Hey guys, it’s Greg with Apple Explained,
and today we’re going to explore the history of the iPod Touch. This topic was the winner of last weeks voting
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polls will show up right in your activity feed and you can let me know which video you’d
like to see next. So, today I’m going to talk about the iPod
Touch, the only iPod model you can buy today. We’ll explore why it was developed and why
it’s still being sold, when all the other iPod models have been discontinued. The story of the iPod Touch begins in 2007. By that time, iPods had been around for quite
a while, with the first version released in 2001. And by 2007, Apple had already released a
number of different models, some discontinued, and some still being sold. There was the iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod
Nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod Photo. While Apple definitely had a secure footing
in the market, competitors were starting to pop up – Zune had just released its first
model of MP3 player and was about to release the Zune 80, Zune 4, and Zune 8 – competition
for the iPod Classic and Nano lines. Luckily, Apple had something up their sleeve. Now, the iPhone had already been on the market
for about eighteen months in September of 2007. It was wildly popular, with lines hundreds
of people long outside Apple stores on the day of its release. Part of its success was the touchscreen interface
which, up until that point, really hadn’t been utilized by mobile phone manufacturers. Users were excited about a new, sleek, and
attractive design that really seemed to be the future of technology – but there were
some problems with the iPhone. For example, many of the people who bought
them in the first few days of release were disappointed to find out that they couldn’t
actually activate them – AT&T’s servers were just too overwhelmed to handle the number
of new iPhone. Others were frustrated that the only way to
actually use an iPhone was to purchase a bundled plan with AT&T – which meant leaving their
own service provider and paying high costs to a new company that often didn’t have
as reliable coverage. And, finally, there was the cost. The first iPhone cost $499 for a 4GB model
and $599 for an 8GB model. And this was a problem. People wanted the touch screen, they wanted
the apps, they wanted the design – but the cost of an iPhone was just too high. And that’s where the iPod touch came in. Shortly after the iPhone 3G was released,
the iPod touch was introduced and served as an affordable alternative to the iPhone. Its price began at $299 for an 8GB model,
$399 for 16GB, and eventually $499 for 32GB. The only features that were missing were phone
capabilities, a camera, and a GPS radio. This first generation offered quite a bit
to users. Along with the ability to store and play music,
the first generation iPod Touch allowed users to access wireless internet, download and
play video, and download interactive apps. Users could easily browse YouTube, Safari,
and the Calendar, as well as access their contacts. Another difference between the iPod Touch
and the iPhone was its design. The iPod Touch was thinner and lighter, coming
in at only 8mm thin instead of 11.6mm with the iPhone. The biggest change, though, was the introduction
of the wireless iTunes Store. Users could now download songs directly onto
their iPod from anywhere with Wi-Fi access – this feature was a big deal since it eliminated
the need to transfer songs that were purchased from a computer. This was actually such an exciting concept
that many big companies wanted to jump in. For example, Starbucks made special playlists
that, when connected to their in-store Wi-Fi, were easy to access and download onto your
iPod touch with just a few taps. But, of course, the first generation iPod
Touch would eventually be improved upon as technology advanced, and the second generation
iPod Touch was released just a year later in 2008. The new model introduced Bluetooth technology
and included something called Genius as a feature in iTunes. This generation was also even more affordable
than the last – only $299 for a 16GB model and $399 for 32GB. The third generation was quick to follow in
2009, and not much changed besides the addition of a microphone and speaker. At this point, all three generations of iPod
Touch had been using the same LED-backlit LCD display at 163 ppi. But that was about to change in 2010 with
the fourth generation model which brought some big updates to the iPod Touch. There was the addition of a retina display
which improved screen resolution to 326 ppi, an accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope that
allowed for position recognition which was great for gaming apps, front and rear-facing
cameras, and finally there was the big redesign. The iPod Touch got even thinner and did away
with the plastic antenna on the back of the case. As games and other apps became more popular
on the iPod, Apple recognized the need to make some even bigger updates. And probably one of the most important changes
about the fourth generation iPod Touch was the cameras. It could now take photos and videos and utilize
apps like FaceTime. All of these additions made the motto “iPhone
without the phone” really start to take hold. Now, it’s worth mentioning that the supposed
“iPod Killer” – the Microsoft Zune – wasn’t doing too well. In early 2011, Microsoft announced that there
wouldn’t be any new updates to the line and cited none other than the iPod for its
failure in succeeding during its five years on the market. Later that year, the official discontinuation
of Zune products was announced. Apple had officially won the battle for the
music player market – and the iPod Touch was a big part of that success. So with that tailwind at Apples back, the
next generation of iPod Touch was released in October 2012. And at this point, the iPod Touch was no longer
receiving annual updates – and lines at Apple Stores for the newest iPod Touch were
getting shorter. The reason being that the rise in iPhones
popularity was essentially cannibalizing sales of the iPod Touch. But that didn’t stop Apple from updating
the device as it was still a vital part of their product lineup. So, Greg Joswiak unveiled the iPhone 5, and
then moved on to reveal the new iPod Touch – and discussed all the features they had
in common. It had the same dual-core chip from the iPhone
4S with an updated GPU, and it had the same IPS Retina display as the iPhone 5. The camera was new and improved to shoot 1080p
video, and it ran iOS 6 – which supported Siri. At this point, the price dropped even lower. Buyers could now get a 32GB model for $299
and 64GB for $399 – double the storage for the price compared to earlier generations. But that wasn’t all. The newest generation had some big design
updates, too. Users had a lot more options than just black
and white, they could choose between silver, blue, pink, red, yellow, and gray – and
each one came with a matching wrist strap. And the final update to the iPod Touch came
three years after the 5th generation. But the success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
seemed to overshadow any iPod release, and the iPod Touch appeared to be fading into
the background. Much like previous releases, this model focused
on bringing iPhone-quality hardware to an iPod and featured vastly improved cameras,
an M8 motion co-processor, Bluetooth 4.1, and improved WiFi connectivity. It did away with the wrist strap, but colors
were brighter and the line offered a 128GB option. So, it’s hard to talk about iPods without
mentioning at least some of the controversy that surrounds them. The entire line of products has been plagued
with public relations issues, ranging from mild to pretty shocking – and the Touch
is no exception. To start, all iPods, like iPhones and most
other devices from major tech producers, have been accused of over-stating their battery
life. For instance, 5th gen iPods claimed 14 hours
of continuous music – but anyone who has ever owned one knows that that’s probably
a bit on the high end. The iPod Touch line was given especially harsh
criticism for its battery life, which often ran out quickly thanks to energy-intensive
apps and games. Apple responded to attempts by users to replace
batteries on their own by literally gluing batteries into the iPod casing – and this
has not gone over particularly well among third-party battery-replacement companies
or individuals trying to get the most life out of their device as possible. Apart from other minor issues with the durability
of the iPod Touch, particularly with easily-cracking screens, the biggest controversy in the iPod
line comes from the manufacturing process itself. Apple’s primary iPod manufacturer, Foxconn,
in China, has been accused of labor violations several times over the years. In 2006, for example, they were accused of
paying workers less than $50 per month, often for working shifts well over twelve hours. While Apple found that some of these claims
were, in fact, true, they continued to contract with Foxconn for the manufacturing of iPod
products. Tensions again rose when, in 2010, several
laborers committed suicide in the Foxconn factory in China, and tapes were leaked that
showed workers being beaten. While the majority of iPod Touch models are
still manufactured by Foxconn today, Apple does produce a percentage domestically and
employs over 10,000 workers in the United States for production. Nonetheless, the issue of outsourced and potentially
unethical labor has been one that has dampened the enthusiasm for Apple products in general,
although I should mention that Apple products aren’t the only ones being produced in this
type of environment. As it stands today, the iPod Touch is the
only iPod still being produced. It comes in two variants – 32GB for $199
and 128GB for $299 – and is still available in a variety of colors with an option for
engraving. The software has been updated over the years
to accommodate for newer versions of iOS and the iPod Touch currently supports iOS 11. Announcements about the iPod Touch line are
no longer made at conferences and keynotes and are left mostly to the domain of press
releases, so it’s unclear what the future holds for new generations. So, while other iPods have failed the test
of time, the iPod Touch remains an enjoyable device for using apps, playing games, and
listening to music. It stands as a compact, portable, and affordable
alternative to the more popular iPads and iPhones that dominate the market – but it
also stands as a reminder of the decade-long wave of portable MP3 players that left their
mark in the chapters of tech history. So that’s the history of the iPod Touch,
and if you want to vote for the next video topic, don’t forget to subscribe. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next
time.
