iPod touch viewed as in final stage of product life cycle - Page 2

"iPod touch viewed as in final stage of product life cycle"

Someone needs to stop sniffing glue. Either that or AppleInsider is trying to troll for people to post because their advertisers are not seeing enough hits. There is no way that the iPad Mini will, in ANY way be a sign that the iPod Touch is going to be discontinued. If anything, the price point for the new iPad shows just the opposite. It showed that the Touch is so strong as to let them keep the price of iPad Mini at the higher price point.

I feel like a complete broken record! The kids/poor mans iPhone is getting old.  The iPod Touch also has a group of people that use it exactly like a smartphone.  I have been doing almost all my personal and some professional email through an iPod Touch for the past four years.   Now I do a good portion of text messaging through iMessage as well. Why would I pay for a dataplan when I pay for home internet and have wifi at work? I love the convenience of the apps on the iPod Touch but I have zero intention of paying a monthly fee to enjoy it. My iPod Touch is almost always on my person right next to my simple Samsung feature phone.  If one battery dies I have the other.  The new iPod Touch has been fantastic already.  The camera takes fantastic quick photos when I need information off the back of a server.  I am not saying my use is typical nor a huge demographic but we are still here.  I could easily afford the data plan I just don't see the point in wasting the money for it.

1- If you have multiple Macs and iOS devices- iTunes Match is a no brainer

 

2- See number 1- so this nullifies number 2.  And if they steal music or borrow from friends- then they DEFINITELY need iTunes Match!

 

3- You are obviously very out of touch or being unrealistic about space and what all you can fill on 8gb of data.  2 4gb videos?  What do you have- 1080p HD?  Because all SD ones are 1-2gb (2gb max)- that's through iTunes.  If you're coding your own for a small iDevice and your coding it at 4gb- you're crazy and get, literally- zero benefit.

Videos you take with the device fill up space quickly, yes.  Photos arent terrible by any stretch, and Apps aren't terrible either- particularly Apps that are not productivity apps (my 3 largest are iWork apps- 1gb total between the 3.  But kids and wives don't have that).  I'm not saying you or I wouldn't need more memory- 8gb wouldnt cut it for me- at all.  16gb is fine, 32 is preferred.  But 8gb is more than enough for a large amount of the population (The population that has a couple hundred songs, maybe a movie, check e-mail, surfs the web, uses facebook, iMessage, twitter, instagram, etc.).  Thats a HUGE amount of the iPhone, iPod and iPad population btw...

Then why'd you say $70?

 

It's 70, minimum, for the phone in its own right. If the kid wants an iPhone and the parents have to adapt their plan for it, that's the cost incurred.

 

And in the example I mentioned, $40 per phone and then $60 on top is with three phones. Split that equally and it's $60 each. That's Verizon, at least.

Sure hope not - iPod Touch is the way I access iPhone technology without having to pay the

ransom of monthly cellular fees.  

Nope.

 

 

Why does AI bother posting this crap from this so called analyst? An analyst with a track record that sucks in reality.

The Mini will not materially impact the Touch due to the devices serving completely different markets. Honestly it comes down to how well the device fits in a pocket.

 

Okay, we'll have to normalize our plans, then.

It could get more space. And more importantly the new lighting connecter.

Like someone said earlier, Apple doesn't need my comments to succeed or fail. I personally like my iPad 3rd version, albeit of course I'd like a fourth generation because its faster. I also will grab an iPad mini because I really like the size, there are times I find the current iPad size too large, where a smaller screen would suit me better and an iPhone is still too small for tome things.

That being said, I too wonder why the iPod touch was updated, or if it'll remain a viable product when compared too the iPad mini. If it had been my decision, of course I'd still make the new iPod touch as its a nice alternative compared to the iPhone but in comparison to the iPad mini, seems over priced now. I wonder if or when Apple will lowers the price on the iPod touch? It's a bit pricey in the lineup, IMHO.

One parting thought or question, no one seems to bring up, is that the storage apace of the iPad continues to be topped at 64 GB's. I for one would LOVE to have more space, as I'm limited to room on it currently, even with storing documents in the cloud, apps continue to grow in size and we all seem to be buying more and more we want on our devices. That and upping the download over LTE would be nice too. Free wifi is abundantly available, sure, bit it's habitually slower than LTE speeds these days. A 100 MB file is easily down in no time on our super-fast LTE services...
Edited by cgmpowers - 10/24/12 at 1:25pm

 

 

What is this iPod Touch of which you speak? Do you mean the new iPad Nano?

 

 

They aren't. The parents can also put their old iPhones on prepaid plans and not to be an ass, but a lot of the kids don't seem to mind Android which is also much more available on prepaid plans. The nature of the market that helped bring about the iPod Touch has completely changed. Kids used to have their "texting" cell phone but now they want an iPhone/Android that is passed down or other providers don't mind offering inexpensive new Android phones. When Samsung lost their case to Apple, the most profitable model they sold was a prepaid Android phone here in the U.S.

 

Phones like this are available for $35-45 a month depending upon the provider. PagePlus has a very nice $30/$55 plan that I've seen loads of older Android phones go on. I've got an iPhone 3GS on a plan with Airvoice for $10 a month that will probably be going to one of my boys for Christmas. Used iPhones and especially used Androids are going for less than the new iPod which starts with year old technology. The point is that year old technology in smart phones has often depreciated in price down to $300 or less. I've also heard plenty of younger (than me) folks mention the T-mobile plans which start at $30.

 

You are right that many won't spring for full plans and brand new phones but the pace of progress has been so fast that even older technology is still adequate. We have to believe this because that is what Apple is still selling in the iPod Touch and what they just introduced in the "brand new" iPad Mini.

 

 

It can be even less than that if the parents simply find a way not to add data. There are all manner of folks on Craigslist advertising services for folks that are not tech savvy with regard to jailbreaking, flashing, etc. We are assuming the kids need data plans. Many parents might just be handing them a SIM and an older phone and we adults are wondering why all the kids are at Starbucks and McDonalds after school.

 

 

You are 100% right that it does provide a nice and also inexpensive alternative. The reality is that Apple hasn't seemed much interested in inexpensive alternatives the last couple years. Prices are drifting up and each time we are told the design and specs warrant the increase and they will forgo the cheaper customers.

 

 

Straight Talk is $45. T-mobile is $30. Airvoice can be as cheap as $10. Both my boys have smartphones on PagePlus right now for $12 a month. They don't get unlimited everything but they do get a device that does more than an iPod which can only use wifi. Both of them still own iPod's though because we are a Apple family. However both have discussed selling their iPods or trying to get down to one device even with limited service. They are no different than the adults there. Less to charge and less in the pocket.

The iPod touch has a lot of room, however it probably with a price drop go further than said however it might lose costumes for the iPod nano which is just a few steps from matching it. The iPods are closer to there final stage than iPhone, yet will continue for years.

Exactly this statement is 100% incorrect not all people have the money to get an iphone because of the contract and data plan. I don't believe that the iPad mini will affect iPod touch sales drastically but their are still people that want a device that can fit inside of their pocket.

You are aware that Apple sell the 4th Gen iPod touch for $199 with 16GB or $249 with 32GB

8GB (6ish useable) is insufficient these days, 16GB is a minimum (14ish useable). A video (my HD movies average 2.7GB in size but these are also served to iPads and Apple TV's in 720p) a few albums and a couple of apps (most modern games are 300mb -1GB these days) is all you are going to get on the touch with 8GB. Of course, Apple know this, thats why storage starts at 16GB.

The iPod Touch doesn't have a cellular radio and therefore doesn't need the battery to drive a cellular radio. That's why it can be thinner. That's not rocket science. 

Any links to his 'strong track record in relation to Apple's future plans?'. I'm not sure I buy this. I think the iPad Mini will sell well, but I have a really hard time seeing it replace something that fits in your pocket.

Besides, Apple gets the iPod touch pretty easily because of the R&D they put into the iPhone. There are thousands of new apps released for it every year and it's staying up to date because of that. I can't imagine them getting rid of it. Not everyone wants/needs or can afford an iPhone.

I just don't see this...

… erm, I thought Apple was prepping to break into the point & shoot camera market with the iPod Touch? Hence the loop?

 

The Touch fits nicely in Apple's product line. Small enough to fit in your pocket, big enough to have comfy facetime calls with other Apple devices. If I were Apple I'd make the Touch the flagship of the iPod line up. They somehow need to figure out a way to add GPS to the Touch.

Haha :D That sounds like me: iPod Touch 5 + Samsung feature phone from 2007 (before they went evil).

 

Really. This is 2012. Who is making phone calls? I'm using facetime and skype (to non Apple devices).

 

The touch finally received a decent camera and I'm considering one for that reason alone. In Canada cell phone contracts are 3 years long so the only old iPhones available in any great quantity are 3G and 3GS: slow, barely supported by the current OS (or not at all), non-retina display, crap camera, worn out battery. Not very appealing. The touch is much smaller and lighter than an old iPhone and its screen is almost as good as the current iPhone.

 

The iPad mini was clearly designed to be a lighter iPad rather than a semi-pocketable device like some claim the Nexus 7 is. It's no threat to the iPod touch the way old iPhones are in places with shorter contract periods. 

 

I still cannot understand why Apple went with a 16:9 screen on the new iPhone and touch. The TV commercial they have showing the range of motion of a thumb makes it abundantly clear that the screen is the wrong shape. If your thumb can reach the top of the current 4" screen then it could reach the right edge of a screen 3/8" wider. I've done the same experiment myself. I can't reach the top of the new 4" screen without a small change in grip, but without any change I could easily reach the edge of a screen 1/4" wider. For my hand the perfect screen size for one handed operation would be 1080x720. Interestingly enough that screen would also be 4" on the diagonal, but at the ratio Apple previously decided was best 3:2.

I would never buy a 600€ phone to my children. A 300€ media player is a lot but more realistic. To compare the Touch and the iPad mini is stupid. Apple didn't introduce colour in this line of iPods just to stop it next year.

In my family iPad mini is already cannibalizing iPod touch purchases. I would assume it will in other households as well.

Good points. I guess I was looking more at women who don't play games or stay-at-homers. But I'm sure plenty would buy an 8gb that shouldn't, and would hurt the experience.

Yes. I'm aware of the over two year old model running an A4 with 256mb ram. I'm also aware of that same product where they feel its ok to charge $50 for the same thing they charge every other line $100.

You and I were both wrong about the name "iPhone 5" (I still dislike it and consider it the dummying down of Apple to appease bloggers and ignorant customers), and the existence of iPad mini.

Either way, I'd say that Apple is changing as a company, and your rigid outlook as to how people should use the products isn't necessarily so obvious or even known yet. No one has even purchased an iPad mini yet...

As I said in my previous post, my family will be buying iPad minis for my brothers now, not iPod touch.

 

It absolutely is. Apple themselves have said so.

 

 

Sure, but people have bought existing 7" tablets, and they don't want them. They want iPads. I'm gonna need something better than "it's going to work because it's Apple" to have my mind changed this time.

Well, if Apple's conjecture that the extra inch makes it an iPad ends up being true, then I will be pleasantly surprised. All I know is, my family is spending more than they would have on an iPod touch, and my girlfriend wants an iPad mini instead of an iPad now.

My take is that Apple is really taking a small revenue hit now as a gambit to increase revenue long term, as they have learned the value of the halo. In other words, people who were thinking about a 7-inch tablet will go for an iPad mini now, only to later buy other hero products like iPhone, MacBook Air or a bigger iPad.

 

I like your optimism. I just hope the opposite isn't true; they're so turned off by the unusability of a small tablet that they write off the idea of a tablet altogether.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/10/23/forget-education-the-big-play-with-the-ipad-mini-is-video-advertising/

Check out this article. You may have already read it, but I think it's the most (and perhaps only) insightful Apple-related news article I've come across in awhile. What are your thoughts on it?

Also, when did Apple admit to dummying down the product naming scheme, as you mentioned above?

 

An interesting take, and one that, from an advertiser's standpoint, makes decent sense. But I do think they're missing a big point in that Apple doesn't really care about advertisers. Apple isn't Google, whose customers are the advertisers and product is the people. Apple makes for people first, which is why iAd isn't anywhere near the platform it would be if it was meant as anything but an excuse to keep Google away from iOS. If you read the article with the thought that it was written for Google to read and see where they're going so wrong with their platform in this regard, it takes on an entirely different feel, and one that I think is more valid than trying to see the industry from Apple's perspective.

 

Oh, and that was… I don't know the time; it was in the keynote. Phil showed that Apple considers each handheld device's release to be a new generation, period, which doesn't really say much other than proving my take on that whole issue was correct. Interestingly enough, he also stated, period, that they don't view the Mac lineup in the same way, which shows they're still viewing it the same as they always have. I thought that was pretty cool to see. 

This is simply not true. Itunes Match will store any music you have in your library (up to the limit of 25000 songs).

No. Some people want a product smaller, thinner and lighter than iPad Mini and iPod Touch is a product for them. I do think that Apple should continue to invest significant resources in iPod Touch.