Apple has lifted the lid on a long-awaited refresh to its iPod touch lineup, introducing new features such as support for Group FaceTime and AR experiences for the first time.
Announced via a press release on the Apple website yesterday (May 28), the company said it had enhanced the power and performance capability of the device at a remarkable price, presumably targeting children and teenagers who were too young to own an iPhone, but still wanted to take advantage of the App Store and Apple’s upcoming Apple Arcade service.
Available at a “remarkable price” from just $199, the new iPod touch features Apple’s A10 Fusion chip, designed to improve the performance of games on the device and introduce augmented reality experiences through Apple’s ARKit.
With Apple Arcade coming later in the year, the new iPod touch is the perfect entry-level device to access tons of new AR content.
“We’re making the most affordable iOS device even better with a performance that is twice as fast as before, Group FaceTime and augmented reality starting at just $199,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing.
“The ultra-thin and lightweight design of iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.”
Amongst the changes is the ability to purchase an iPod touch with up to 256GB of storage, great news considering the device needs a WiFi connection to access content.
Users are able to download their favorite music from Apple Music or the iTunes store, and download videos from YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple’s upcoming Apple TV+ subscription service, although users will need to pay for each subscription independently to download.
Augmented reality is one of the biggest selling points on the new iPod touch, with Apple telling consumers that the device “provides fun and productive AR experiences across gaming, education, and web browsing.”
New to the iPod touch is shared AR, persistent AR (tied to a specific location) and image detection, allowing users to bring 3D objects to life, such as toys and sculptures, as demonstrated at last year’s WWDC 2018 with LEGO.
The new iPod touch is available from $199 in the United States for a standard 32 GB model, whilst pricing jumps to $299 for 128 GB and $399 for the 256 GB model.
Apple has also introduced a new (PRODUCT)RED variant of the iPod touch, whilst space gray, white, gold, blue, and pink are still available to those who want a more traditional color and finish.
What do you think about the new iPod touch? Do you see a use for such a device in today’s always-connected times? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter using @AppleMagazine, and check back soon for more news on new Apple product releases every day of the week.
