Until the release of the iPhone 4 in September 2010, this was probably the only other Apple product in the (i)range that gave Steve Jobs a lot of headaches. He launched it intending it to be a practice for a touchscreen iPhone, but since he had promised an iPod, and Apple is Apple, the market wasn’t going to let him get away with it.
It’s hard to imagine why Apple would release a product that had little storage, display issues, poor battery life, and was very expensive, but that’s precisely what they did. However, tidying it up has resulted in a magnificent iPod, truly the best it could have been.
The rehabs included the addition of apps that had been deliberately left out that made it less than comparable to Apple. They added a $20 software upgrade, which was closely followed by another for $10, and began to sell the gaming potential of the 8GB Apple iPod Touch. They cut the cost by as much as $100, and while initial buyers complained about all the new additions and improvements, Apple managed to attract a lot of new buyers.
They physically redesigned it for a better feel; it was much more manageable and much lighter, added a chrome bezel and improved battery life. More importantly, Nike+Apple’s much-sought software was included at no additional cost, perhaps a way to set a frown on the market.
Characteristic:
- Its extra storage capacity means you can store up to 1,750 songs, get 10 hours of video, and pack up to 10,000 photos.
- Enhanced battery life allows for excellent playback time – you can get up to 30 hours of music and 6 hours of video. It’s also notable because most multifunction touchscreen devices will hardly ever give you that much battery life.
- It’s Wi-Fi enabled, another feature that surprised Apple fans. Now you can browse and access mail on the 8GB Apple iPod Touch, making it a true iPhone without a phone. It uses Safari, the best web browser for mobile devices and it will be able to sniff wireless networks if it finds them.
- Its Bluetooth enabled.
- It has an internal speaker which is said to improve sound quality, but if you’re looking for really great sound from Apple, go for an iPhone.
- Nike+iPod software means you don’t have to buy an additional device to measure vital signs when you exercise.
It’s a great thing that Steve Jobs took such a beating from iPhone and iPod lovers, because it was ultimately the birth of much better touchscreen devices with Wi-Fi. Maybe if he had done a good job the first time, he wouldn’t have been under pressure and we wouldn’t see all the good we do today.
When all is said and done, when it comes to iPods, the 8GB Apple iPod Touch had plenty of setbacks, but today it’s as good an iPod as any.
