $400 for a no-strings-attached 64GB iPod touch than I would a $750 no-strings attached 64GB iPhone (non-Plus), each and every time. But I get the feeling, especially with the direction music services are taking, that Apple is only keeping the iPod touch (as well as the nano and shuffle) on life support.
Yeah, for sure. I'm hoping against hope that I'm wrong because I love the iPod touch, but I don't think I am.
Phones often take more severe beatings than any other consumer electronics device. Given that, used iPhones are often not the best idea.
The Moto G and Moto X are both fairly inexpensive out of contract and about as close as you can get to a non-Nexus mainstream stock Android phone and neither has all that bad of a screen. I'm considering getting one to replace my iPod touches (or at least be used alongside them more prominently for non-music tasks) and getting the next iPhone Plus phone to replace my S5.
Apple has, in the past introduced minor mid-cycle iPod touch updates in the Spring. The very first 32GB iPod touch and the rear-camera-less 16GB version of the 5th Generation iPod touch both come to mind.
No doubt. The people that really want it will buy it at normal price this spring, then Apple will lower the price of the iPod touch after a while, so the earlier it is released, the better.
And the touch 6 and the mini 4 will include the A8, since the 12.9in iPad plus will have the A9.
The people who want the touch for themselves will get it when it comes out but as far as the mass market goes those who are getting a 5th gen touch this holiday will probably be getting an iPhone next year since for kids the touch automatically leads to the purchase of an iPhone in at least 99% of the kids or adults who get them. The natural update from the touch now is the iPhone. At this point I would be very surprised if Apple releases a gen 6 touch but it's not totally out of the question.
Nintendo released the 3ds in the spring and it did horrible at the start though it was also very overpriced at the time but since people are still struggling after the holidays in feb and March it's just a bad time to release new products in general. End of summer or mid summer would be a better time before the kids go back to school because some may purchase the device for school as some schools require the touch or a comparable device for class.
I won't be buying another touch due to battery problems on 2 different models. The only way I would buy another touch is if its literately an iPhone without the cellular parts in it, with battery percentage and everything. I am convinced Apple uses an entirely different and far inferior charging algorithm for the touch vs the iPhone after experience with both devices and this completely kills the device for me. I cannot operate with a device that has huge drains in battery % in seconds and a device that reports a full charge in less than a half hour constantly even though it's clearly not charged according to a computer when it's plugged in. This results in the device reporting 20% or less battery in 20 min to 2 hours at the most which means it needs to be charged every time it reports in the red. I have not seen any of this behavior with an iPhone, not even close, it charges and drains consistently. The app that was causing my touch to go from full to red battery in less than 3 min only depletes my iPhone battery by 1-2% when it is used in exactly the same way as it was on the touch.
Again I have a $10 android phone with a removable battery that also charges and drains consistently, I would rather have that as my only device over a 5th gen touch that is guaranteed to develop battery problems after a short while if it doesn't have them right out of the box.
I will take a used iPhone even if it's scratched on the back and works perfectly over a glued together touch where the battery will be gone in 2 years and is very difficult to replace. Get an iPhone and the battery can be changed by a shop easily even if it's not perfect in a used phone.
Nintendo released the 3ds in the spring and it did horrible at the start though it was also very overpriced at the time but since people are still struggling after the holidays in feb and March it's just a bad time to release new products in general. End of summer or mid summer would be a better time before the kids go back to school because some may purchase the device for school as some schools require the touch or a comparable device for class.
I won't be buying another touch due to battery problems on 2 different models. The only way I would buy another touch is if its literately an iPhone without the cellular parts in it, with battery percentage and everything. I am convinced Apple uses an entirely different and far inferior charging algorithm for the touch vs the iPhone after experience with both devices and this completely kills the device for me. I cannot operate with a device that has huge drains in battery % in seconds and a device that reports a full charge in less than a half hour constantly even though it's clearly not charged according to a computer when it's plugged in. This results in the device reporting 20% or less battery in 20 min to 2 hours at the most which means it needs to be charged every time it reports in the red. I have not seen any of this behavior with an iPhone, not even close, it charges and drains consistently. The app that was causing my touch to go from full to red battery in less than 3 min only depletes my iPhone battery by 1-2% when it is used in exactly the same way as it was on the touch.
Again I have a $10 android phone with a removable battery that also charges and drains consistently, I would rather have that as my only device over a 5th gen touch that is guaranteed to develop battery problems after a short while if it doesn't have them right out of the box.
I will take a used iPhone even if it's scratched on the back and works perfectly over a glued together touch where the battery will be gone in 2 years and is very difficult to replace. Get an iPhone and the battery can be changed by a shop easily even if it's not perfect in a used phone.
Completely agree. And, for the kids who are one year younger on average than these kids, next year would be when they would want a iPod touch. And then that will be a stepping stone to an iPhone purchase. And, for the kids who are two years younger on average than these kids, in two years they would want a iPod touch. And then that will be a stepping stone to an iPhone purchase. There is definitely a need for the iPod touch hardware to stay up to date.
Hold on... now I'm confused. Can you explain your logic?
I also see a ton of kids here with the iPad mini, it seems either the iPad mini or the iPhone are replacements for the touch. The mini isn't too big, kids carry it in a case or mom puts it in her purse or stroller bag. I personally wouldn't want one for my usage but it's obvious that the mini is the perfect size for the 6-10 year old crowd that does not yet have an iPhone. The iPad mini absolutely has to stay in the Apple product line.
I could really go for that too. I have the same 5th gen iPod touch but 32GB, and a 5C. As phones seem headed to larger and larger sizes, and since I was really happiest with the size of the 4S as far as a phone goes, I've been thinking of reverting to a dumbphone next time and then an iPod touch. At first I know I could just use as a WiFi device some prev gen iPhone i already have, like the 4S or 5C, for music and a selection of video items, but I do like to have hardware that can still run latest software, so I'd rather there was still an iPod touch on Apple's shelves that will be keeping up with latest iOS offerings. i use a mini iPad or iPad for things that need larger screen real estate so this incursion of larger screens into the smartphone genre doesn't really appeal to me.
Of interest to me are rumors that Apple might bring a smaller 4-sized phone when they launch 6S cycle. I have no idea if there's anything to that, but I do know plenty people who liked the size of their 4S better than their 5, never mind 6, 6+. Surprise surprise, one size does not fit all. Now if only the makers of women's crew socks (5-9, gimme a break) would figure that out.
I love the touch and hope that Apple releases a new model.
Now that I'm done whistling in the wind, some reality:
You need to look no further than this forum. I'm in the habit of checking it once a day in the evening. Only a few months ago there would be about a half screen of updated topics displayed - perhaps 10 to 15 items. Activity is definitely down. Today there was a total of one topic (this one) with new activity.
Face facts folks - there are very few of us still interested. Sad but true.
Now that I'm done whistling in the wind, some reality:
You need to look no further than this forum. I'm in the habit of checking it once a day in the evening. Only a few months ago there would be about a half screen of updated topics displayed - perhaps 10 to 15 items. Activity is definitely down. Today there was a total of one topic (this one) with new activity.
Face facts folks - there are very few of us still interested. Sad but true.
Most touch owners are either children who don't visit this forum or adults who can't afford a smartphone. Again there are plenty of touches out there(but nowhere near the number of iPhone or iPad mini users), this forum is only a tiny sample of touch users.
Even if Apple does release a new touch in a couple months in 2 years they are unlikely to release another so you end up in the same situation as now as far as updates go.
Even if Apple does release a new touch in a couple months in 2 years they are unlikely to release another so you end up in the same situation as now as far as updates go.
Well I see no Touches at all out there in the wild - everyone in my country wants the latest Android phone or tablet (still see a few iPhones and iPads).
I see iPod Touches all the time. Heaps of kids have them and rightly so. Kids do not need iPhones.
If the iPod Touch was not selling at all, Apple would have discontinued them.
The only reason I think there is a drop in popularity is that Apple has not bothered to update them for so long. The iPod Touch 5 was already outdated by 1.5 years when it was introduced so no surprises there.
Also a new iPod touch is far more attractive than a parents old iPhone anyway. Especially if the iPod Touch does get updated with newer specs.
Yes. And another huge point: the iPod Classic was discontinued a few months ago. That leaves the iPod touch as the only high capacity standalone media player.
The touch will be upgraded, including 128GB options, in 2015. I'm guessing spring 2015.
No, it's dead - why would Apple want to continue with a profitless media player?
All their efforts are going into the watch.