The iPod Touch (trademarked, marketed and stylized as iPod touch) is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, and Wi-Fi mobile platform designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The product was launched on September 5, 2007, at an event called The Beat Goes On. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line. It is the first iPod with wireless access to the iTunes Store, and also has access to Apple’s App Store, enabling content to be purchased and downloaded directly on the device. Apple Inc. has sold 20 million iPod Touch units as of September 2009.
The 2nd generation iPod Touch, featuring external volume controls, a built-in speaker, a contoured back, built-in Nike+, Bluetooth support, and the ability to connect a microphone, was unveiled on September 9, 2008, at the “Let’s Rock” keynote presentation.
The 3rd generation iPod Touch with the new iPhone OS 3.1 was announced and subsequently released on September 9, 2009. It is available with 32 or 64 GB of flash memory. Apple also continued offering the 2nd generation 8 GB version. The new 3rd generation iPod Touch includes faster hardware (the same microprocessors, graphics engine, and RAM as the iPhone 3GS), a slightly lower battery life, voice control, light sensor, and bundled earphones with a remote and microphone.
* 1 Hardware
* 2 Software
* 3 Comparisons to the iPhone and model comparisons
* 4 Models
* 5 Requirements
* 6 Third-party applications
* 7 Specifications
* 8 Timeline of full-size iPod models
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 External links
Hardware
The iPod Touch has a slim rectangular shape with rounded edges, with a glass touchscreen display covering most of the top surface and a physical home button off the touchscreen. The display functions similarly to the multi-touch trackpad as implemented in Apple’s current line of laptop computers. The touch and gesture features of the iPod Touch are based on technology originally developed by FingerWorks.[9] On February 5, 2008, a 32 GB version was added in addition to the 8 and 16 GB versions. On September 9, 2009, a 64 GB version was added and the 16 GB version was removed from the line-up.
Software
The home screen has a list of icons for the available applications. All iPod Touch models include such applications as Music, Videos, and Photos (collectively duplicating the standard functions of the iPod Classic), iTunes (providing access to the iTunes Music Store), Safari, YouTube, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator, and Settings. Later models added Mail (accessing POP/IMAP/SMTP e-mail), Maps, Stocks, Notes, and Weather, which could also be added to the earlier models with the purchase of a software upgrade. The user can add direct links to Web sites, called “Web Clips”, to the home screen. All iPod Touch models are equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11b/g.
On July 11, 2008, the iPhone 2.0 Software Update was released for purchase for the iPod Touch. The update allowed 1st generation iPod Touch devices access to the App Store to download third-party applications, in addition to a host of minor bug fixes. On June 17, 2009, the iPhone 3.0 Software Update was released for purchase for the iPod Touch. The update allowed the devices to use new apps, and unlocked the Bluetooth functionality of the 2nd generation iPod Touch, enabling A2DP and P2P apps, as well as file transfer to other (non Apple) devices such as bluetooth-enabled mobile phones or jailbroken iPods using software such as iBlueNova.
Comparisons to the iPhone and model comparisons
Further information: iPhone OS and iPhone OS version history
The iPod Touch and the iPhone, a smartphone by Apple Inc., share the same hardware platform and run the same iPhone OS operating system. The iPod Touch lacks some of the iPhone’s features and associated apps, such as access to cellular networks, or a built-in speaker and camera (and microphone on older models). As a result, the iPod Touch is slimmer and lighter than the iPhone. Multimedia, which is available as a single “iPod” app on the iPhone, is split into music and movies on the iPod Touch. Steve Jobs once referred to the iPod Touch as “training wheels for the iPhone”.
The 2nd generation iPod Touch has an external volume switch and a built-in speaker like the iPhone. The 2nd generation also comes with the chrome frame seen on the iPhone 3G, making the two almost identical when viewed from the front. However, there are some notable differences, as there is no speaker above the screen, no silent/ringer switch, the back is metal, and the sleep/wake button is on the other side. The 2nd generation also supports audio input when a headphone or earphone with microphone capabilities is plugged into the audio output (headphone) jack. The iPod Touch 2.0 Software Update supports WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1X authentication.[11] The iPhone OS 3.0 update unlocked Bluetooth capability on the 2nd generation iPod Touch, as the included Wi-Fi chip (Broadcom BCM4325) has Bluetooth support.
The 2nd generation iPod Touch is said to have a yellower cast/tint to the display, as compared to the iPhone or the original iPod Touch. The applications processor inside the 2nd generation iPod Touch runs slightly faster than the processor inside the iPhone 3G, but slower than the iPhone 3GS. The first generation iPod Touch works with all “Made for iPod” peripherals, but certain changes that Apple made to the 2nd generation iPod Touch prevent some existing peripherals from recharging the updated player. The Google Street View feature added on iPhone firmware version 2.2 is absent from the same version of firmware released on the iPod Touch but is found in the 3.0 update.
Apple has received criticism for its differential treatment of iPhone and iPod Touch owners. Such criticism is primarily targeted towards Apple charging iPod Touch owners for major software updates of the iPhone OS that iPhone owners can obtain at no charge as well as excluding certain features from the iPod Touch software that are included in the iPhone. Apple has been reported as saying that they can add features for free to the iPhone because the revenue from it is accounted for on a subscription basis under accounting rules, rather than as a one time payment.
3rd generation iPod Touch, OS version 3.1
Developer Apple Inc.
Type Portable media player/PDA
Retail availability 1st generation: September 13, 2007
2nd generation: September 9, 2008
3rd generation: September 9, 2009 – present
Media Flash memory
1st/2nd generation: 8, 16 and 32 GB
3rd generation: 32 or 64 GB
Operating system iPhone OS 3.1.3 (build 7E18)
1st generation: 1.1 originally
2nd generation: 2.1.1 originally
3rd generation: 3.1.1 originally
Power Lithium-ion battery
1st generation: Audio – 22 hours, Video – 5 hours
2nd generation: Audio – 36 hours, Video – 6 hours
3rd generation: Audio – 30 hours, Video – 6 hours
CPU 1st generation: ARM11 620 MHz (underclocked to 400 MHz, then 412 MHz)
2nd generation: ARM11 620 MHz (underclocked to 533 MHz),[1] with internal ARM7 core for Jazelle acceleration
3rd generation: ARM Cortex-A8 833 MHz (underclocked to 600 MHz)
Memory 1st/2nd generation: 128 MB DRAM
3rd generation: 256 MB DRAM
Display 320 × 480 px, 3.5 in (89 mm), 2:3 aspect ratio, 262,144-color LCD at 163 pixels per inch (ppi)
Graphics 1st/2nd generation: PowerVR MBX Lite[2]
3rd generation: PowerVR SGX
Input Multi-touch touchscreen display, ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, volume buttons since 2nd generation, voice control on 3rd generation
Connectivity Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
USB 2.0/Dock connector
Bluetooth (3rd generation; 2nd generation with minimum iPhone OS 3)
Dimensions 1st generation:
4.3 in (110 mm) (h)
2.4 in (61 mm) (w)
0.31 in (7.9 mm) (d)
2nd/3rd generation:
4.3 in (110 mm) (h)
2.4 in (61 mm) (w)
0.33 in (8.4 mm) (d)
Weight 1st generation: 120 grams (4.2 oz)
2nd/3rd generation: 115 grams (4.1 oz)
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