A leading UK retailer has let slip some details on what it expects from the next-gen iPod touch — and you don
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Well, that would be a hell of a USP and that would make the iPod-Segment stay alive for the next years…
Chalk this one up to “fake”.
It is very unlikely that a mere retailer would have deep insight into the specifics of Apple’s next product. There are thousands of retailers out there; Apple isn’t the kind of company to give secret product data to companies that are intrinsically poor at keeping secrets. Namely, retailers.
Sure, the next iPod Touch is likely to be more like the latest generation iPad and iPhone, and will likely appear around September. That’s obvious to even the most casual of observers.
But any statement more than that is very likely to be an attempt to confuse potential customers… to the benefit of another manufacturer that hopes to release an upgraded product later.
Is the cloud music side ready? That’s a hell of a roll out – put that against the roll out of the MobileMe betas for example. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make this iPod season about video and sport?
I’d imgagine they’d want to roll out the cloud music side at the right speed (like linking it to a MobileMe account). But they could use the datacentre for more video download/streaming at some point via the ATV update if/when that comes.
Isnt’t it a given that the Touch would have
- A4 chip
- 5MP camera, 720p camera (now they’ve worked out how to fit the sensor in…) and LED flash
- Front faving camera for Facetime (over wifi).
- Gyroscope
Adding 3G will really complicate the lineup – i’d imagine no 3G. (what for? IF you want calls, use a phone, or just use Facetime over wifi or fring etc – Apple is likely to want to maintain that distinction between Touch and iPhone, no?)
In the event it got 3G, it’d be a data plan rather than voice.
Facetime over wifi on a Touch is VoIP – so I guess Jonny, you’re voting against Facetime for the Touch?
It’s not happened too many times, but Nike+ could at some point say hey – we’ve got ANT+ compatability – that would really shake things up – leading to heart rate monitors, pedometers, cycling speed meters, foot pods etc all being able to link up. We’ve already seen Nike’s HRM update – wouldn’t it be a huge shot in the arm for the Nano, to be able to link to a heart rate monitor? (and if they could cram a GPS in there, that’d make it a RunKeeper, Trails etc machine).
Apple’s next music event is likely to be in time for the holiday shopping season, usually early September.
Will iOS-enabled Apple TV also take a bow?
So, the “noise” says that the iPod touch 4 will be a cell-less iPhone 4?
What a great discover!
I will add that it will have double the memory than the iPhones!
Lala’s let you carry your music… so the “initial” cloud music service could be based on it. Then (when labels allow) will include streaming.
With FaceTime in iPhone, you “already” have an “identification”: your cell number.
With FaceTime in iPod touch you’ll need one: maybe your iTunes account or your [free basic] MobileMe account.
Releasing support for a “free” MobileMe and FaceTime PLUS streaming music is a step that I do not feel Apple will do at the same time (“Remember the Alam… the MobileMe launch!”)
If I was Flip video, I’d be worried.
FaceTime is almost warranted in the next iPod touch. Steve said in his keynote that they’d be “shipping tens of millions of FactTime devices by the end of 2010″ – remember ?
Johnny, you’re welcome to add this as a reassurance in your post.
I, for one, would LOVE to have 3G on the iPod. I work in a building that is cut off from cell signal (can’t even text some of the time) and have been searching for a smartphone-like solution that could be resolved by one device on a limited budget. Since I text way more than talk I’m hoping for a 2nd gen iPad, but a 3G iPod could fit the bill.
Doesn’t FaceTime require an initiating phone call, despite being connected over WI-FI? Isn’t a 3G chip required for that call? Of course there would be no contract with ATT, since one won’t be able to make regular calls.
Not always. You can move from a phone call to a FaceTime call if you want, but it’s not a requirement. You can start, have, manage and end a FaceTime call without a SIM Card …
Just find a person in your contacts and hit the FaceTime button. Your carrier will never be used.
Just remember, the iPod Touch is, essentially, an hand-held, entry-level Mac that happens to play music. There are many folks who will buy a device configured as you’ve described. I’m one of them. I currently own a 32gb iPod Touch that has replaced my well-worn, long serving Palm Tungsten T-3 as my primary PDA. I actually rarely use my Touch for music, but occasionally for watching movies. I do use it regularly throughout the day for Interned-based activities as well as productivity apps. As a photographer I would love the enhanced features a camera on the iPod would offer. I’ll buy one right after I get my iPad in the next month or so.
Let’s stay on earth for a moment… And how will they make this without increasing the price of the device? Last year Steve clearly stated they wanted to keep thee price low, under 200 dollars. Only the parts of the iPhone 4 was 188 dollars, right? Then there is asssembly and software and that other crap. And I dont think the 3G chip is the most expensive part, so… yeah.
I think they’ll use the A4, gyro, and retina so that iPod Touchers will be able to play the latest applications. And A camera. I think it’s pretty unlikely that they’ll add the same 5mp camera as in the iPhone 4.
But indeed, Time will tell us.
The display and memory the most expensive part of the device. a 5 MP cam costs like $20 or less..
A bit much if you ask me…
I don’t think FaceTime is coming to the iPod touch. That would take too much away from the iPhone 4. Then again the iPt is a Wi-Fi only device and FT runs exclusively on Wi-Fi right now.
5 MP camera? Doubt it. The iPt will get a camera, prob the old 3MP one. Costs less.
I can see the Retina Display making the jump to all of Apple’s iDevices. The iPad and iPt – its only a matter of time.
No. No HD video. It’ll make the iPt too fat. Steve doesn’t like fat gadgets.