Why Does the iPod Touch Still Exist in 2019?
Hey guys, this is Austin. Why does the iPod Touch still exist in 2019? This is an especially relevant question today, because this is the first time that this iPod has seen an update in over three years. And this design has been around for a full six years at this point. So, why? Today we're going to explore why Apple decided to keep the iPod Touch around despite having better options available.
The iPod Touch was First Released in 2007
In 2007, Apple released the first-generation iPod Touch, which was a game-changer in the music player industry. It was the first device to integrate a multi-touch interface, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a mobile operating system. This made it an attractive option for consumers who wanted a portable media player that could also serve as a phone and internet device. Over the years, Apple has continued to update and improve the iPod Touch, but the design has remained largely unchanged.
Why Did Apple Keep the iPod Touch Around?
So, why did Apple keep the iPod Touch around despite having better options available? The answer is simple: if Apple didn't update it, then it would have been obsolete when iOS 13 comes out in a few months. This means that if there wasn't an updated version of the iPod Touch available, consumers would have to switch to other devices, which could potentially disrupt their ecosystem and force them to buy new accessories.
The Problem with the iPod Touch's Camera
One of the biggest issues with the iPod Touch is its camera. The front-facing camera on the iPod Touch is straight garbage town. It has a full 1.2 megapixels and can only shoot 720p video, which makes it look terrible. The photos taken with this device are also not much better. On the other hand, the rear-facing camera is slightly better, but it still gets pretty shaky and doesn't have continuous auto-focus. This means that you have to constantly tap on the screen to make sure that things are sharp.
Why Apple Decided to Keep the iPod Touch's Camera
It's worth noting that the camera on the iPhone 6s is a lot better than the one on the iPod Touch. The iPhone 6s has a 12 megapixel sensor, which is significantly better than the older tech in the iPod Touch. However, this means that if you're using the iPod Touch for taking lots of photos or going out and about, it's really not worth it. You should just stick with the iPhone 6s or any other device that has a better camera.
The Main Selling Point for the iPod Touch
Despite its limitations, the iPod Touch still has some good points. It's a powerful device for $200, with a lot of power packed into such a small and lightweight form factor. The low resolution screen doesn't hold it back too much when playing games like Fortnite, which can be played on medium settings at full resolution. This is partly because the iPod Touch has a relatively high processor clock speed compared to other devices in its class.
Why You Should Consider Buying an iPhone 6s Instead
Despite the power and features of the iPod Touch, there are several reasons why you should consider buying an iPhone 6s instead. The first reason is that it's significantly cheaper than the latest and greatest iPhones from Apple. When a prepaid carrier is selling an iPhone 6s for $200, it's a lot harder to justify paying $400 for an iPod Touch. Additionally, the iPhone 6s has bigger batteries, bigger screens, Touch ID, and the ability to use it as an actual phone.
The Future of the iPod Touch
In conclusion, while the iPod Touch still has some good points, its limitations make it a less desirable option compared to other devices like the iPhone 6s. If Apple didn't update the iPod Touch, then it would have been obsolete when iOS 13 comes out in a few months. This means that consumers would have to switch to other devices, which could potentially disrupt their ecosystem and force them to buy new accessories.
The New Storage Tiers
One of the things that's changed with the new iPod Touch is the storage tiers. The base model now comes with 32 gigs of storage for $200, 128 gigs for $300, or 256 gigabytes for $400. This means that you have more options than ever before when it comes to choosing how much storage you need for your device. However, it's worth noting that the $400 price tag for a single 256 gigabyte iPod Touch is a bit steep.
The Performance of the New iPod Touch
Another thing that's changed with the new iPod Touch is its performance. The processor clock speed has been reduced to two cores and runs at 1.6 gigahertz, which is a pretty substantial underclock from the standard A10. This means that if you put this side by side with the older Apple A9 and the iPhone 6s, it performs almost identically. However, this also means that the new iPod Touch isn't as powerful as some of its competitors in terms of processing power.
The Verdict
In conclusion, while the iPod Touch still has some good points, its limitations make it a less desirable option compared to other devices like the iPhone 6s. The camera is subpar, and while it's powerful for $200, it's not worth paying that much for if you have better options available. If you're in the market for a new device, we would recommend considering an iPhone 6s instead of an iPod Touch.
WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.Why does the iPod Touchstill exist in 2019?This is an especiallyrelevant question today,because this is the first time thatthis iPod has seen anupdate in over three years.And this design has been around for a fullsix years at this point.So, why?Hey guys, this is Austin.And today we're gonna be talking aboutthe iPod Touch 2nd Generation.So the iPod Touch and I go way back.I actually started my channel withan iPod Touch 2nd Generation,and pretty much everysingle one that's come out,I have covered.So it only feels naturalto be able to take a lookat this 7th Generation.Because, as much as things have changedover the last decade, theiPod Touch really hasn't.Which is really bizarre, right,because I mean, you look at the iPhone,you look at the iPad,I mean all these thingshave come so, so far.And yet Apple just keeps making the iPod,just keeps coming outevery three to five years.So for $200 you can get this,the iPod Touch 7th Generation,but what you can also get for $200is an iPhone 6s.And this is not an unlocked one, mind you,it is through a prepaid carrier.My question here, is for the same price,shouldn't you just get an iPhone?So it has been a long timesince I have unboxed an iPod Touch.And from the looks of it,it has not changed one bit.I totally forgot justhow tiny this thing is.Yo, these are the original3.5 millimeter EarPods.Damn, I guess actuallythis does still havethe headphone jack, one of theonly devices that Apple sellsthat still has the headphone jack.Well, actually, alsoincluding the iPhone 6s.So something to keep inmind is that the iPhone 6sis nearly four years old at this point.Now it is still supported on iOS 12,and soon to be iOS 13.But it is the minimum specthat you do need to run iOS 13.That being said though, I immediatelyam such a much bigger fanof this larger design.Now the iPod feels, I mean it's nicethat it's thin andlightweight and everything,but it just, the screen is so tiny.I mean, I know some people arebig fan of the SE and stuff,but a 4.7 inch screen really, to me,feels like the minimumthat I would want to useon a regular basis.Part of the reason Iwanted to do this videois that I know a lot of peoplewho still use the 6s, andit works completely fine.I mean it shoots 4K video, it's got LTE,but importantly, it doeshave the physical home buttonas well as the headphone jack,two features which I know,some people are a big fan of.I mean I don't really careabout the home button too muchbut the headphone jack is nice.The iPod Touch doesn'tcome with a power adapter.It just comes with a USB cable.Wait, has it always been like that?(dinging)When it comes to using aniPhone as an iPod Touch,generally speaking, it isreally straight forward.So with this guy, all Ihad to do was jump on WiFi,log into my Apple ID,and I am up and running.And of course your mileage will varybased on which phone you get,but generally speaking,this is the way it works,unless you actually wantto get it up on a carrier.So there it is usually locked towhichever specific carrierthat you purchased it from.So, you can't just buy acheap one off the shelf,and then throw your currentSIM card in, usually,but if you just want touse it as an iPod Touch,and of course that's thecomparison I'm doing today,then this should be prettyclose to Apples to Apples,and on top of that, they'reboth the exact same price.So what is actually new withthe 7th Generation iPod Touch?Not exactly a lot.So it does have an Apple A10 processor,which is a pretty substantial upgradeover the Apple A8 of the last iPod Touch,but there's a little bitmore to it than that.First of all, that A8,as well as the iPhone6 that it's based on,is no longer being supported in iOS 13.So to continue selling the iPod Touch,Apple kind of had to upgrade the spec,and they did, to like theminimum degree possible.Now you may have seen news articles sayingthat the iPod Touch has been updatedwith the iPhone 7 processor,but if you look into it,there's actually a littlebit more to it than that.So first of all, this is actuallynot the full Apple A10 chip,instead, it has not only beenbrought down to two cores,but also is only runningat a mere 1.6 gigahertz,a pretty substantial underclock fromthe roughly 2.2 gigahertzof the standard A10.What this means is that ifyou put this side by sidewith the older Apple A9 and the iPhone 6s,it performs almost identically.And this is not a huge surprise.Traditionally iPods do havetheir CPUs underclockedbecause it's such a thin design,it has such a tiny like 1,000mAh battery,but it does mean that even though on paperthis is a much more powerful processor,in reality, it's almostthe exact same specas far as the CPU side as the iPhone 6s.There are some new storage tiers.So the base model comeswith 32 gigs of storagefor $200, 128 for $300,or 256 gigabytes for $400.But let me just pause for a second,$400 for an iPod Touch?Okay, all right, good luck with that.Now a lot of people probablybuy these iPods to play games,and here, the iPod touchis a pretty decent jump up.So take a look at Fortnite,we're actually able to play onmedium settings at full resolution.Partly because it doeshave a low res screen.But this is a pretty big jumpover the very low settingsand the low resolutionon the iPhone 6s.I mean, there's also the fact thatthis is the very first iPodTouch which supports Fortnite.So, you know, that's a thing, I guess.And you know this mightnot be the full Apple A10,I will give Apple props.This is a lot of powerfor a $200 handheld.I mean, this is not wildly far offof the kind of performanceyou can get out of a Switch,except obviously on a cheaper and much,much smaller form factor.So, it's easy to get caught upon all the speeds and feeds,but, this is a powerful device for $200.The problem though,is that the 6s isn'tthat much less powerfuland it is packing someadditional features.Like cameras that don't suck.The front-facing camera on the iPod Touchis straight garbage town.With a full 1.2megapixels, and 720p video,yeah, this thing just doesn't look great,and the photos arecertainly not much better.The rear-facing camerais a little bit better.So it's 8 megapixels thatsupports 1080p video,and it does look decent,but the main problem isthat it gets pretty shaky,and there's no continuous auto-focus.You have to constantly tap on the screento make sure that things are sharp.Not a huge issue, and I will saythat you know, it's decent,but it certainly does notcompare to that iPhone 6s.The 6s has a 12 megapixel sensor,which is a lot better thanthe much older tech in the iPod Touch.Now it does shoot 4K video withactually real stabilization,as well as continuous auto-focus,and the stills are a huge jump up.I mean seriously,this is where you can seethe biggest difference,and especially if you're using thisfor taking lots of photos,or going out and about.I mean, this is really the onethat you want to go for.But, if you're not so muchcaring about the camera,it's just for like FaceTimeand that kind of stuff,the iPod Touch is goingto be totally fine.It's just that I reallyfeel like the camera,as well as the larger screen,is the main selling point for the 6s.It makes a big difference.So why does the iPod Touch exist in 2019?Well put simply, ifApple didn't update it,then it would've been obsoletewhen iOS 13 comes out in a few months.Now I get that it is a small update,but really, there are just better options.I mean that iPhone 6s, which was brand newfrom a prepaid carrier,is again, that same $200.And even if that's notavailable in your country,you should be able to get used iPhonesfor around that same price,which will just delivera better experience.Bigger batteries, bigger screens,Touch ID, and of course the abilityto use them as an actual phone.As far as I'm concerned,as much as I love the iPod Touch,it kinda feels like its time has passed.
