Apple updates iPod touch line, drops prices, adds top-end 64GB model

Couldn't see this one coming, right? Apple just announced an update to the iPod touch line. It's not exactly a major overhaul to the player, but prices have fallen, and it appears that the new models use the same CPU as the iPhone 3GS, since they can run OpenGL 2.0. The big news is actually no news, however: there doesn't appear to be a camera, contrary to all the rumors. You'll just have to make do with 8GB of storage for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for a whopping $399.

[mydropbox Posted Sep 9th 2009 2:58PM]

Ok, so we will just have to wait one more year for a camera I guess. But 64GB is Good. With this thing jailbroken using vlc4iphone, this will be the coolest FLAC capable player with over 32GB storage. I hope this encourages Cowon to release a 64GB version of their S9. Of course, with any Ipod product, an external headphone amp is the only way to go.

[jimr1234567890 Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:02PM]

I admit I would have like to see a camera and mic in the iPod Touch. I would have considered updated in 2nd Generation on to the 3rd Generation.... I guess it will have to do until 4th Generation now.

[cjschrissouth Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:04PM]

wait.......wheres the camera......??????
wtf! I WAITED ALL NIGHT FOR THIS!
meh....im still getting it.
But why did all those cases have holes?

Confused

[cjschrissouth Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:06PM]

btw im in aus so its 4am if anyone is confused

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:06PM]

Did they at least throw in FM radio into the iTouch?

[roxics Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:07PM]

Nope. They didn't do sh*t :(

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:14PM]

Zune for me then

[ZeroCorpse Posted Sep 10th 2009 2:34PM]

Yeah. Because the stuff they play on the radio doesn't suck...

Oh, wait. It does. That's why I have a PMP.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:11PM]

Sorry Apple, but I now have no choice. I'm pre-ordering that Zune HD now. Good luck selling people a mini-PMP with...a camera.

[robman84 Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:22PM]

The joys of huge market share and brand loyalty. Apple can royally shaft us with their new products by just slightly updating them (3GS and now new iPod Touch (is it actually a 3G or 2.0001G?) and they KNOW enough people will continue to buy them. Sure, us gadget fiends will whine and moan, but Apple simply doesn't care. Obviously. The only things that would genuinely make them give a stuff are lasting effects on their stock price and enormous downshifts in sales. I doubt Zune HD is going to cause the latter.

So it's another year of waiting, unless I do what Apple wants me to do and fork out for an iPhone. They CLEARLY don't want anyone to decide between the iPhone and iPod Touch at the moment, which I suspect is why the new Touch doesn't come close to the iPhone in features.

[KeegdnaB Posted Sep 9th 2009 3:23PM]

So what I see is....Zune HD wins on price

[Metbans Posted Sep 9th 2009 4:30PM]

I'm unimpressed with the update, yes... but I'm just meh about using new software to sync for a Zune HD! I'm really impressed by the Zune, and I want one, but now that Apple put in at least one stupid feature with iTunes (pressing the play/pause media button causes iTunes to launch, even if I'm using another application that uses that media button, such as Spotify), it'd be so annoying to put up with something like that. I love having just iTunes to manage my music and sync to a media player (although my older 4 year old ipod broke 4 months ago...). If Microsoft had a good OS X app, I would jump on the Zune the second it was released!x

Are there any actual OS X applications that sync with any of the Zunes? Or do you still have to run parallels?

[thefourthheat Posted Sep 9th 2009 4:45PM]

I think it's pretty obvious that Apple basically wants everyone to buy a damned iPhone because the massive stream of revenue they get from that means that they really don't want you to buy an iPod touch. But apparently they still feel the need to release a half-baked version of the Touch just so they have something out there to compete with the dedicated players.
This is a sure recipe for fail though since the Zune HD is seriously starting to look better by the second.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 4:47PM]

I think I might tape myself buying a Zune HD and send it to Apple. You put a camera in a smaller device (nano) and not the touch which has a screen you can actually see.

Maybe once Zune will bring in streaming TV, Apple will upgrade their devices with a radio. I'm SO EXCITED!

f00ls

[ukwildcatsboston Posted Sep 9th 2009 6:05PM]

If they don't have a camera on the touch by the time I graduate and get a real job, I'm officially getting a palm pre and downgrading to the nano...

[Ajaytech Posted Sep 9th 2009 7:28PM]

damnn,. probably going to get a 16gb iphone 2G. damn, I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!

maybe the zune hd, i guess.

[Freeballer Posted Sep 9th 2009 6:46PM]

damn. I woulda sold some stuff to get a camera on the ipod. totally disappointing. call this an update, a new generation is only deserving of new technology

[akn320 Posted Sep 9th 2009 7:17PM]

I'm glad I didn't wait for the new touch and got my free one with the education discount... if it had had a camera i would have considered getting the new one as well.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 10:05PM]

The iPod Touch update is really weak for Apple. The 64GB was expected, and somewhat overdue since everyone knows that the Touch has two flash readers instead of the single one the iPhone has. If the iPhone goes to 100GB, the Touch should be available at 200GB. That's a no brainer.

So, beyond the (overdue) matching memory upgrade, all we see from the Touch is a bit more speed from the higher end models.

I'm not at all sure what the 8GB one offers which is different than the 2G version. New 3.0 software? I mean, that should have been standard with most 2G purchases already. This is completely insane of Apple to miss the boat on, but I can only expect that they didn't miss it, but are just running late due to production issues.

The Touch NEEDS: A better speaker, a microphone
The Touch would benefit from: Camera/video/editing capabilities w/Longer life battery.

I would think it would make the case a bit larger to accomodate these things, but I would give up a tenth of an inch to get some real functionality and decent audio. Heck, make the iPhone a bit bigger and get it up to 64+GB of memory.

I'm sticking with my 32GB until they get it all above 100GB - videos are one of my biggest uses for my Touch (and eventually iPhone).

[Lamar310 Posted Sep 11th 2009 10:58PM]

Is this a joke or is Apple going backwards with this announcement? I remember when Apple was an industry leader but now they do nothing but play catch up and pretend the public is stupid.

Look at the so called improvements in 2009:

- Added 3G service to iPhone. 3G service has been available on most cell phones for YEARS.
- Added a videocamera to the iPhone. This feature has been standard on most phones since 2000.
- Added cut and paste to the iTouch and iPhone. Can you name a smartphone that doesn't do that?
- Apple added a videocamera to the iPhone but didn't give the iTouch the same feature????

I have waited since the new iPhone came out to buy a new iTouch because my 16GB model has no more space for anything. I will wait for the Zune HD and consider that now because I am not loyal to any company and purchase the best products on the market based on what the people have to say in online reviews. I take what you people say seriously and I can figure out who is a fan of a company and who is real. Thanks for all the opinions posted and I think we all agree today wasn't a good day for Apple..

Apple you blew it today and you have done NOTHING NEW in years. Wake me up when you can prove your iPods have either the best battery life, best audio quality, or best video quality and then you will get an automatic purchase from me. Until then, I will listen to the people.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:21AM]

Maybe Jobs is just a genius and knows that the ZuneHD is launching soon, so he pushes these out to test the market until Thanksgiving, an than he comes and says"oh yea here is your new 120GB Iphone 3GS (supporting LTE on Verizon) and a 120GB Touch 3GS with camera (no mic, you know he wants that extra few dollars for the adapter) for $479.99. (than in my hopes i hear HTC is coming out with a sweet ass android device on tmobile with LTE).

[alexpete Posted Sep 10th 2009 3:24AM]

seriously? i was ready for a camera and a 16GB for 220. like the Zune HD. i seriously thought the prices were going to be different. and a camera... well, i guess i'll splurge and buy the 32GB... :/ i hope snow leopard is not this disappointing... i have not bought my copy yet...

[ZeroCorpse Posted Sep 10th 2009 2:30PM]

Well, I was going to return mine and get the new 32GB model, but when I saw Best Buy's clearance price on the old 32GB model, I decided a minor tweak to speed wasn't that important to me. I had an iPod-usable coupon for 12% off (benefits of being Premier Silver Rewards member), so in the end I got a new 32GB iPod touch for about $214.00 total (including tax), when last week that same item would have cost me $399.95 plus tax (which would make it about $424 in my state). By waiting a week and doing a return, I saved myself $210 off last week's price on the exact same 32GB iPod touch.

So thank you Apple! And thank you Best Buy for that nice coupon JUST before Apple's iPod refresh!

For those curious to hit up Best Buy for the old stock, the pricing is really good. The new price on the old-model 32GB is $242.95 and the others are even lower than that!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 2:40PM]

Well the thing is that you have to take into account the rest of the line up.
IF they would put the 16gb touch at 200 it would make it ONLY 20$ more expensive than the 16gb nano so it would take the edge off the new nano.
Now if they would put a camera on the touch it would make it a closer competitor for the iphone.
Apple is "smart" they are not gonna give away any part of the market by creating a big competition between their own products.

[ZeroCorpse Posted Sep 10th 2009 3:05PM]

The camera was in production, but they had problems, so they yanked it.

This was Plan B, and it's fine with me. It saved me over $200. I have a camera on my mobile phone.

[CaptainJack87 Posted Sep 10th 2009 6:58PM]

No matter what, this event was the biggest flop Mr. Joke could have ever thought up.
It is a clear Al Davis maneuver - take the best selling item (or fastest 40-yd dash) and spruce it up a bit.
And by the way, Microsoft has games and is using Nvidia to power them, we need to get games, not match their prices and continue to ciphen money from people buying 'worthless apps'.
This is Microsoft's biggest chance yet