Apple unveils 64GB iPod touch with faster processor for $399
With a huge library of titles, Apple pushed the iPod touch and iPhone as the definitive mobile gaming platform Wednesday as it announced a new 64GB iPod touch priced at $399.
In addition, a 32GB offering will be available for $299, and an 8GB option for $199. Apple executive Phil Schiller noted that the $199 is a "magic price point," so the 8GB option with lower component costs was used to hit that pricing sweet spot.
"At just $199 the iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to Apple's revolutionary App Store with more than 75,000 applications that you can wirelessly download right into your iPod touch," said Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "You get a great iPod, a great pocket computer with the industry's best mobile web browser and a great game player, all in this super-thin beautiful enclosure."
The 32GB and 64GB models will have the ability to run Open GL ES 2.0, and have up to 50 percent faster performance. Reusing last year's tagline, the iPod touch is dubbed "The funnest iPod ever."
Apple highlighted a number of high-profile upcoming releases, including Aassassin's Creed 2 (a sidescroller from Ubisoft), Riddim Ribbon (a rhythm game from Tapulous), Nova (a first-person shooter from Gameloft), and one of gaming's largest franchises: Madden NFL 2010 from Electronic Arts.
In its presentation, Apple boasted that the iPhone OS has 21,178 game and entertainment titles available, while the Nintendo DS offers 3,680 and the Sony PSP only 607. In addition, Schiller noted that titles on competing platforms cost between $25 and $40, compared with many budget-priced titles available on the iPod touch and iPhone.
Schiller noted that the iPhone OS is the only mobile gaming platform to offer a multi-touch interface, the ease of purchase via the App Store, and the inclusion of iPod multimedia functionality.
The presentation also pushed the iPod touch as a "pocket computer." Touting the device's ability to surf the Web, check e-mail, manage calendars, organize contacts, and access popular Web sites like Facebook and Twitter, Apple also unveiled iPhone OS 3.1 for the device, bringing App Store recommendations.
The lack of a camera on the new iPod touch is surprising, as third-party cases for months have shown a camera hole on the device. But as reported by AppleInsider days ago, it is believed that hardware issues with the camera caused the capability to be scrapped.
In addition, a 32GB offering will be available for $299, and an 8GB option for $199. Apple executive Phil Schiller noted that the $199 is a "magic price point," so the 8GB option with lower component costs was used to hit that pricing sweet spot.
"At just $199 the iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to Apple's revolutionary App Store with more than 75,000 applications that you can wirelessly download right into your iPod touch," said Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "You get a great iPod, a great pocket computer with the industry's best mobile web browser and a great game player, all in this super-thin beautiful enclosure."
The 32GB and 64GB models will have the ability to run Open GL ES 2.0, and have up to 50 percent faster performance. Reusing last year's tagline, the iPod touch is dubbed "The funnest iPod ever."
Apple highlighted a number of high-profile upcoming releases, including Aassassin's Creed 2 (a sidescroller from Ubisoft), Riddim Ribbon (a rhythm game from Tapulous), Nova (a first-person shooter from Gameloft), and one of gaming's largest franchises: Madden NFL 2010 from Electronic Arts.
In its presentation, Apple boasted that the iPhone OS has 21,178 game and entertainment titles available, while the Nintendo DS offers 3,680 and the Sony PSP only 607. In addition, Schiller noted that titles on competing platforms cost between $25 and $40, compared with many budget-priced titles available on the iPod touch and iPhone.
Schiller noted that the iPhone OS is the only mobile gaming platform to offer a multi-touch interface, the ease of purchase via the App Store, and the inclusion of iPod multimedia functionality.
The presentation also pushed the iPod touch as a "pocket computer." Touting the device's ability to surf the Web, check e-mail, manage calendars, organize contacts, and access popular Web sites like Facebook and Twitter, Apple also unveiled iPhone OS 3.1 for the device, bringing App Store recommendations.
The lack of a camera on the new iPod touch is surprising, as third-party cases for months have shown a camera hole on the device. But as reported by AppleInsider days ago, it is believed that hardware issues with the camera caused the capability to be scrapped.
Comments
And video? Does the new touch have video, just like the nano?
Shocking as it may seem, it looks like video on the touch is a no-go...
Shocking as it may seem, it looks like video on the touch is a no-go...
crazy, those technical issues must have been horrible...
I wonder what went wrong?
crazy, those technical issues must have been horrible...
I wonder what went wrong?
nothing went wrong, you have to consider Apple and their margins
crazy, those technical issues must have been horrible...
I wonder what went wrong?
I have no idea. But I have a feeling Steve is going to make heads roll because of it.
Shocking as it may seem, it looks like video on the touch is a no-go...
That was shocking. Clearly they want to force you to "trade up" to an iPhone or "trade down" to a nano. Bad, bad move. Now they have to address a huge hole in their product offerings.
when I got my iPhone 3GS, I sold my 16GB Touch 2 anticipating camera and 16GB for a bit more, intending to hand that to my daughter.
Understanding that it was my own gamble (that apparently didn't pay out), but I now will end up either getting her just a Nano with camera (but without the apps she's gotten hooked on), or pay out a chunk more for what is merely a replacement for the touch I sold, with extra memory we don't need. No 16 GB? That really sucks.
I was ready to make an unnecessary upgrade for that ... really bummed.
Shocking as it may seem, it looks like video on the touch is a no-go...
FAIL. That was the only reason to upgrade.
I have no idea. But I have a feeling Steve is going to make heads roll because of it.
Yeah - this really does not look good. You had manufacturing issues with the Touch line, but proceeded with the nano. So now you have a less expensive option with video but no app store, and a more expensive one without video, but with the app store and the same processor as the iPhone.
I still don't believe that if they can make it in the iPhone, they can't in the Touch - I think something else is going on here (maybe they realized they would be cannibalizing iPhone sales?)
I wouldn't buy one of these until they get their story straight, since its liable to lose value in three months when they get the line-up right.
Shocking as it may seem, it looks like video on the touch is a no-go...
From the Apple Website (the store is down, but you can get to pages with new text but no images by going around the store).
"iPod touch lets you enjoy everything you love about an iPod, and then some. Watch your movies and TV shows on a brilliant 3.5-inch display. Use the revolutionary Multi-Touch interface to flick through your music in Cover Flow. And anytime you’re itching for more entertainment, just tap iTunes to browse and buy on the fly."
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/what-is/ipod.html
What about the FM radio on the Touch?
What, did we just return to 1982?
The Nano has the FM tuner.
Where the hell is the ipod touch with video camera?????
I guess they are positioning the touch as mainly a portable gaming device and not much more.
But Phil, on stage just now, admitted that the ipod touch is really a portable computer. Is this one of Steve's famous last minute product decisions? What the bloomin hell?
What, did we just return to 1982?
FM is on the new nano...