How Apple’s New iPod Touch Seeks to Revitalize Music Player Business

By Don Reisinger

The critical component in the iPod Touch that may make it appealing to customers is the A8 processor. Apple said the chip, which is already bundled in the iPhone, is capable of producing 10 times the graphics power of the previous iPod Touch and six times the processing power.

The iPod Touch now comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, as well as an iSight front-facing camera for those who want to engage in FaceTime conversations or just snap selfies. While Apple has never been one to lead the way on camera technology, for most customers looking to buy an iPod, the 8-megapixel snapper should do the trick.

One of the nice things about the iPod Touch is that it’s a full-fledged iOS device. That means that the handset is capable of running the full version of iOS 8 and will be upgradable to iOS 9 when that operating system launches this fall. Customers worried about having a sub-par software experience with the iPod Touch need not worry.

Thanks to its support for iOS 8, the iPod Touch has full support for all of the apps one would find in the company’s App Store. According to Apple, that number is now at 1.5 million apps, all of which can be run on the iPod Touch. From Instagram to Angry Birds, anything a user wants in Apple’s App Store can be run on the iPod Touch.

Customers looking for better security in the iPod Touch may be a little disappointed by what they find. Rather than bundle Touch ID in the iPod Touch, allowing for fingerprint sensing and support for Apple Pay, Apple has decided to keep the standard home button. It’s a glaring omission that may make some folks opt for an iPhone or iPad over the iPod Touch.

Another surprise from Apple’s iPod Touch is that it doesn’t come with the same screen size as the iPhone 6. While Apple’s latest smartphones feature screen sizes ranging from 4.7 to 5.5 inches, the iPod Touch has a 4-inch screen. Given the importance of visual entertainment for users buying an iPod Touch, it would have been nice to see a larger screen size.

Although the iPod Touch is capable of performing all sorts of tasks and allows users to watch movies and television shows, all of Apple’s promotional materials focus on one main purpose: It’s a great way to listen to Apple Music. The iPod has long been Apple’s music player, and it makes sense that the company would update its flagship model now that a new service in Apple Music is available. Of course, Apple Music is available on other iOS devices and Macs, but central to the company’s sales pitch is the idea that the streaming-music service will work great on the iPod Touch.

Going mobile with the iPod Touch could prove to be challenging. While there are millions of hotspots around the United States and getting onto a wireless network is easier than ever, there are still many cases when users need access to an LTE network. Unfortunately, the iPod Touch is WiFi-only, which means customers won’t be able to connect to carrier networks. Without LTE connectivity, many apps—including Apple Music—are useless when away from a WiFi connection.

Apple is offering several different versions of the iPod Touch. The low-end model comes with 16GB of on-board storage, while the top-end device offers 128GB of storage. As with the iPhone, the iPod Touch comes with Apple’s own earbuds, as well as a Lightning charging cable.

Apple is offering several different versions of the iPod Touch. The low-end model comes with 16GB of on-board storage, while the top-end device offers 128GB of storage. As with the iPhone, the iPod Touch comes with Apple’s own earbuds, as well as a Lightning charging cable.