The iPod Touch 4th gen spotlight
By Dean • Sep 2nd, 2010 • Category: Industry News
- Photo: Apple
At the Apple press conference, Steve Jobs finally called the iPod Touch what many of us have been calling it for years – the ‘iPhone minus the phone’, and with this year’s update, that adage proves more true than ever.
What’s new?
The iPod Touch 4th generation’s most notable addition is two cameras – one a rear-facing camera and the other a front facing camera. These were developed specifically for FaceTime, Apple’s built-in video chat service that was introduced with the iPhone 4. The rear-facing camera also allows for 720p HD video recording, while both cameras will function as stills cameras.
The other brand new addition
What’s changed
Aesthetically, the iPod Touch 4th generation keeps the rounded look the squarer iPhone 4 recently abandoned. Apple has however managed to squish down the components, thus being allowed to reduce the iPod’s overall size by 15 per cent. It’s a small, but not inconsiderable change.
Apple has also switched out the old screen and replaced it with their highly praised retina display, also introduced on the iPhone 4. If you’ve seen it in action, with its high 3.5-inch screen, high pixel density and high resolution, you’ll know that this is a pretty big deal.
Be afraid
While watching the Apple press conference, it dawned on me that Jobs & Co. may, in fact, be pushing for a resurgence for the iPod. In recent years, with the iPhone’s meteoric rise, the line of music players that ushered in the new Apple began steadily fading to the background. Now, if this Apple press conference is any indication for the future, Apple wants to target that part of the market that cannot afford the iPhone 4, but still wants the splendours of an iOS device.
Our short hands-on time with the iPod Touch 4th generation confirmed that it is the ‘iPhone minus the phone’, which should be review enough to conclude that it is an incredible device.
Tags for this article: apple ipod, iphone 4, ipod touch, iPod Touch 4th gen
Sounds good when will it hit Australia?