Sometimes, it can be easy to forget that in 2021, there is an iPod touch still available to buy. Apple actually launched the thing in early 2019, so it’s not even that old! But with so many newer devices out there in the wild, especially the iPhone, no one could blame anyone for forgetting about the iPod.
And yet, there have been rumors of a new option coming down the line for a little while now. There was some speculation that Apple could announce that new model this fall, perhaps alongside the iPhone 13 lineup. But, yesterday, it was reported based on some speculative word of mouth, that Apple’s actually going to announce the new device in 2022.
And Apple may tie it to the company’s virtual reality aspirations.
For those who might have missed it yesterday, Robert Scoble, a vocal VR evangelist, took to Twitter recently to talk about the new VR headset from Apple. It was all very brief, but, in that initial tweet, Scoble also dropped the bomb that Apple’s new iPod touch will debut around the same time Apple unveils the headset, too. Why? Because, according to Scoble, the new experiences introduced in the new iPod will be even more robust in the headset.
Scoble suggests the new headset will launch in Christmas 2022. And, it’s possible, that the new iPod could still make its debut before the end of this year. Especially if Apple does want it to be some sort of preview for what’s to come in the VR headset. Though, if that’s the case, one would imagine Apple would launch the products more closely together.
That being said, there’s no reason the iPod touch has to die out. Things might get interesting when it comes to design and screen size, though, considering the iPad mini exists. The iPod touch already has a 4-inch display. Do you launch a 6.7-inch iPod touch? What features do you cram into it compared to the Pro lineup of iPhones? Similar cameras? Similar OLED display? Where would the company draw the line?
Actually, the most important question would be: does the new iPod (touch) offer a 3.5mm headphone jack, just like the current model? Because that would be wild.
Review: The 7th-genereation iPod touch
Does a new iPod in 2021 make sense? Or in 2022 for that matter? I think it does. It’s a good device. Gets the job done, so to speak. It’s a great handheld gaming device (especially with Apple Arcade), stores plenty of music (or just taps into the Apple Music vein), and if it drops the bezels it could be a great way to watch movies in a pinch, too. It would be interesting to see them add cellular connectivity — which would help with all those aforementioned perks, too.
And for parents who want their kids to have a device with a bunch of features baked in, without getting them an iPhone, the iPod touch is a great alternative. A nice upgrade in the specs department is not a bad idea at all. But, what do you think? Would you buy an iPod in 2021 or 2022, whether for yourself or for someone else? Or should Apple give up on the device altogether and just launch an iPhone (at a slightly higher price) and call it good?