Last we checked, the “new” iPod Touch’s have yet to hit any Apple Stores, and despite Steve Jobs assertions to the contrary, something’s afoot here. The most likely explanation is that cameras were, in fact, poised to be in the new iPod Touch models, but that quality issues forced Apple to readjust midstream and simply offer capacity and processor upgrades.
One obvious clue that flew under our radar, but was picked up upon by Seth Weintraub at ComputerWorld, was that the demo for Assassin’s Creed showcased the ability for users to take a photo of themselves, and attach it to a “Wanted” poster within the game. Clearly, the developers there were banking on new camera equipped iPod Touches. It’s also possible that the developers had this feature in mind only for the iPhone, but we doubt it.
Speculating on what sort of technical glitches might have been plaguing the iPod Touch, Weintraub writes that Apple may have had problems fitting the camera into the device, which measures “just .33 inches thick at its thickets point” without “making it weak or susceptible to damage.” Also, keep in mind that the logical spot to place the camera would be at the top of the device, similar to the iPhone’s camera location, which means that the space Apple had to work with was even smaller.
As for Jobs’ assertion that Apple wanted to make the iPod Touch affordable to the masses, well, Apple already did that in the form of 8GB model which sells for $199. While we opined earlier on Apple trying to differentiate the iPod Touch from the iPhone, it’s also possible that Apple was willing to forgo that differentiation in the interest of taking a giant leap ahead of the upcoming Zune HD, which thus far has been getting pretty strong reviews.
Yesterday we noted that a camera enabled iPod Touch is still very much in the works over at Apple, with the only variable being when that update might be made. Interestingly, Weintraub writes that he’s heard that “Apple wants to have these things in full production by Christmas and that they’ve made only a few months of camera-less models to tide the market over until the new ones are ready.”
While Weintraub doesn’t cite a source for the rumor, we’re inclined to hop on board and agree. There’s no way that Apple would wait an entire production cycle (i.e next September) before introducing an iPod Touch with a camera. And assuming that Apple does announce an updated iPod Touch sometime in late November, you can bet that the pundits will be out in full force decrying Apple for upgrading a product so quickly.
And so the wait continues…
September 11th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
What will be nasty will be listening to the cries of “foul” by the people that bought the cameraless model a couple of months earlier. They’ll have to get some sort of compensation such as some free downloads. Haha. I personally don’t know who to believe. I was all set to buy a new iPod Touch 64 GB but now I’m going to hold off. I don’t even really need a darn camera, but it seems pretty slick on the Nano so a couple of months wait to see if this Touch w/camera materializes isn’t going to matter to me one way or another. What Apple should do is increase the thickness of the Touch and stick a larger battery in it for good measure. Sorry Apple, these rumors are really the devil for ya.
It would be funny if this coming iPod Touch with camera is just some rumor started by Microsoft fanboys to slow down iPod Touch sales and help Zune HD sales.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
The camera will come but not in this version probably the next one in 2010 to boost sales. For this festive season’s favorite gift the Nano is holding the fort.
It is strange for a company like apple not to produce a prototype of the iPod touch to be fully and intensively tested in both hardware and software before production. They can get a camera to work in the iPhone, I don’t see a problem for them of not getting it to work in the iPod touch, the size notwithstanding. And this is one company which can make hardware works better thru firmware. And they go into full production of every product before selling it which leaves very little room for mistake.
Besides Job’s rationale holds a lot of water for this iteration and they probably know the roadmap of their competitors before introducing the camera to the iPod touch.
So did they really made a boo which I doubt and probably more of a marketing strategy.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I think it should happen it will happen buy I am bit quite sure apple will release a new ipo touch before Christmas only thy the fact that the new one came out a little while ago and they don’t wanna release release release. It’s a slight chance but I doubt it. BUT it will definetly happen in September 2010 if not befor