I am not sad because iPhone One Point Oh is over. I am not sad because the back is now plastic instead of brushed metal. And, I am definitely not sad that it is coming to Canada. I am said however, because this new rediciously low price for an iPhone means that the super sexy iPod Touches days have to be numbered, does it not?. Would you buy a Touch knowing that for a couple more dollars you could get a phone, with 3G technology? I know I wouldn’t. So, what will become of the touch?
One potential possibility is that Apple could keep the touch focused on being an ipod first and a web device second. Sure, it can do all the same things as an iPhone, but it has to be differentiated some how from the iPhone, and the only way I can see that becoming a possibility is if the capacity levels of the touch are greater than the iPhone. My brother constantly boasts about being able to carry around his entire collection on his iPod, while I struggle with the capacity of a 1 GB nano. I constantly tell him that I don’t need more then 10 albums at a time, and that 1GB is fine for me, but for him, that is a concept not even worth mentioning. For him, what good is an iPod if you can not access that random track when you really want it. I get the feeling that I’m in the minority, not him. If they keep the Touch as the hot new iPod model, then it might still have some life in it, but only higher capacity storage is the only way I can see this possibility coming to fruition.
They could also lower the price of the Touch. I don’t really see this being much of an option though because it completely interferes with their other models. The nano, which retails for 159.00 would be the obvious iPod to get the beat down, if capacities weren’t changed and the price of the Touch was lowered. I don’t see Apple sacrificing those Nano’s just yet.
Lastly, they could cancel it altogether, but once again, this seems highly unlikely. Touch technology in devices are the future. Apple, and more importantly Jobs understands that. You’re more likely to see the Nanos removed from the iPod lineup then you would Touches.
Here’s to hoping I don’t have to write a eulogy, much like I did for the iSight, for the Touch anytime in the near future, because if it wasn’t for that damn iPhone, it would be the best media player out there.
