Apple adds white iPod touch, drops price of 8GB model to $199
With Apple touting it as the most popular portable game player in the world, the iPod touch received a minor update on Tuesday, with a new white model available and a lower $199 entry price.
Apple boasted that the iPod touch now comes with iOS 5 and iCloud, as well as the traditional black color and a new white model. The 8GB model was previously priced at $229, but it has since been dropped to $199.
Pricing for the higher models remains the same, at $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB. With iOS 5, the iPod touch comes with iMessage, allowing for users to message with other devices like the iPhone and iPad, as well as the Game Center application with social networking and achievements.
"iPod has revolutionized the way we listen to music and with over 320 million sold is the world?s most popular music player,? said Philip Schiller, Apple?s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "iPod touch, now available in both black and white, is the best selling iPod ever, and with iOS 5 and iCloud it is better than ever."
Features of the new iPod touch, as highlighted by Apple, include:
Includes iOS 5, which includes over 200 new features including iMessage, Game Center, Notifications and Wi-Fi Syncing to iTunes.
iMessage brings the functionality of iPhone messaging to your iPod touch, so you can easily send text messages, photos, videos and contact information to an individual or group on other iOS 5 devices. It also allows you to easily maintain one conversation across all your iOS devices?for free?with notifications, read receipts and typing indication.
Game Center enhancements include the ability to add photos to your profile, purchase new games from within the Game Center app, and even easier ways to find friends and new games.
iPod touch also works with iCloud, Apple?s free cloud services, including iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content and push it to your devices. When content changes on one device, all your other devices are updated automatically and wirelessly.
Pricing & Availability
iPod touch with iOS 5 and iCloud will be available October 12 in black and white for a suggested price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple?s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
iPod touch requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later and iTunes 10 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 10.5 or later.
iOS 5 will also be available as a free software update for iPod touch (third and fourth generations) customers allowing them to experience the amazing new features including iMessage, Game Center, Notifications and Wi-Fi Syncing to iTunes.
AppleInsider was first to report back in July that Apple would release a white iPod touch while otherwise leaving the digital media player untouched.
Apple boasted that the iPod touch now comes with iOS 5 and iCloud, as well as the traditional black color and a new white model. The 8GB model was previously priced at $229, but it has since been dropped to $199.
Pricing for the higher models remains the same, at $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB. With iOS 5, the iPod touch comes with iMessage, allowing for users to message with other devices like the iPhone and iPad, as well as the Game Center application with social networking and achievements.
"iPod has revolutionized the way we listen to music and with over 320 million sold is the world?s most popular music player,? said Philip Schiller, Apple?s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "iPod touch, now available in both black and white, is the best selling iPod ever, and with iOS 5 and iCloud it is better than ever."
Features of the new iPod touch, as highlighted by Apple, include:
Includes iOS 5, which includes over 200 new features including iMessage, Game Center, Notifications and Wi-Fi Syncing to iTunes.
iMessage brings the functionality of iPhone messaging to your iPod touch, so you can easily send text messages, photos, videos and contact information to an individual or group on other iOS 5 devices. It also allows you to easily maintain one conversation across all your iOS devices?for free?with notifications, read receipts and typing indication.
Game Center enhancements include the ability to add photos to your profile, purchase new games from within the Game Center app, and even easier ways to find friends and new games.
iPod touch also works with iCloud, Apple?s free cloud services, including iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content and push it to your devices. When content changes on one device, all your other devices are updated automatically and wirelessly.
Pricing & Availability
iPod touch with iOS 5 and iCloud will be available October 12 in black and white for a suggested price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple?s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
iPod touch requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later and iTunes 10 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 10.5 or later.
iOS 5 will also be available as a free software update for iPod touch (third and fourth generations) customers allowing them to experience the amazing new features including iMessage, Game Center, Notifications and Wi-Fi Syncing to iTunes.
AppleInsider was first to report back in July that Apple would release a white iPod touch while otherwise leaving the digital media player untouched.
Comments
The real let down of the announcement was this, the iPod touch. And I though last year's touch was disappointing. White? Really? That's what iPt users get? I wouldn't have cared if they made it Zune-brown, just give it a little love. You know, for those of us that would like a capable iOS device in our pocket but aren't willing to get wallet-raped by a required two-year data plan.
Definately not the home run for new CEO Cook everyone was hoping for.
A Job-less keynote was bad enough. Cook needed all the help he could get, and he didnt. Now the stock is tanking.
For me the biggest let down was the Ipod Touch. White? White? No A5 to handle the nee demands of iOS5? And NO NEW CAMERA????? That is unforgivable. The old camera sucked balls. Seriously. It is soooo far behind even the crappiest disposable camera its not even funny.
There is a huge market for the ipod touch still. They could have made it a killer portable iOS/music device....and all they change is the friggin color? Blah!
Totally underwhelmed.
And I am not being a typical never satisfied Apple fan boy either. I usually am thoroughly satisfied with Apple...Bow-chikka wow wow! Lol
But seriously. White? Thats it?
No A5? How is the new ipod touch gonna handle the more demanding iOS 5?
And no camera update???? WTF? The old one is a JOKE! It has what? A HALF a mega pixel? You could get a disposable Happy meal digital camera with more megapixels. This is unforgivable, and not up to Apple standards at all. It wasnt a year ago...and it certainly not now.
Very underwhelming first keynote for new CEO Cook. Already had impossibly big shoes to fill...but the iphone 5 and a better ipod touch would have helped him alot.
Everyone seems to be in a tizzy about the iPhone 4S not being the iPhone 5... but that's just semantics. It's a new iPhone with substantial new features.
The real let down of the announcement was this, the iPod touch. And I though last year's touch was disappointing. White? Really? That's what iPt users get? I wouldn't have cared if they made it Zune-brown, just give it a little love. You know, for those of us that would like a capable iOS device in our pocket but aren't willing to get wallet-raped by a required two-year data plan.
Totally agree with you and others here.
Personally, I have no interest in the new (or any) iPhone with a two-year plan. However, I would have upgraded my gen4 iPodTouch in a heartbeat if they would have just upgraded the camera! I could live without a CPU upgrade this time around (although it would have been nice), but no update to the camera really is insulting. It's garbage. I sure hope Apple is listening.
This is very, very unfortunate. I'm actually quite impressed with all the features added with the iPhone 4S. But not increasing the iPod touch capacity to 128gb and charging the same price is insulting. My 160gb iPod is on its last legs but I guess I will try to make it work for yet another year.
Might was well just get an iphone 4s without a contract. It'll be more than the ipod touch...but you get an A5 chip AND a real HD camera.
The ipod touch update was the lamest update ever. Changing the color is Not an update. This is Apple's biggest fail in a long time.
No A5? How is the new ipod touch gonna handle the more demanding iOS 5?
The exact same way the Apple TV and iPhone 4 will?
And no camera update???? WTF?
Portable music player doesn't get a better camera. World is shocked for some reason.
Already had impossibly big shoes to fill...but the iphone 5 and a better ipod touch would have helped him alot.
Except you (and nearly everyone else) have just agreed that anything he presented would have sucked in comparison, so it doesn't really matter how "underwhelming" the updates were.
The exact same way the Apple TV and iPhone 4 will?
Portable music player doesn't get a better camera. World is shocked for some reason.
Except you (and nearly everyone else) have just agreed that anything he presented would have sucked in comparison, so it doesn't really matter how "underwhelming" the updates were.
Its called forward progress Skil. The ipod touch is morr thsn just a portablr music player. The nano, shuffle and classic are. The ipod touch is an iOS device. And as such deserves a better camera. People are using the ipod touch for more than music. It is fast becoming a VOIP alternative to the iphone for those who travel alot or who dont want to get locked into a long contract. Taking and sending picutres and videos is just as important to this large group of people than to iphone users.
I wanted a new iPod Touch with a bigger screen and the A5. Having a good camera would have been a plus. Now I'm at a loss for what to get. I just don't want to purchase two year old technology in a device that I'll probably keep for at least three years. I don't want a cell phone. I don't want an iPad because it is bigger than a pocket.
I'm just very let down. This was supposed to be a great day for me. A new better iPod Touch was to be my new toy. I've been hoping for a good upgrade for so many months that this just seems worthless.
It's time for me to stop hanging around the Apple news sites. They are more interesting than the Apple products lately.
use up all the RAM.
Implying you can do anything else while you're using it…
I'm just very let down. This was supposed to be a great day for me. A new better iPod Touch was to be my new toy. I've been hoping for a good upgrade for so many months that this just seems worthless.
So buy from some other company.
How come you cannot take pictures with the iPod Touch
Because you can.
This event was one of the least exciting I've seen (or followed via streaming text updates). Siri voice commands seem interesting but really not useful. It's just a cool gimmick that will use up all the RAM.
I wanted a new iPod Touch with a bigger screen and the A5. Having a good camera would have been a plus. Now I'm at a loss for what to get. I just don't want to purchase two year old technology in a device that I'll probably keep for at least three years. I don't want a cell phone. I don't want an iPad because it is bigger than a pocket.
I'm just very let down. This was supposed to be a great day for me. A new better iPod Touch was to be my new toy. I've been hoping for a good upgrade for so many months that this just seems worthless.
It's time for me to stop hanging around the Apple news sites. They are more interesting than the Apple products lately.
This post is emblematic of the infantile tone of all the threads today. Why do you all keep your childish emotions so close to the surface? What happened to real men in this culture?
Buck up, lads! Stiff upper . . . ! etc., etc.