Apple: iPod touch is now a "mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform"
During its quarterly conference call Tuesday, Apple outlined a new vision for the iPod touch, saying it hopes the product will mark the beginning of the first true "Wi-Fi mobile platform" rather than continue to exist solely as a high-end extension of its digital media player business.
Echoed multiple times during the question and answer session of the call, the vision hinges around the expandability of the touch-screen player to offer more than just music, photo, and video playback.
"We believe one of the iPod [touch's] future directions is to become the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform, running all kinds of mobile applications," company executives said.
The iPod touch led a significant amount of Apple's iPod shipment growth during the first quarter, particularly in Japan. Though US iPod sales came in relatively flat year-over-year, the Apple executives said they were happy to sacrifice sheer unit volume in the short term for a long-term objective.
While the executives didn't explain what the iPod touch's future directions would entail, the statement marks a reversal of Apple's previous approach to the iPod line. While introducing the fifth-generation iPod a few years back, chief executive Steve Jobs said that the device remained "all about the music" -- a statement now challenged by equal attention to web browsing and other wireless data features.
This altered focus became clear with the announcement of the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm's January software upgrade for the iPod touch. The software -- which is free with all newly manufactured units and $20 for existing owners -- adds e-mail, Google Maps, and widgets, rendering the device all but identical to the iPhone outside of calling features.
Apple's strategy is expected to become clearer still when the company releases an official SDK in February, which will explain how third-party developers can write their own programs for both the iPod touch and the iPhone, offering a means of expanding both devices beyond what Apple itself can provide.
Echoed multiple times during the question and answer session of the call, the vision hinges around the expandability of the touch-screen player to offer more than just music, photo, and video playback.
"We believe one of the iPod [touch's] future directions is to become the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform, running all kinds of mobile applications," company executives said.
The iPod touch led a significant amount of Apple's iPod shipment growth during the first quarter, particularly in Japan. Though US iPod sales came in relatively flat year-over-year, the Apple executives said they were happy to sacrifice sheer unit volume in the short term for a long-term objective.
While the executives didn't explain what the iPod touch's future directions would entail, the statement marks a reversal of Apple's previous approach to the iPod line. While introducing the fifth-generation iPod a few years back, chief executive Steve Jobs said that the device remained "all about the music" -- a statement now challenged by equal attention to web browsing and other wireless data features.
This altered focus became clear with the announcement of the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm's January software upgrade for the iPod touch. The software -- which is free with all newly manufactured units and $20 for existing owners -- adds e-mail, Google Maps, and widgets, rendering the device all but identical to the iPhone outside of calling features.
Apple's strategy is expected to become clearer still when the company releases an official SDK in February, which will explain how third-party developers can write their own programs for both the iPod touch and the iPhone, offering a means of expanding both devices beyond what Apple itself can provide.
Comments
But might be worth a go....
I'd like to see a long-edge clam-shell design double the touch screen area. With that and a few more apps it'd be a wife-beater!!
Sorry, world-beater!
But might be worth a go....
LOL, I was like huh? wtf? until I saw the second post
I've got to say this before anyone else does....the new newton?
The new Newton and more. I could forsee them outselling iPhones at some point. (simply because some people do not want the 2 year contract or have a phone through work already.)
I love the iTouch and want one. Hope to get one by summertime. As the new software suggests, the product has legs.
Yeah, everyone who owns a Touch already knows this, but it's nice to see that Apple also knows it. The iPod Touch is, essentially, Apple's Tablet Mac. Only it's thinner and lighter than the Air.
I've always said the Touch not the Phone is going to be the bigger of the the two. There is no competition for the Touch- NONE.
Phones come and go, AT&T sucks, not everyone wants a smart phone, cellphones companies have a lot of muscle to compete against it, it's too damn expensive, on and on.
Viva la Touch!
I've always said the Touch not the Phone is going to be the bigger of the the two. There is no competition for the Touch- NONE.
Phones come and go, AT&T sucks, not everyone wants a smart phone, cellphones companies have a lot of muscle to compete against it, it's too damn expensive, on and on.
Viva la Touch!
I'd have an iPhone by now, but ATT's coverage here (S. Wi) isn't very good.
I love my Touch. I use it all the time for Internet stuff, and listening to Podcasts. I also listen to music, but only when I'm at my desk at work, which isn't often.
I do have movies and tv shows on it, but I've never watched one since I bought it 2 months ago.
I know plenty of wifi spots that I can quickly visit on my daily travels, so the Internet is always about 5-10 minutes away for me.
I'd have an iPhone by now, but ATT's coverage here (S. Wi) isn't very good.
I love my Touch. I use it all the time for Internet stuff, and listening to Podcasts. I also listen to music, but only when I'm at my desk at work, which isn't often.
I do have movies and tv shows on it, but I've never watched one since I bought it 2 months ago.
I know plenty of wifi spots that I can quickly visit on my daily travels, so the Internet is always about 5-10 minutes away for me.
ATT is not very good here in NYC either. Everybody I know with an iPhone constantly gets static and dropped calls. They blame AT&T. AT&T blames the iPhone and on and on. And they can't get any pictures sent by other cellphones . They constantly have to tell people to email them to them- no MMS- again they blame ATT. What a hassle.
Not that the Touch is perfect as an internet connection device. But that is to be expected from a device that wasn't conceived to play that role. The problem is that it wouldn't take much to turn out a good tablet that is more than a media device. A good problem to be had, certainly for Apple. Not so good for the competition though where you are far behind both hardware and software wise.
So if Apple is worried about its stock price get some new hardware out there that better addresses the needs. That means a new rev to the Touch, Newton 2 and whatever else the market needs.
Thanks
Dave
I'd have an iPhone by now, but ATT's coverage here (S. Wi) isn't very good.
I love my Touch. I use it all the time for Internet stuff, and listening to Podcasts. I also listen to music, but only when I'm at my desk at work, which isn't often.
I do have movies and tv shows on it, but I've never watched one since I bought it 2 months ago.
I know plenty of wifi spots that I can quickly visit on my daily travels, so the Internet is always about 5-10 minutes away for me.
I've used Handbrake to rip a few DVDs to my touch, and it was really nice having them in the hotel room on the business trips. I also bought a dock and the composite video cables, so I had a remote and could connect it to the hotel room television. It's also nice having IMDB in your pocket when sitting in the living room watching TV. Or being able to tell your wife who won Project Runway when the DVR cut out the last 2 minutes. Or getting the Giants game football scores while the wife's watching said program. (If only I could stream live television... I suppose that's coming soon...)
The new Newton and more. I could forsee them outselling iPhones at some point. (simply because some people do not want the 2 year contract or have a phone through work already.)
I love the iTouch and want one. Hope to get one by summertime. As the new software suggests, the product has legs.
When the iPhone was released, I couldn't get one because AT&T didn't allow corporate pooled minutes. So I imagined the iPhone without the phone, which I got a couple of months later in my touch.
Now that AT&T is apparently going to allow corporate minutes, I find that I'm perfectly happy with the touch.
Thinner, simpler, and rapidly losing its 2nd class status.
Only thing I miss is a camera, but I'm even seeing snap-on accessories getting some buzz, so I'm hoping for a higher quality camera in a snap-on (along with a snap-on, high quality DSP for sound recording) and I'd be in heaven.
I agree that the touch is the real sleeper here.
Everyone knew this before the call. This so-called news changes nothing.
In response to early complaints (mine included) about Apple's hamstringing of the iPod Touch, leaving out iCal, Mail, Notes, etc. from the earliest firmware, many people on these forums argued that "It's an iPod, not a PDA". This is news, then, only insofar as it represents Apple admitting what some - not all - of us saw as the potential of the Touch all along.
Everyone knew this before the call. This so-called news changes nothing.
It's great to hear Apple say it. We've been able to guess we're they're going and Apple's words don't change their plans... but it's good to hear.
And it gives much more credence to the Apple Newton/Tablet rumors.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...he_newton.html
I've got to say this before anyone else does....the new newton?
:-)
So Apple now has this "mainstream WiFi mobile platform"... a new Newton (bigger iTouch) certainly fits. Actually, a mobile wifi platform could range from the iPod touch to the MacBook Air - anything REALLY LIGHT and with WIFI.
So there's lots of room in between for many things - including a 6inch iPod-Touch (ie: tablet with iPhone OS) or a larger Tablet running MacOSX. There's also room for a miniature MacBook Air running the iPhone OS.
Anyway, it's very smart to start on 2 ends that Apple is familiar with, then work on what goes on in between.
My 2nd gen Nano is hooked up to a portable Tomahawk amp with my Shure e500s. It sounds so very nice. It's where I play all my music on when I want to hear all the details. An economical audiophile rig. I am quite happy with it. But even with just the earphones out of the headphone jack, my old nano kills the new hi tech Touch in audio quality. The current iPod classic sounds much better as well.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that the updated Touches will have better audio quality.
ATT is not very good here in NYC either. Everybody I know with an iPhone constantly gets static and dropped calls. They blame AT&T. AT&T blames the iPhone and on and on. And they can't get any pictures sent by other cellphones . They constantly have to tell people to email them to them- no MMS- again they blame ATT. What a hassle.
I pay $40 a month in my current TMobile plan. In order for me to get a comparable plan here in Miami with AT&T I would have to pay $80 and it still doesn't match it totally. What a fricken rip off and a laugh.
I wonder if their rates are always this lousy or is it iPhone owner gouging?