CNET has a stupid article full of stupid about how Apple should dump the iPod touch. Instead of linking to the stupid, I’m going to link to Harry Marks’ article tearing it apart.
It’s smart.
CNET says Apple should dump iPod touch; no, dump CNET
CNET has a stupid article full of stupid about how Apple should dump the iPod touch. Instead of linking to the stupid, I’m going to link to Harry Marks’ article tearing it apart.
It’s smart.
I think Donald Bell is usually the one decent writer at CNET, but man was he out of touch (no pun intended) on this one. He usually doesn’t go for the standard clickbait bullshit that is CNET’s M.O., so this was a shame.
It used to be said that Apple did not have to advertise the iPod Touch because they sold so many of them, is that not the case anymore? As a teacher, I feel like this is the ideal 1-1 device for students.
I like that you linked the criticism instead of the link bait. I always find it disappointing when someone points out flawed logic by driving more traffic toward the link bait.
I thought about this option, but, I have always wondered, where is the Android equivalent to the really good idea that is the Touch?
I know Samsung has some tepid Koerean market alternatives, but I have never seen anything on the shelves around here.
Though one thing in the criticism I would like to see is a Touch with a bigger screen. The Touch is not a phone (unlike the maligned Dell Streak) and IMO you don’t need the same one handed operation that makes the smaller screen so sensible in an iPhone. A Touch is a optional carry device that I would only bring when I knew I would be stuck somewhere waiting. Then the bigger screen for games/reading would be appreciated.
I don’t want a 7″ iPad, that isn’t pocket-able. But a 4.5″ Touch would be sweet.
I can only speak for myself, but I think the touch is a hell of a product, especially because I’ve never been in a position to incur the expense of a voice/data plan for an iPhone.
My iPod touch allows me to benefit from a great deal of wonderful iOS functionality, especially considering it’s a 2008 model, and still enjoys a great deal of support for many apps despite having dead-ended at iOS 3.1.3.
Its only downside is the fact that, yes, it is a gateway drug I have been unable to afford to upgrade from.
When was the last time that Apple got up to herald the millions of iPod Touches they sold this quarter. What about that awesome revamp they didn’t do last year.
After calling Mr Bell an idiot, neither Mr Marks nor Mr Dalrymple provided concrete evidence of the sales numbers that refute the belief that the iPod Touch is no longer a viable high selling product worthy of Apple’s attention. And perhaps that lack of evidence is because there isn’t any, because it isn’t.
Don’t get me wrong. I think the iPod touch is an adorable little iPhone that doesn’t make calls. I hope that one day phones could get down to that slick little shape. Or fairly close to it. But I can’t recall the last time I was in a store (and I’m in them at least once a month if not a couple of times since I’m the office buyer) and saw someone buying an iPod touch (or any iPod for that matter). I can’t recall the last time I saw someone having their iPod touch serviced at ‘the bar’. And so on. I can recall seeing kids at young as 4th grade with Daddy’s old iPhone a lot. Heck just a few days ago for that matter. Which is why I can believe the articles about middle school kids having iPhones.
And I have to agree with Mr Bell’s, albeit badly written, thesis that Apple needs to change up the iPod Touch or kill it off and focus on the two selling lineups. I also agree with Mr Bell that the rumored iPad Mini could be that change up. Make the iPod touch a little bigger and it’s better for the younger kids to read from, it’s a great game machine for them as well and if they revamp the app not a bad remote for the Apple TV
A 3 inch screen is horrible for students. Especially younger ones. It’s not really viable for any of the best learning apps, for reading, etc.
Now if Apple were to be ‘stupid’ like Mr Bell and make it a 5-7 Inch item then it would be more suited for such uses, especially the reading stuff. And if it came with a price tag that tops at $399 rather than starts there, then it is much more viable for the schools and for multi child families.
The iPod touch IS a high-selling device. Bell twists numbers to make it sound like they’re selling 250,000 a year or something, but they sell millions of them. 5% of their revenue is not an insignificant number, especially with how much money Apple makes.
I am sure they know how good of a gateway device it is. They can get their hooks into preteens and teens early, and when they are old enough for an iPhone, they’ll know the ins and outs of iOS as well as being accustomed to a high quality experience.
The following is not validated, but with my limited math skills and the reported quarterly revenue, in this past quarter alone, if we take 5% of the reported total revenue as an indicator of iPod Touch sales, that equals to $2,316,650.00 or about 7,748 iPod Touch’s sold in the last financial quarter.
I’m not weighing in on the matter, but there is no denying more iPhone’s are sold than iPod Touch’s, but that is a common understanding. So I see no point to Mr. Bell’s article.
Mr. Bell really should have written his article to Apple directly rather than to the readers of CNET. It’s more of a personal wish list rather than hard facts about what the worlds most valuable company should do with its product lines.
IMO :p
Your numbers are missing three zeroes.
It is truly amazing how many losers want to tell Apple what to do. Mere pimples on a great company’s butt.