It’s 2019, and the iPod is back. Why would Apple refresh this seemingly dead product?
The iPod is targeted at a very specific audience: most likely kids who want to run apps, and parents who don’t want to connect their child to a mobile network. One could ask: hold on, why wouldn’t a parent just get their child an iPhone and just not insert a SIM card? The iPod Touch is much cheaper than an iPhone, with pretty much the same features and performance.
The latest iPod touch comes with much-needed enhancements to power, capability, and communication. It features an A10 Fusion chip, which brings improved performance in games, and for the first time on an iPod, immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences and group FaceTime.
“We’re making the most affordable iOS device even better with performance that is twice as fast as before, Group FaceTime and augmented reality starting at just $199,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “The ultra-thin and lightweight design of the iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.”
The iPod touch comes in a new, larger 256GB capacity, giving plenty of space to download music for offline listening through Apple Music or Spotify Premium.
iOS is the world’s largest gaming platform, and with three times faster graphics, games on the new iPod touch run smoother and look more sharp and detailed. Later this year, gamers can look forward to Apple Arcade, a game subscription service with over 100 new and exclusive games with no ads or additional purchases, and the ability to download games for offline play. Apple Arcade will complement the already enormously popular catalogue of free games on the App Store.
The iPod Touch starts at $199 for the 32GB model, $299 for the 128GB model, and $399 for the 256GB model. It is available in six finishes; space grey, white, gold, blue, pink and (PRODUCT)RED. It will be available later this year.