Apple today debuted a new, stripped-down iPod touch model, officially called “iPod touch 16GB Black & Silver,” on their online store and in Apple Retail Stores.
The model, which looks the same as the existing models, offers 16GB of storage, an ultraslim design, 4-inch Retina display, dual-core A5 chip, and Apple EarPods for US$229 and comes only in Black & Silver.
Beyond the one-color offering, differences between this new, stripped-down iPod touch and the previous members of the line include the lack of a 5MP iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording capability and no iPod touch loop in the box. The new iPod touch 16GB Black & Silver does, like all other iPod touches, offer a front-facing FaceTime HD camera with 720p video recording capability.
More info via Apple Store Online here.
Wow, a stripped down iPod. That’s superior innovation Apple! Who says Apple has lost its edge? I can’t wait for Apple to delete more features from existing products.
no need to be a dick…
No, really, I’m impressed. This is bold, daring, awesome, and audacious. A milestone in consumer electronics.
I myself am underwhelmed, too. Let others make the cheap stuff.
The trend should be a 32Gb for the price of this 16Gb and then even higher capacity at the top for the same price there. We seem to be stuck now for a long time in these low capacity chips. When is that going to change?
I think its great. Not everyone who gets an ipod touch needs all the extras. You still get the bigger screen and retina display but you lose the camera but you know i know lots of people who have never used the rear camera on the ipod touch. They dont want their ipod as a camera they want it to be a music player and game player. This is something my daughter would go for she doesnt care about the camera. You still get the front camera for facetime and skype if you want.
I think its great. Its not stripped down though. When i think stripped down i think cheap parts and slower processor less memory. And in the end if you really need the loop you can get them for $9 or you can find aftermarket ones even cheaper.
There’s always a method to Apple’s madness.
Just because it isn’t obvious to the loudmouth population, doesn’t mean a thing.
What is so plainly obvious beyond the deletion of features? How does a device that does less make it more appealing? Well, your up, Einstein.
Trial balloon…
Lead balloon.
Like the cheapo iPhone that will never happen, Apple has made a cheapo iPod to see how cheapo products will be accepted by Apple buyers.
This is a cheapo ippHone using Viper and a freedompop device with 500 mb free data monthly. Do your facetiming when on wifi.
* you’re…. Einstein.
At least they didn’t promote this. Or bring this up at a keynote.
No, because it’s flipping embarrassing. It a freaking WTF event.
You’re a moron. Apple did NOT replace ALL iPod touch models with this model. This IS the replacement for the previous low-end gen iPod touch (4th gen model) that Apple continued to sell, after the current 5th gen model was released.
Now, customers who want the A5 and bigger screen, but don’t care about taking photos and videos, can get this model. I’d rather have this iPod touch than the old A4 model with smaller screen.
Calling that asshole a moron is being way too generous. He’d need at least half a brain to attain that status.
It’s $70 cheaper than the 32 gig model and opens up the 4-inch version to a much wider market (such as for my kids, the last of which got stuck with an “older” 3.5 incher because I wasn’t going to drop $300 on something one of my kids plays with).
I think they’ll move a ton of these, and it’s obviously possible to sell it at this price point because they’ve now mass produced enough of the displays.
Why does EVERYTHING Apple does have to be an innovation? I can understand that if they actually called in the press to announce this thing that it would be underwhelming, but it’s a quiet update!
I actually like this option. I have three cars with iPod connections. I can fill up a device such as this and keep it in the car (hidden) with a ton of music for road trips. Not a huge expense, and lots of content. I don’t think Apple claims innovation here, simply another option. I happen to like it.
Really, Apple?
Happy to see it is possible to be critical… It is not a religion where to beleif is required
What an innovation!!!
Worrying…
Why is it worrying that Apple released a scaled-down version of an existing product at a lower pricepoint to catch the in-between of a Nano and the current 32GB Touch? I don’t understand what the big deal is. They’re not touting it as innovation. It’s a quiet update. That’s all.
That’s the point. Where is Apple’s touted superior innovation? I certainly hope WWDC has something of interest to report.
I’m sorry, but since when is every Apple release innovative? Was the 128GB iPad innovative? Are minor specs bombs to Apple TV innovative? Just be patient and don’t freak out because Apple plugged a gap in its lineup with a MINOR release.
WWDC is right around the corner, kiddo. Don’t flip out over something minor.
This may not make sense to some (like the first poster), but I can see how a lot of people could appreciate. Lots of folks buy iPods for their kids, even very young ones. They don’t all need to be armed with a camera since they might lack the appropriate discretion in what not to photograph around the house while they’re playing games and listening to music; not to mention the was storage and time spent deleting those photos after a sync. As for the color, who cares–most people use a case or skin anyway.
It can’t take snaps but it can take video. Still images are less preferred by children than full action video.
This doesn’t make sense to the majority of commenters. Since you have access to the oracle of Apple, please explain the purpose of this newly marketed iPod. Perhaps you can shed some light or perhaps you are just a clueless fanboi who believes every decision dictated from Apple’s hierarchy is divinely inspired.
Who cares if it doesn’t make sense to the majority of commenters? What are you, a merchandising expert? You’ve done all the market research? You’ve seen the sales numbers on how the different models of iPod touch break done?
You’re the one being so critical smart guy – perhaps you can shed some light on why it’s such a bad idea, or perhaps you’re just a know-it-all that thinks you know better than everybody else.
Your a known Apple Hater and a TROLL macfreak, you troll this site to push your Apple hate.
In any case you need to be ignored by the other posters since you strive for hits by your Anti-Apple Bias.
You do need help for that severe mental disorder that’s afflicting your every thought, it’s consumed you to the point that your just a Poor Failed Comedy Routine.
So the standard model touchsells for $299, it has a better front and rear camera and twice the memory (32GB vs 16GB) of the stripped down model for only $70.00 more. BAD Apple.
Honestly, WHO at Apple decides the name for things? It’s just getting to be a mess. Oh wait…apparently it’s no one.
Even the fanboy in my doesn’t understand this release. Who is this for? I would have thought the rear-facing camera is far more important to most iPod touch users than the front-facing FaceTime camera. Same size, same weight (2 grams lighter)… $70 savings for half the storage and no front facing camera? I don’t get it.
I suspect that the intended market for this device will be more obvious once Apple has spilled the beans about what it’s going to do for TV watching.
This iPod looks like it’s designed to be a universal remote control with FaceTime abilities ( or for sensing gestures ).
Looks like MDN isn’t out of you today Jerkstore, you’re their best seller…
A brilliant move. Experiment with feature reduction and price points to see how the market reacts. Don’t make a fuss about it. Learn from it and apply what you learnt by creating a cost reduced iPhone. Getting the price/ feature combination right can reach a new target market
From the responses here it seems that the vast majority are not favorably impressed. So, who is the target market then? The gullible, the uninformed?
“The gullible, the uninformed?” The troll? Sounds like the new iPod is right up your alley MF.
In six months of neutral sales Apple will recognize the error of its ways.
The target market is kids and their parents, dipshit. I can see it clear as day. Preteens use iPod touches to play games, not take 5MP pictures and shoot 1080p video. Games, email, Messages, and Facetime.
Maybe you could stop trolling stupid know-it-all comments long enough to actually read what some people are telling you.
Majority of comments you have made does not equal majority of commenters.
Not.. very… competitive.
Competitive with what? I didn’t know anyone else made PMPs that mattered still. It’s pretty much iPod or nothing, except for the few people who will seek out an Archos simply because they refuse to buy an Apple device. And that is a very niche market.
I see this as a lower cost option for people who thought that $299 was too much, while likely providing Apple with better margins than the $299 iPod touch.
To help those who only see the new iPod as a product reduction. National retailers are buying iPods in large quantities for point of sale. The POS solutions add a sled to the back so no need for color or camera and need less memory since they typiclly only run a few apps. The new iPod lowers the cost for POS. You’ve likely seen these solutions that all started in the Apple retail stores.
Lot’s of babies on MDN today. I wonder what innovative things they are hatching to show-up Apple then.
I think that BLT has a great point and actually thought about a response instead of crying about a product that Apple introduced with no fanfare at all but from some of the responses on here you’d think this was supposed to be a big deal. I personally think this could be for education purposes. They’ll sell them in bulk like the eMac.
Wait for a real product refresh/introduction before coming unhinged people.
It’s the internets. People coming unhinged for no reason is par for the course.
after keeping silence of releasing new product for long time, is it what apple came up? apple is failed. how innovated it is!
What’s the weather like in Korea?
That just made my day! Thank you.
+23
Yeah, those new Samsung phones that are coming out that have smaller screens about the size of the iPhone 5? Now THAT is innovation!
Ah “edward”, we’ve missed you.
Google translate is still just as bad from korean to english as any other combination…
It’s the remote you’ll need for their upcoming TV product (for anyone who doesn’t already have an iPhone, iPad or iPod).
Jesus, MacFreek, relax. Take a deep breath, and don’t buy one. There. Problem solved. When you try to use this product as a bellwether for future Apple innovation, it makes you sound like a troll.
Because MF is a troll.
When Apple tweeks a product line this close to WWDC, I’ll reserve judgement until after the keynote. These “stripped down iPods” may very well be “premium game controllers”.
This is not a downgrade of the other models. This is a replacement for the old 3.5″. Compared to that model this is a legitimate replacement. Presumably that model was selling well enough that Apple decided it was worthwhile to replace it.
Like somebody above just said if you don’t like it, don’t buy it, there, fixed it for you.
I still want an iPod touch with GPS. 🙁
Apple frequently drops the price on the low end of a product line in order to make room at the high end for a new premium product. I predict a new iPod based on the new iPhone design (to be announced at WWDC) will fill the top spot of the product line.
It is beyond comprehension why Apple continues to fill every niche of the media player market (of which there is little real competition) but constantly refuse to admit that global phone buyers need variety as well (a market that has substantial competition and variety).
One point to make here is that a cell phone is much more complicated to design . . . . you’ve got more sensors and then a cellular radio.
Apple, so far, has built healthy margins on phones with highest quality materials by focusing its attention (and mass production) on one design per year (and really more like one design every two years).
It will eat at margins to have multiple sizes of phones. I think Apple probably looks at the big picture and says, “Do we want to harm our margins for the XX percent of the people who want a larger display? Or do we concede that market?
I think we have our answer so far, but as those numbers change so will Apple. Cupertino makes the best widget for the largest number of people. If you want something outside of that sweet spot, then you either have to deal with the smaller display or bolster the South Korean economy.
What you say is true, but Cook is making a strategic error if he allows iOS world market share to fall behind Google’s copycat store. In the long run, that’s where the profits are.
Also, it is interesting that during the D11 conference, one of the few things Cook actually shared with the public is that he thinks bigger screens involve too many compromises. The same week Apple drops the 3.5″ iPod Touch to instead offer a 4″ screen. That completely invalidates the BS line that Cook offered.
Say what you will about copycat Samsung, at least it lets the public decide what size device is right for them. Offering too narrow a range of products is almost as bad as offering too many. A company with Apple’s resources and supposed ingenuity ought to be able to do better to serve more customers much more profitably than buying back its own stock.
Lots of trolls out today.
A $70 price reduction is significant in terms of market reach (about 30 percent lower and still 16 gigs of storage is ample at this price point), and I’d be willing to bet the margins on this thing are very healthy with the mass production of 4-inch retina displays.
It’s not like Apple called in the media and did a huge keynote for this . . . . they quietly updated their store.
I I hadn’t already bought my kids the smaller 3.5 inch iPods this would have been a very welcomed development.
Everyone’s missed the point that not as much storage is needed with iTunes Match service when connected to wifi. Song downloads can be modified on the device while on wifi without a computer before leaving the house for a jog, trip, whatever. This may be aimed at people that already have a competitor’s phone armed with a great camera but still want iPod for their music. This is not inferior quality, just scaled for different subset of users/buyers. Lastly, i have a feeling that most on this site have mostly the latest and greatest and are forgetting mot everyone has their same wallet or credit card limits. Great move, Apple!
I understand some people don’t like the idea. Fine: they don’t have to buy it. But others may have different needs and interests. There is no reason to complain about every little thing Apple does unless you are a troll.
Think of this product as an “iPad Mini mini”. It is $100 less than — almost 30% lower than — the least expensive iPad mini. For those recently interested in Apple’s portfolio of products, this new line extension adds an important new price point and product offering to the portfolio.
Here are some thoughts on who might buy it. Some parents may want to get one for each of the kids so they don’t fight in the car on the trip to the lake house or Grandma’s, or so kids at summer camp can FaceTime home once in awhile. Roving sales clerks might prefer to use an iPod touch instead of an iPad to check people out, since it is much easier to fit in one’s pocket. Maybe some restaurants will want to use these iPod touches (instead of iPads) for menus, ordering, and payments? They are just another tool. I believe in “the hammer theory”: give kids a hammer, and they will figure out what to do with it. For customers in price-sensitive parts of the world, this product represents a fresh new (low) price point for a really powerful work tool. And educational device. And game player. And communication device. Why all the grousing?
There is a growing demand for a low cost interactive device for schools. Many companies now make voting and student response Apps that work with their interactive hardware. Such hardware is in over 60% of classrooms. This is a school product, much like the education iMac, but offered to a general audience. This is particularly suited for use as a home remote control device as well. Further, it sets a lower anchor for comparison of an inexpensive 16 GB iPhone, which will likely debut at $329. Apple knows what it is doing.
Maybe Apple needs all the sapphire production capacity for something more important than protecting a rear-facing camera.
Maybe Apple needs all available sapphire production capacity for something more important than a rear-facing camera.
Nice. Will probably sell well.