“The invites have been sent out, the blog posts have been written, and it’s time for the expected second-punch from Apple as the Cupertino-based company is set to update its product line up once more,” Ewan Spence writes for Forbes. “I can’t help but come back to that phrase ‘It’s been way too long‘ on the invites. It has been a very long time since the iPod Touch has been updated (the fifth generation was announced in October 2012).”
“While I don’t think the iPod Touch is going to die like the iPod Classic in September, the small specifications update in June to the 16 GB model accompanied by a slight price drop was probably the last hurrah for the line,” Spence writes. “A hurrah that should see it through the festive season, and not much further beyond.”
MacDailyNews Take: Okay, so Spence predicts the iPod Classic is on death’s doorstep.
“Launching an iPod Touch 6th Generation would keep the iPod Touch in Apple’s domain for another year, probably two. Does Apple need a standalone media player alongside its smartphones, tablets, ultraportables, and desktops? Does Apple still need a price conscious piece of iOS hardware to act as an on-ramp into the ecosystem? Does Apple still want to be in the media player business when there is no apparent growth in the iPod market? Can you justifying saying yes to each of those?” Spence writes. “I think I could. And it has been way too long…”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Okay, so Spence predicts an update for iPod touch that will keep it around for, potentially, years.
So which is it? Slow death or rebirth? Way to cover your bases, Ewan. All of them!
What do you think? Is the 6th generation iPod touch coming next week or not?
Don’t judge me.
Old iPhones, iPod Touches are the best Child Pacification devices at restaurants ever created.
Still wish Touches were a smidge cheaper.
iPod live forever
Yes 5.5 screen cal iPad Micro or Nano
YES! iPad Nano!
It might. But then again, it might not. I wonder what hannah thinks….
I think the iPod Touch line gets a big-time update. Those things are great—I know some folks even with Android phones also have iPod Touches, for themselves and for their kids. They use their Android phone mainly as a phone and do photos and games on the iPod.
I have an iPhone 6 and like an iPod touch with 128 GB just for music!
Great take, hannah. I second your big-time update thought.
If they come up with a 4.7″ screen I’ll buy one for sure. I just need a bigger screen for my non phone use.
iPod touch was great, but the price difference compared to a iPad mini is a no brainer. Another factor, the concern with parents is the strain on little eyes watching little screens – this makes yet another clear choice towards iPad mini.
I feel if the iPod touch were to live on – the price needs to drop significantly. If that can not be done; perhaps adding a Micro SD slot would help spur new sales. Otherwise, there is practically no reason to keep the device in production, other than… sales of it help component pricing for iPhone come down due to the size similarity etc. So – I think Tim and Co., will continue with iPod touch yet simply reduce the production numbers. And one last thing, now that there are two iPhone sizes, either a new size iPod touch could be rendered or the plus will have higher replacement costs. I am not Tim Cook, lets see what he does.
He who would cross the bridge of death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.
What is your name?
What is your quest?
Is the 6th generation iPod touch coming next week or not?
Blue….no, green! Ahhhhrrg
Apple needs to keep refreshing iPod touch’s because not every parent gives an 8yr old an iPhone. There is a need for a wifi only iDevice, and the iPod touch was my way into the iOS world back in 2009, and I would probably not have jumped into iPads and iPhones if it hadn’t been for the iPod that worked and had apps.
Exactly: the iPod touch is for kids. I have a niece whose parents bought her a cheap Android phone. But she also has an iPod touch for listening to music and watching videos.
The iPod touch is the gateway drug to the iPhone. I wouldn’t knock it.
——RM
Fantastic devices for kids yes, Face Time, messaging, gaming and music etc etc… but very pricy.
Not just Wi-Fi… iPod touch can be Bluetooth-only if you want an even lower-energy networking solution for kids. Bluetooth access points are available that plug directly into Ethernet and can support up to seven iPods at once.
With the increasing ubiquity of wifi, the iPod touch may be Apple’s strategic vehicle for quietly undermining the power of the telcos. They should not give it up just yet.
The 5th Gen iPod touch has one more year to go. It’s based on the iPhone 5, and frankly is still pretty darn good.
My kids have two of them and I can’t say they feel old or outdated. They are very current.
I HOPE for a new iPod Touch, one with 128GB, to hold my full iTunes Library. I have an old third generation iPod, 60GB, that is on its last legs. I LIKE having a dedicated device to play all my music throughout our house without any other missions or distractions or errant beeps and chirps. When I want to hear my music, that is ALL I want to hear, and a 128GB iPod Touch could do just that.
You should have grabbed the 160GB iPod Classic. It’s a terrific dedicated music player. I’ve never noticed any beeps or chirps transmitted over speakers but my hearing is only average.
I’ll consider an iPod Touch if it comes with a 64-bit processor and a larger display. The older Touch models seem a bit outdated and refurbished ones are very reasonable in price. The A5 processor is not obsolete by any means, but long in the tooth compared to all the newer Apple devices.
iPod Classic doesn’t have wifi, therefore it’s not a device he could use to “play music all throughout his house”.
128Gb? Is that all? There’s no logical reason why a Touch can’t double the capacity of a phone, as it doesn’t require all the telephony circuitry, so a 256Gb Touch would more than satisfy music lovers with either large music libraries, (mine is getting close to 200Gb, a friend has a lot more than that), or those who demand the highest quality, and only play music in Lossless.
An announcement that iTunes will, in future, offer tracks in Lossless, along with a 256Gb Touch would have real music lovers dancing in the aisles!
> “I can’t help but come back to that phrase ‘It’s been way too long‘ on the invites…
That “It’s been way too long” thing cannot possibly refer to a specific Apple product. That’s like Apple pointing out that one of its products has been languishing… It most likely refers to a general (common) experience, that has not changed meaningfully in a long time. For example, watching TV. It could have been used for the way people buy music (on physical media), before introduction of the iTunes Music Store.
I don’t think iPod touch will be updated this year. The current design was already “consolidated” (no more 8GB model without backside camera) with a price reduction (now $199 for the 16GB model) this year.
Next year, I think the current iPhone 6 (4.7-inch screen) will be used as the basis for a new iPod touch design. At the same time, that same iPhone 6 tech will be used for the new iPhone 6C, with a colorful case (not necessarily plastic). So, consolidate the design process; it would be more efficient.
Going forward, every two years, the “new look” iPhone from the year before (iPhone 6 for next year) is used to create BOTH the next “C” iPhone and the next iPod touch. They can have the same look. They both already have the colorful case theme. In the iPad lineup, the iPad model with cellular looks (mostly) like the WiFi-only model; they both use the same base design.
Call it the iPad Nano. The same pundits will fawn all over it.
Bring out an iPod touch that has LTE and Apple will certainly have a winner. Especially if it works with the WATCH
Interesting concept! I’d deal with that.
You are describing the iPhone 5c. I would say it’s been a winner.
They should instead release a super small, personal screen-less command unit that you keep in your pocket or on a belt clip. It would allow for iPod touches and iPads to act like iPhones and Apple Watches to work without iPhones. Macs would also get the iPhone continuity features.
Or, they could release it as a different type of watch… the cellular and A8 on one wrist, the AppleWatch with touch screen on the other.
I’m not describing the iPhone 5C at all.
I have zero interest in a phone. I get 5GB of data on my iPad for $35/mo. Through the same provider, I’d be looking at $110 for 4GB of data with a phone. $75/mo just to make phone calls… no thanks.
What you’re describing is how the carriers sell service, not differences in the device. In term of the device itself, an iPod touch with LTE is basically an iPhone 5c minus the phone app. The differences are too small for Apple to consider building one.
8GB iPhone 5C = $450 5GB data = $100+/mo.
(barely enough space to do an OS update)
16GB touch = $200 64GB touch = $299
I was pretty clear in my first post about what I’d like to see.
iPod touch LTE (compatible with WATCH) ≠ 8GB iPhone 5C
Yes, there will be a new iPod Touch. I will be buying one. 😀
“It’s been way too long…
1. …since the iPod touch has been updated.
2. …since the Mac mini has been updated
3. …for AppleTV to be just a hobby
4. …for the iMac/MacBook Air to be missing a retina display
5. …for Macs NOT to have iDVD for BluRay! ;-}
…for 4k iMac 85″ retina screens
Good list! #s 1–4 of the above would great. Bring it on!
If people buy enough of them, Apple will keep making them. It’s as simple as that.
I have a 2nd gen iPod touch that I still use for music and podcasts. I also take it on trips since it does e-mail, the web, and is small and portable.
What a great device!
If they do update the iPod touch, they will make one with the same size screen as the 6plus. It will be a gaming iPod. They will sell millions. Kids that aren’t old enough to have a phone will want the iPod touch plus!!
My iPod Touch is a great companion device for my iPhone 6. There are a number of apps that require 2+ iOS devices to work well. (Remote Camera Apps, Baby/Pet monitors, Remote Flash Fill, Bluetooth walki-talki, etc.) The ability to maintain a Bluetooth 4.0 link with my iPhone 6 works great in making my iPod work well as a VOiP phone too, letting me take my office phone with me when I want.