Why No Fries with the iPod touch?
After nine months of anticipation, Apple finally released an iPod based on the iPhone form factor and interface. But for reasons unknown, Apple chose to leave off one or two essential applications, and according to the latest rumor, has neutered others.
You get the feeling that if Apple bought McDonald’s they would cut the fries from the combo meals. I hope you didn’t want fries with your new iPod touch!
The iPod touch is a lovely device, and I have to out myself as being wrong. I was among those who said Apple wouldn’t release a device like it within 12 months of the iPhone.
Hindsight is a great thing, and now I can see why Apple might have done so. Certainly there’s a big market for it, but the two devices could cannibalize each other. Which, at the end of the day, matters not to Apple, as they still get a sale. And Steve said as much in a recent interview with USA Today.
However, in markets still waiting for the iPhone—such as Europe and Asia—it will be interesting to see how the iPod touch sells. Personally, I’m having a dilemma over whether to get an iPod touch or wait for the iPhone. And a young woman I spoke to at an electronics retailer said she’d be waiting.
Actually, the more more I find out about the touch, the more I lose interest in it.
I saw one reader comment on a web forum last week that the iPod touch is a PDA. I suspect, though, he’s in for a big disappointment. Apple isn’t pushing it that way, so it’s hard to know if it really is. In fact, Apple’s demo video didn’t even mention iCal or Address Book, two key apps on a PDA. And rumors have it there’ll be no ability to input calendar entries—which is upsetting a lot of people who pre-ordered specifically expecting that feature.
But the big thing missing—the fries if you will—is email. Its absence is the deciding factor in my not buying an iPod touch.
For a device that has internet access, the lack of an email client leaves one speechless. So what if you can do it online through Safari? An offline reader is essential in a portable, internet-connected device. Plus, using a browser, you have to manually check your email. Also, if you have multiple email accounts, using a browser really starts getting cumbersome.
In my part of the world, wireless hotspots are rare, so I wouldn’t be able to use the browser or email much anyway. But if hotspots were available, then I’d be eternally frustrated at having an internet device without email.
Say that again a couple of times: “an internet device without email.” Have you ever heard of anything stupider? A car without seats? A combo meal without fries? A computer without a mouse? A house without a bathroom? An internet device without email?
Possibly, someone will port the iPhone’s email client to the iPod touch, and hopefully that will force Apple to include it.
Unfortunately, this adds to the dilemma. Do I wait for the touch to get an email client? Or just get an iPod classic? And do I then forget about the iPhone?
But if the rumor of the inability to input to the calendar and address book proves true, the decision is easy. No touch. Without those PDA abilities, the difference between a touch and an iPod classic narrows too much to justify the touch.
The interesting thing is, the lack of PDA type functions, such as calendar entry and email, stops me buying an iPod touch in preference to an iPod classic. But the absence of those from the touch wouldn’t influence my decision to buy an iPhone.
I’d buy an iPhone because it’s a phone with iPod features. But I would have bought a touch if it was an iPod with email and PDA features.
With the touch having no compelling features, and already owning an iPod, albeit sans video, I expect I’ll just buy nothing.
Steve was happy to appease the angry mob over the price cut; hopefully he’ll appease the rowdy rabble over the lack of email and calendar entry.
Come on, Steve, mate, give us the fries with that iPod touch.
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Comments
I think a better analogy would be a partner who’s willing to have sex whenever you want, but won’t do a few positions.
Or a partner that has all the bodz yet lacking a couple of “widgets”, an awesome “storage”, and can’t tell what time or day even with a “calendar”. All that and yep - very expensive to maintain (think 2-year contract).
Thanks for the analogy, Chris. That cracked me up.
Personally, I think that the ipod touch without any internet capabilities is still a great deal, and that with safari it’s an incredible deal. -cacophony
To be clear, the iTouch features vs. price is outstanding and will attract lots of happy tappers.
But we are not arguing against its price vs capabilities here. What we are saying is that the Touch having wifi capabilities <u>might as well</u> support full iCal, Mail, and the other net-centric iPhone widgets.
The Touch and iPhone are so differentiated - you want voice calling + net comms, get an iPhone. You want just net communications, get the iTouch. All the other side features are minor and meant to support their targeted purpose (a microphone & BT is iPhone-only for this “voice” purpose).
Clearly Apple would prefer you to buy the Iphone over the Touch, and they’re trying to make the differentiation great enough to try to limit the number of people who abandon the idea of getting an Iphone in favor of the Touch. If the only differentiation between the Iphone and Touch is phone capabilities, it might not be enough to cause many people to bother with the added expense and hassle of switching carriers.
I’m not defending them, but I can understand the reasoning, and personally I don’t really mind because I think that user created web apps and hackers will make this all moot anyways.
I’d be more inclined to call iphone purchasers the suckers, especially considering they’re locked in to AT&T, an inferior carrier in almost all states. -cacophony
Who isn’t “locked” to their favorite cell carrier these days?
Does owning an iPhone somehow liberates these folks then immediately “locks” them to AT&T? Just who is very satisfied with their current carrier? Don’t we all agree these bullies overcharge our rear-end’s capacities to repay? That is why I have termed those as monthly extortions.
As for AT&T being “inferior” in “almost” all states. Do you have evidence to back your claim?
I have Verizon myself. Although I haven’t been gouged too much (I have $20 West Coast volume discounts) I still won’t praise their billing system or customer service level. I still see fees I can not logically define.
So, calling AT&T “inferior” to other bastard cellular providers is like saying Kia cars are inferior yet you go out of your way to drive home a Daihatsu.
If the only differentiation between the Iphone and Touch is phone capabilities, it might not be enough to cause many people to bother with the added expense and hassle of switching carriers. -cacophony
But what a voice-calling feature, eh? All those contacts, iCal, Mail widgets so tightly integrated with the “voice” features that by themselves has drawn <u>over a million happy iPhone switchers</u>.
I can sense many satisfied smiles of freedom from their old, clunky phones. Never mind the 2-year contract. You get that from all these cellular bullies, anyway so it is no different.
The products’ target audiences are so differentiated, the two will not cannibalize each other at their current prices and feature set.
cacophony, thanks for laugh, but I ain’t touching your “won’t do a few positions” comment!!
Don’t we all agree these bullies overcharge our rear-end’s capacities to repay? -Robo
I currently spend about $5 to $10 a month on my mobile, and that’s too much….Chris
Can’t be further from the truth. I guess anything >$1 monthly extortion is considered “too much” down Oz land.
robo said: To be clear, the iTouch features vs. price is outstanding
Actually, I reckon the iPod classic is marginally better value than the iPod touch, based on the touch’s current features.
The touch needs email and calendar entry to make it worth what it costs.
I’m never going to buy an iPhone coz I don’t spend enough per month on mobile calls. I will someday replace my iPod photo 30GB. At this stage though it would be with a classic.
There’s no value for me in the touch. It would still mean carrying three devices. And if I’m always going to have to carry three devices (phone, PDA & PMP), then the iPod classic is better value to replace my PMP than the touch.
PS Robo, we’re just like the rest of the world down here, spending ridiculous amounts on monthly mobile charges, it’s just me that is non-conformist.
I don’t mind so much about email as I do about a handful of other functions lacking in both the iPhone and the iPod Touch. The main one would be TextEdit. Is there any more basic a bloody function as the ability for a computer to accept and save text? If they had TextEdit, you could compose your email in advance of getting to the wifi hotspot.
That is, if the iPhone/iPod Touch had the other big feature, the ability to copy and paste text. I mean sure, I could just depend on Gmail and Google docs to compose those sorts of things, but that requires access to the internet. The fact that the iPhone/iPod touch are one big input device would lead you to assume that it would allow you to input this sort of thing when neccessary, perhaps a stickies app or something. Again, Text Edit is the killer app.
As for AT&T being “inferior” in “almost” all states. Do you have evidence to back your claim?
Sure. Check the Consumer Reports review of carriers. There’s a state by state breakdown of customer satisfaction, and if I recall correctly Verizon was #1 in virtually every state. Not that I like Verizon. But I do believe AT&T is inferior.
Again, Text Edit is the killer app. -Chicken
Really? How? The iPhone/Touch’s virtual keyboard is nice but not that great. Apple, in my mind, is deliberately trying to limit users from having to spend several minutes composing their thoughts (like what I’m doing at the moment). I wouldn’t want to substitute my Macbook keyboard feel with the multitouch’s keyboard.
Chicken, I think you may have hit on to something there. There is no Touch Mail widget and the iPhone’s looks much more like my old Eudora Lite to me. Not really a full-blown desktop email app but designed for a virtual keyboard meant for minimal usage.
So I completely doubt TextEdit’s usefulness on such cramped virtual keypad.
Actually, I reckon the iPod classic is marginally better value than the iPod touch, based on the touch’s current features. -Chris
When it comes to storage vs price, I agree. But its form factor is considered passé today and that is not even debatable since 06/29 OK?
All the iTouch is missing from hitting a homerun with my money is double the flash storage to 32GB and <u>include those iPhone net widgets, damn’it!</u>
And if I’m always going to have to carry three devices (phone, PDA & PMP)... -Chris
Sounds like you’re exactly the customer Steve and the Gang had in mind when these ‘compromises’ were scribbled. But hey, you can reduce those belt bricks into just two - the Classic and an iPhone. The would be the Mother-Of-All-Compromises, I guess.
you can reduce those belt bricks into just two - the Classic and an iPhone.
Not a chance! Unless the iPhone has an AU$10 per month plan, I definitely won’t be buying one.
Which leads to an interesting thought.
Anyone who buys an iPod touch is very unlikely to buy an iPhone no matter what functionality the touch has or doesn’t have.
Even with the current configurations of both devices, the touch and iPhone is an either/or choice.
The iPhone already does everything the touch does.
Consequently, the touch can’t cannibalize the iPhone’s sales.
Because if you want the features of the touch plus a phone and you spend a lot per month on plans already, the iPhone is your obvious choice.
If, like me, you want the features of the touch but not the expensive phone plan, you will always choose the touch. Except it’s neutered so forces me to still need to carry a PDA, so in it’s current feature set, I don’t buy a touch, and will never buy the iPhone. So no sale at all, Apple!
(Is this reverse cannibalization where the lack of features eats into sales of a device?)
So, no matter what features Apple adds to the touch, it won’t affect iPhone sales.
So give us the fries, Steve!