Jul 20, 2016 01:41 PM
2616 Views
T's a welcome update that keeps the Touch competitive with the current generation of iPhone and iPad hardware - this new Touch will play the latest games and be able to utilize the latest apps that were too taxing on the older hardware, and the new camera will take better snapshots to boot. And by keeping the starting price at$199 for the 16GB model(£159 in the UK, and AU$279 in Australia), Apple reestablishes an affordable entry point into iOS, the Touch's operating system and content universe that's also shared by iPhones, iPads and the Apple TV.(Step-up models range from 32GB and 64GB, up to 128GB, and are available for$399, £329 in the UK, and AU$579 in Australia.)
But while the iPod Touch was generally known as "the iPhone without the phone, " this Wi-Fi-only model has no contract, but costs far less than the$449 to$649 that an iPhone will run you. That said, this updated iPod won't be confused for the latest iPhone model. Apple's updated the innards, but left the exterior alone, right down the the 4-inch screen. That means it lacks GPS, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, touch-to-pay Apple Pay functionality, and - most importantly - the bigger 4.7-inch screen of the modern iPhone. Even more disappointing is the rather meager battery life, which was about 25 percent shorter than that of the 2012 model in our tests.
Ultimately, this is a decent spec upgrade to keep a capable handheld in the running for consideration as a kids' device or secondary media player, but feels like an increasingly niche device in a world of iPad Minis(which will run all of the same apps with four times the screen real estate) and Moto Gs(a full-service Android phone available for the same basic price).
