Dead device walking: Apple iPod Touch 6th generation

Re: Surely...

So, may I dare ask, if you control your iHome using that iPhone, how exactly that will work out when you, while making that call on the "most flexible" pocket computer walk out through the door.

One of the key issues in IoT and taking over the home is to be able to do it via more than one route. You have to make the featureset pervasive across a lot of devices.

The primary controller in Apple's strategy quite clearly is the Apple TV. However, it is not enough. Not everyone will take it. There have to be alternatives and the iPad is a perfect candidate - it has the applicable radio set including BT low power, it can interface to sensors and it can run the UI. It is also relatively cheap so if you become dependent on the gadget aspect you may end up shelling some money for that just to have a backup controller.

Iphone Fail

No card slot, no sale.

I was going to be slightly sillier and suggest the iPad Minimini, but it's the same joke, really, so you've just beaten me to the punch by suggesting Nano. Have an upvote, you git. ;)

Re: Tempting for devs?

"And I wonder if, in part, that's one reason why Apple is continuing to make the iPod Touch - as an affordable device for developers."

Good point, it is also a cheap and good data collection tool, QR codes for events, stock control, time and attendance etc.

Re: Tempting for devs?

I take it you have a Mac already? That's the thing that stopped me.

Re: Tempting for devs?

It's not just tempting for devs. It's a posh Nintendo DS.

Re: Tempting for devs?

It gives you a 'cheap' entry point for dev work; it also gives you full access to the IOS app/game ecosystem but allows you to keep your old phone which is very likely to be a hell of a lot cheaper than an iphone contract.

Re: Tempting for devs?

The fact that it has a different screen size from most of your users makes it less attractive as a development target.

But having thr same processor is a good thing. This is exactly the opposite of the last iPod, which had the same screen size but a different processor than the corresponding phone.

Re: Tempting for devs?

>> One of the things holding back doing an iOS one is not having a suitable device, and not wanting to spend hundreds of pounds on a phone that will just sit on my desk and never be used to make calls.

I don't know what kind of app you make, but if you don't need a lot of real-world performance data (e.g. to hit framerate targets for a 3-D game) you'd probably be just fine developing against the iOS Simulator that comes with XCode and runs on Macs.

I've been developing iOS apps since 2008 and the number of times I've run into a bug with actual hardware that doesn't repro in the simulator is vanishingly small.

Re: Cheapest entry level to iOS

I would have agreed with you at the time Apple first switched to Cirrus DACs. They sounded very tizzy and artificial comapred to the Wolfson DACs in the classic models. However Cirrus have got their act together and the current generation of iToys leave the classic iPod in the dust in terms of sound quality.

I've played off an iPod touch 5 Gen against an older classic 120GB. The touch sounded clear, precise in both treble and bass regions, the midrage was beautifully rendered. By comparison the classic sounded flabby in the bass, treble was really rolled off, and the midrange was just muddy. I guess that's what people refer to when they mention the Wolfson DAC warmth. I used Beyer Dynamic DT1350 and Sennheiser HD25 headphones to compare the two.

In fact there are quite a number of portable sound enthusiasts (I won't refer to them as audiophiles as I find the term insulting, and they're not fools) that rate the iPod 5th gen and iPhone 6 as some of the best sounding media players out there. I'm sure the iPod 6th gen will continue that trend.

Re: Cheapest entry level to iOS

Fairly decent iPhone 5 are available for less than £150 used, the 5S just a little bit more.

Used is always the cheapest way. Of course used iPod touch are even cheaper. I've got 3 in a drawer that used to belong to the kids, they've got a 10 minute battery life now but something is stopping me from binning them.

Re: Cheapest entry level to iOS

>>Of course there are a few significant drawbacks: the battery lifespan sucks: it will be practically dead in 2 years, and it's non-replaceable.

I haven't checked specifically but if Apple will replace an iPhone battery for $79, I imagine they'd do the same for an iPod touch battery.

Also, I don't know why you think the battery would be dead in 2 years. I've had two iPod touches and their batteries were fine after four years of light use each, when is when I sold them. I assume they worked well long after that.

I suspect that if your batteries die quickly in devices like this, it's probably due to exposure to heat. These devices are very easy to leave in a car with the windows closed or in the direct sunlight and then forget about. Moreso than a phone that you would carry around all the time.

Re: Hurumphhh

Hanging onto my classic here. Give me a nano with a clickwheel and 256GB (I'd hope for 1TB but would settle for 256) and I might consider upgrading.

I want something to play my downloaded Spotify playlists on, that isn't my phone! My phone lasts me all day with my normal use, but if I were to be playing music then it'd be dead by lunchtime. I need something the size of the iPod Nano but that can take my Spotify with me - there's nothing that can do that.

Why doesn't Spotify make a device with a little square screen and WiFi and 16Gb of storage and price it at £99/$99 just for those of us that want a music player?

Re: Page 2 of The Reg's iPod review...

'add' = addition

'ad' = advertisement

Re: Where's the market?

When Johnny grows up to be john, the Moto G (or any other device) will look like it was smashed by a steam roller.... at least if the teens I know are representative of normal. I cracked my 3GS so I could be a cool dad.