Vadim Yuryev
Rumors of a new iPod Touch are coming in from multiple sources, suggesting there's a good chance we'll be seeing a refresh soon. AppleInsider goes over the rumors, and tells you what to expect.
Back in 2017, app developer Ben Geskin discovered references to a new iPod within iOS 11's GM code, and on January 25, developer Steve Troughton-Smith discovered references to some new iPads and a new iPod model within iOS 12.2 beta's code.
Japanese blog Mac Otakara reported that several sources in Apple's supply chain are certain Apple is currently developing a new iPod Touch.
The only thing missing from these leaks and rumors is a release date. And, they're just rumors — like the iPhone SE 2 was, that never materialized.
But why now?
Over the past few years, Apple's Services revenue has been growing year-over-year with no indication of slowing down. Back in August of 2017, Services revenue alone was the size of a Fortune 100 company, beating out Facebooks entire business. In Apple's fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, Services made $10 billion in revenue.
So what all goes into Apple's Services? There's iTunes, iCloud, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Apple Care, and the various App stores, including iOS games which account for 82 percent of the revenue from Apple's App Store, according to Neil Campling from Mirabaud Securities.
Mirabaud claims that Apple has become one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, without currently marketing a single game itself.
Apple's iPod Touch isn't an expensive device as a gateway to services. Right now, you can buy a 2015 iPod Touch for only $199 and have access to all of the music, games, apps, and other Services Apple makes available.
So if Apple is working on a new seventh generation iPod Touch, they're not doing it to make a ton of money on hardware, they're doing it to make money off of services.
More and more families are buying handheld devices like smartphones and tablets for children at a younger age than ever before. Buying a cheaper iPod Touch for a young child who simply wants to listen to music and play iOS games makes quite a bit more sense compared to buying a more expensive iPhone with cellular capabilities that require a data plan.
If Apple can make it easier for more people to get more iOS devices in their hands, their Services revenue will continue to grow at exponential rates.
Not everyone who buys their kid an iPod is going to let them make a bunch of purchases on the App store or sign up for an Apple Music subscription. But, Apple can still make a good amount of revenue from iOS gaming, even without you purchasing anything — with advertising.
Whenever you see the word "Ad" next to an app in the App Store, that company is paying Apple for it to show up, specifically when a user taps on it. So whether you download or purchase that app or not, Apple is making money just off of the impression of that advertisement on a user's device.
Introducing an updated iPod Touch lowers the cost of entry into Apple's Services ecosystem. A common talking point is that Apple needs to lower the price of the iPhone to get more people on this train — but an inexpensive and capable iPod Touch can do the same thing.
And since Apple has recently been putting out some incredibly powerful processors that can handle basically any game on the App Store, a new iPod Touch with a processor newer than the A8 from four years ago could potentially become a relatively cheap and powerful gaming device on its own. It can, and should, be marketed that way.
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18 Comments
I definitely would be in the market for a new iPod Touch if the storage space is significantly increased. 128 gigs is way too small for me, so I'm constantly having to delete stuff off my iPod Touch.
I suggested after the 6s/SE came out that a larger format iPod would make sense, from a use perspective, as a gaming and movie device for kids who don't need cellular. However, while I agree the Xr would fulfill that function perfectly, I don't see how they offer the Xr for the same price point they currently offer the iPod Touch, just by eliminating cellular (which I'm not sure is a very good idea). Moreover, that idea was several years ago before the hand me down iPhone become a common option for parents, of which there is no shortage of large screens in circulation. And considering the safety concerns a mobile phone mitigates, it seems like the age which children are given an active cell phone is constantly dropping year after year.
Then there's the size issue. Small children would likely prefer a smaller device like the Touch or SE. Add to that the idea of using it as a dedicated iPod for adults -- it doesn't really make sense for that to be as large as their primary iPhone.
So unless Apple plans both an iPod and an iPod Plus, it would seem a smaller model makes sense, while letting the rumored iPad mini serve the larger screen variation.
I would think an Xr format shrunk down to the size of the SE, which could perform double duty as an SE2, and a new iPod Touch would be a far better goal for Apple than one as theoretically limited as the iPod Touch, which competes both with the Xr and iPad mini. That way, a cellular connection would be possible if needed, via a software sim only (and perhaps another model with dual sims), and Apple produces one device for all the fringe use needs, at a much lower price point than the Xr, or other larger screen devices.
Real question, will it come with a headphone jack?
I only use my to plug into external speakers at the pool or a party and I usually don't want to deal with bluetooth (and it generally puts out less volume).
White I'm at it, cam we please add back cross-fade playback to iPhones, iPad, iPod and AppleTV? I don't need to mix, I just don't want silence between songs at a party. They used to have it and it is still on iTunes on the Mac/PC. Horsepower is clearly there to make it work - please Apple? (And yes, I have suggested it on their website).
And what’s the bet the Walkie Talkie app will be a default install....