Larger capacity iPod touch/iPhone

bbloke

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Larger capacity iPhones and iPod touches have just been released:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/02/05iphoneipodtouch.html

Apple said:
CUPERTINO, California—February 5, 2008—Apple® today added new models of the iPhone™ and iPod® touch which have double the memory, doubling the amount of music, photos and videos that customers can carry with them wherever they go. The revolutionary iPhone now comes in a new 16GB model for $499, joining the 8GB model for $399. iPod touch now comes in a 32GB model for $499, joining the 16GB model for $399 and the 8GB model for $299.

“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod and iPhone Product Marketing. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”

Both iPhone and iPod touch feature Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface and pioneering software that allows users to find and enjoy all their music, videos, photos and more with just a touch of their finger. All iPhone and iPod touch models include the latest software enhancements announced last month including the ability to automatically find your location using the new Maps application*; create Web Clips for your favorite websites; customize your home screen and watch movies from the new iTunes® Movie Rentals. Both iPhone and iPod touch feature the world’s most advanced mobile web browser in the world with Safari™ and great mobile applications including Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes.

Pricing & Availability The new 16GB iPhone is available immediately for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and AT&T retail and online stores. The 32GB iPod touch is available worldwide immediately for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iTunes Movie Rentals are available in the US only. iPhone and iPod touch require a Mac® with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS® X 10.4.10 or later and iTunes 7.6; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.6.

At the time of writing, I can see the updated hardware in the US (online) Apple Store, but not in the UK store.
 
I find this very surprising. With 3rd party apps coming at the end of this month, and the strong possibility of a 3G iPhone announcement soon, there is bound to be a 'special event' keynote within the next few weeks. Everyone (myself included) thought that seeing as they didn't announce 16GB iPhones at MacWorld, that meant they were saving it for an all-iPhone keynote to mark the launch of 3rd party apps.

With this news, do people still think there will be a keynote for 3rd party app announcement?

also, 32GB SSD. yikes, that's pretty impressive! I presume this would thicken the touch somewhat though.
 
I find this very surprising. With 3rd party apps coming at the end of this month, and the strong possibility of a 3G iPhone announcement soon, there is bound to be a 'special event' keynote within the next few weeks. Everyone (myself included) thought that seeing as they didn't announce 16GB iPhones at MacWorld, that meant they were saving it for an all-iPhone keynote to mark the launch of 3rd party apps.

With this news, do people still think there will be a keynote for 3rd party app announcement?

also, 32GB SSD. yikes, that's pretty impressive! I presume this would thicken the touch somewhat though.

picture1yj1.png


It looks like they've done the impossible, actually. It's a little salty, though; I'd rather have a 16GB iPhone.
 
I'd expect that greater solid state storage would not necessarily increase the thickness, depending on how it was done. If the choice was two 8 GB chips or two 16 GB chips, I'd expect thicknesses to be the same or similar. If additional chips had to be included, that might be another matter.

Qion: I don't quite follow, what do you mean that it looks a bit "salty?" If you mean the appearance, I actually preference the subtler appearance of the iPod touch over the iPhone, but it's a matter opinion.
 
Qion: I don't quite follow, what do you mean that it looks a bit "salty?" If you mean the appearance, I actually preference the subtler appearance of the iPod touch over the iPhone, but it's a matter opinion.

Sorry. Maybe it's a colloquialism, I intended "pricey".

EDIT: Just checked on Google, evidently the term comes from a rough Polish translation. :)
 
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Oh, OK. Thanks, I learn something new everyday. :)


In the UK, I guess the equivalent would be "dear," although I also hear usage of "minty."

Reminds me of an awful joke... "I paid £20 for a haunch of venison. Was that deer?" *Ahem* :p
 
I don't think there's going to be a 3G version of the iPhone quite yet. They wouldn't come out with this now only to release the 3G in a few months. I think if anything it'll be the end of the year 2008. 3G still seems to be a little too power hungry for most people's tastes.
 
I don't really understand the obsession with 3G anyway. The amount of time I spend in public in places that don't have Wi-Fi is incredibly minimal, and my area isn't exactly Hondo City. With Wi-Fi coverage getting better and better, what's the point in forcing the standard into existence? I rarely get the urge to download a full-length movie in 1080p whilst eating at a fancy restaurant in the middle of nowhere.
 
Maybe in the US 3G isnt that spread fast or important, but in many European countries basically all new phones come with 3G and it works in all big cities and villages, so to many people 3G is very important - and Apple is a company that always looked into the future, so when Apple announced the iPhone, people expected 3G and since it didnt come then they still expect it now in the 3rd revision.
 
What's the battery life on the 3G phones though? From what I've heard you basically have to recharge the phones every day because the battery doesn't last that long. Then because li-ion batteries only last for about 300 charge cycles and they're dead, Apple would definitely have to offer a user replaceable battery because the battery would be dead in a year.
 
This type of thing makes me want to travel forward in time five years to see just how fast wireless actually gets... I admit, it would be very cool to be constantly connected to a massively fast internet. I believe the average person is overlooking the more important consequence of this, though. A network like that, with the right devices, could not just enhance our social interaction, but warp it to a point that physical location is a moot point.
 
I think that's the ultimate goal. Perhaps in 10 years we might have that vision like in Star Trek where any device can interface magically with every other device and share information.

BTW I think the lack of 3G is definitely holding back the iPhone sales in the international market because from what I hear they're not selling very well in places like Germany and France compared to the US.
 
BTW I think the lack of 3G is definitely holding back the iPhone sales in the international market because from what I hear they're not selling very well in places like Germany and France compared to the US.

I suspect Apple planned from the very outset that iPhone would have to become a range of iPhone models for various purposes - with and without GPS, 3G, two cameras and so on. I'm pretty sure though that they were determined not to dilute the iPhone brand until it was well and truly established, and so they've had to restrict it to one model (with memory or specification bumps as needed) at least for the next year or so.
 
I am sure that Apple will move iPhone to 3G when the time is right, and they have worked out issues, (ie battery life). If you remember they did a similar thing with adding video to the iPod. Everyone was pushing for video, but Apple didn't rush into it. Doing something just to say you did it can be a dangerous thing if you don't do it right.

As far as dilluting the iPhone name, I would expect at some time there may be more than one version of the iPhone. However, in Apple fashion I am sure this will be a very limited scope.
 
What's the battery life on the 3G phones though? From what I've heard you basically have to recharge the phones every day because the battery doesn't last that long.

Well I cant speak for all phones in Austria, let alone Europe but most 3G (actually called UMTS btw) phones hold for approx. 3 days. If you don't use it a lot then maybe 5 days.

Then because li-ion batteries only last for about 300 charge cycles and they're dead, Apple would definitely have to offer a user replaceable battery because the battery would be dead in a year.

iPhones use li-ion batteries? Most phones don't though because my 9 year old Nokia still recharges and holds around a week (though just with GSM).
 
iPhones use li-ion batteries? Most phones don't though because my 9 year old Nokia still recharges and holds around a week (though just with GSM).

I don't know specifically about the iPhone because I can't buy one here but my cell phone uses li-ion and the computers usually use lithium polymer which has a life fairly similar to li-ion of 300-500 charge cycles depending on the manufacturer.

I would guess it's probably li-polymer.
 
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