Aside from releasing updated iPods across the board today, Apple introduced the iPod touch which is a hybrid breed between the iPod and the iPhone. In addition to playing music, movie, and photos, the iPod touch provides you with access the web, YouTube, and the iTunes WiFi Music Store via it’s integrated WiFi adapter. Although it has multimedia at its heart, the iPod touch seems to be more like a PDA. So then the question is, did Apple just release a PDA in a dying PDA market?
Don’t get me wrong. I think the iPod touch is the coolest iPod yet, but I just looking at its features, makes me think I am buying a PDA. Lets go through them.
Features
- Music (with Cover Flow)
- Movies
- Photos
- Safari
- YouTube
- iTunes WiFi Music Store
- Starbucks Music
- Calendar, Contacts, Alarm
Most notably, the iPod touch will play music (now featuring Cover Flow), movies, and photos. These are all features typical of any PDA, however Apple provides a more enjoyable experience.
Apple is definitely trying to get people to start using Safari. Apple started bundling Safari for Windows with iTunes downloads earlier this year and I am going to guess that the results have been poor. I love Safari for Mac, but even I am using Firefox to write this post on my PC. Maybe Jobs is thinking that if Apple puts Safari on the actual iPod, they will get people to start using it and get use to the interface. That bundled with the ability to sync the browser with Safari on their PC might get them to make the switch.
With a browser on your iPod, you can now browse the web just like any other PDA. Even though the iPod touch is missing an email client, users could access their email via a web interface.
YouTube is great feature spin off from the iPhone. It allows you to easily access YouTube videos without using the browser. I don’t think you will as nice of an application for any other PDA, however I recently downloaded mYouTube for my BlackBerry.
Not much to explain about the iTunes WiFi Music Store. You can now purchase songs directly from your iPod and they get synced with your computer once you connect. Clearly this is exclusive to the iPod touch and will not be found on any other PDA (not using iTunes anyway). In addition, Apple will be working with Starbucks to allow users to purchase the song currently playing in Starbucks.
Lastly, like other iPods, the iPod touch features a calendar, clock, alarm, and contacts. Again, features that are typical of a PDA.
Conclusion
So to wrap up the package, the iPod touch really only lacks Office Document processing and an Email client to be comparable to most PDA’s. Even though it boost lots of PDA features, I think the iPod touch will mostly be treated as an iPod and not a PDA. Anyone interested in the features aside from the fundamental iPod, will most likely purchase the iPhone. Investors must be concerned about something due to the (7.40) decline in Apple’s stock price today. Most notably, this is due to NBC and the decrease in the iPhone price.
It would be great to hear what others think about the new iPod touch. Will there be a purchase in your future?
My thoughts exactly. When the touch was announced, I reminisced back to my days of a Palm LifeDrive that I brought to class for web browsing. It was utterly useless otherwise and I stopped using it only a few weeks later. Although there is no Mail app for the touch, some post on engadget said they use the *exact* same binaries so once someone hacks the ipod touch, there will be a way to load up iPhone apps on it. By my count that should mean a fully hacked ipod touch by Monday haha.
@Paul: Yeah I read about that also. In time the iPod touch will be and iPhone without the Cellular network and phone aspect. Maybe someone clever will write a VoIP app so the iPod can be used more like an iPhone over WiFi.
I think at first the touch will be primarily an iPod. But I think over time people will develop many applications for it, and it will become an ultraportable computer. That is the reason I’m buying it! I think the touch screen and all the features are awesome for an iPod, but will get old after a few days. I’m looking forward to having a touchscreen computer in my pocket, that was made by apple and only cost me $399!!
The latest update to the iPod touch has allowed you to add events to the calendar- one step closer to a true PDA. That said I suspect when the iPhone/iPod Touch SKD is released in February, we’ll quickly see true native office apps. Until they do, I won’t be buying one… (just nicking my girlfriend’s when her back is turned).
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