iPod Touch Update

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What's up with Apple charging for the new upgrade for the iPod touch??? I just bought mine a couple weeks ago, right when they provided the free upgrade for Calendar. They don't usually charge for upgrades to begin with. Does anyone think they might allow recent buyers to upgrade for free, similar to the deal they did with the iPhone?


Thanks!
 
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I don't own an iPod touch and to be honest - as much as I've been tempted to get one - chargeable updates has put me right off.

I don't know what the deal will be for recent purchasers I think your best bet is to give Apple a buzz and see what, if anything, they can offer.

Did they do a similar thing with charging MacBook owners for enabling 802.11n on their MacBooks or was that just some rumour based on no facts?
 

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They don't usually charge for updates? Because I bought my MacBook just before Leopard was announced, and I'm really mad they wouldn't upgrade me for free! ;)
 
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:)
They don't usually charge for updates? Because I bought my MacBook just before Leopard was announced, and I'm really mad they wouldn't upgrade me for free! ;)
An OS is a bit different - Leopard is a great OS.

The Touch update is just 5 applications which I think (note: I have no idea, complete guess here :p ) would be 'fairly simple' to port from the iPhone anyway.

I guess I do think Mail will bring a little more to what already looks like a great device.

EDIT:

Oh yeah; Maps looks pretty cool as well. The other 3 - to be honest I think they should have been available from the beginning :p
 
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Did they do a similar thing with charging MacBook owners for enabling 802.11n on their MacBooks or was that just some rumour based on no facts?

Yea, they charged $1.99 for the 802.11n enabler for "accounting purposes"

I really don't like the concept of charging for the apps. Sets a bad precedent of doing the same for future iPhone updates.
 
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I have no problem with charging for apps in theory, but if the product seems unfinished in the first place, that's a different story.
 
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I don't have anyhting against charging for apps either, but for in this case they should have been there anyway, as someone else said. And besides the Mail and Maps, the others more more like widgets than full-blown apps. I mean, stocks and weather? And Notes isn't much at all either. Maybe $5-10, at best.
 
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$20 upgrade. :(

Ok, this is more of a rant than anything else. I am currently an iPod touch owner since it came out along with many others. I am glad they released more applications for the iPod Touch. I am extremely disappointed that they are charging $20 for the applications. And even more so they are now selling iPod touch WITH the extra applications at the SAME price!! I really don't understand this. /end of rant.
 
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I think I'm still in my return period (got it for Xmas) -- perhaps I'll just return it and get another one with the apps installed.

Edited to add: I think it's ridiculous that apple is charging for this, particularly for new purchases (given the timing of Xmas).
 
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^^ you'll end up paying a restocking fee more than the price of the apps.
 
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True, it is unfair to charge a whole $20 (maybe $10 would of been better) but I can't say much because I'm going to purchase it anyway.
 
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:)

An OS is a bit different - Leopard is a great OS.

The Touch update is just 5 applications which I think (note: I have no idea, complete guess here :p ) would be 'fairly simple' to port from the iPhone anyway.

I guess I do think Mail will bring a little more to what already looks like a great device.

EDIT:

Oh yeah; Maps looks pretty cool as well. The other 3 - to be honest I think they should have been available from the beginning :p

Fairly simple to port is an understatement, it is extremely simple. They both use the same version of the program. "Porting" for apple was writing a script that unpackaged the programs and put them in the necessary folder. Anyone who has jailbroken their touch would know that they use the exact same programs and installing it was a matter of drag and drop. This is complete bunk that they would charge users $20 for something they offer for free on new touches that are otherwise exactly the same. Apple, anyone with half a brain will jailbrake their touch and install the programs that way if they already didn't do that.
 

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I have no problem with charging for apps in theory, but if the product seems unfinished in the first place, that's a different story.

If it seemed unfinished, why buy it in the first place?

I don't have anyhting against charging for apps either, but for in this case they should have been there anyway, as someone else said. And besides the Mail and Maps, the others more more like widgets than full-blown apps. I mean, stocks and weather? And Notes isn't much at all either. Maybe $5-10, at best.

No offense, fleurya: your comments and others like it made me chuckle. Using wi-fi to check your email from an iPod is SWEET. Seeing your current location live on a map in your hand and searching for the nearest ______ is too cool. You say you'd pay $10, so you're begrudging Apple $10 over these totally sweet apps. $20 is not a lot of money!
 
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If it seemed unfinished, why buy it in the first place?
Well, most fools buy things assuming there will be updates for free. Since Im not one of them, I bought an iPhone instead.
 
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No offense, fleurya: your comments and others like it made me chuckle. Using wi-fi to check your email from an iPod is SWEET. Seeing your current location live on a map in your hand and searching for the nearest ______ is too cool. You say you'd pay $10, so you're begrudging Apple $10 over these totally sweet apps. $20 is not a lot of money!

I agree that the Mail app is sweet. In fact, I was alluding to the fact that it and Maps are the only apps worthy of purchase, or even being called an app. The other are more like simple widgets, which are normally free.

But then I realized that, as far as I know, the Google Map app is free on pretty much every other handheld/cell phone platform, so why should Touch users pay for it. Basically, that leaves only the Mail app worthy of a price tag. Should you buy it? If you have Gmail, no. Google has done a good job of optimizing it's web apps for iPhone. But if you have multiple emails, it's worth something. Too bad you have to buy all that other "bundled" stuff. Feels somewhat Microsoft to me.
 
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Here's a message I sent to Apple using their Ipod touch feedback site. I can only hope somebody of some influence happens to read this, or that something is done about this.




I'd like to comment on the announcement at Macworld 2008 that the Ipod Touch will be receiving an additional 5 applications: Mail, Stocks, Weather, Maps and Notes. More specifically, I'd like to comment on the absolutely abhorent treatment of your dedicated installed base who have supported you by buying this product.

These 5 applications have all been available for Iphone owners for months now. It is my understanding that both the Iphone and Ipod Touch use the exact same operating system, save for some minor differences as a result of hardware differences (Iphone's camera and bluetooth functionality). Why is it, then, that early adopters of the Ipod touch are being forced to pay ANYTHING for this additional functionality, let alone an extra $20 ($24.99 Australian). It's bad enough that anyone has to pay for these products at all, but to further rub salt into the wounds of your fanbase, you have included this functionality on new Ipod touches. To be honest, I find this extremely appalling.

To me, this screams of dirty, money grabbing tactics that people like me have not come to expect from Apple. Over the past couple of months, I've become a dedicated and enthusiastic user of many of your products, including an Ipod touch and a Macbook. Through this time, and indeed in any previous experience, I have never seen a more underhanded and cheap business move than this.

I'd like to look back to last year, when Steve Jobs reduced the Iphone's price mere months after the product was first released. After a backlash from fans, Steve gave early adopters a $100 Apple Store credit as compensation, a move which I thought to be extremely generous. After all, those who did pick up an Iphone in it's infancy would, or should have understood that the price would have to drop quickly after launch if the product was to penetrate a greater portion of the market. That was a risk they took when buying the product, and Apple's response to the public outcry was not only shocking (in a good way), I think it was absolutely unnecessary.

Unfortunately, the same can not be said of this situation. You expect early adopters to have to pay an additional sum of money that not only should have been included in the first place (seeing as though it runs the same operating system as the Iphone), but is now being given to new buyers for no additional charge? This is just absurd, and I see it as Apple exploiting their perhaps overly forgiving fan base and trying to gauge them for money. Let us not forget that the Notes application was originally advertised as a feature of the Ipod touch before launch; and now we're expected to pay for it? Surely, if Iphone owners received compensation, I expect Ipod touch owners who do purchase these applications must should receive compensation as well.

I understand the language I have used in this message is a little harsh at times, but I do not believe anything I have said is without merit. Make no mistake, I will continue to support Apple by buying their products, because they are undoubtedly sensational products, but instances like this certainly make me question my support of Apple products.

I hope that serious consideration is given to this feedback.

Regards,
 
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In the UK the ipod touch came first, then the iphone. And in that order the whole thing makes sense. iPod come out, fine and dandy. The iPhone is then released with more toys. The iPod can also have those toys, but you have to pay a few pennies to get them.
All fine and resonable to me.
The fact that, in reality, the iphone came first changes nothing. The ipod is what it is. Nothing is "missing" nothing is "incomplete". If you bought one, you knew what you were buying and got what you paid for. Apple don't "owe" you anything.
If you're an early adopted, you roll the dice and you take the chance. I got the touch for Xmas knowing full well that Apple may of released a 32gig version at Macworld, or may of upgrade the iPhone to 16gig.

You should think yourself lucky. It is not usual for apple to add major new features to an existing ipod. In the old days, they would of brought out a new ipod with the new apps. So you would of had to stump up another $200, or whatever, rather than $20.

Paying for new features is the way Apple are going to go, both for ipod and iphone. And as long as this prevents my current ipod from becoming obsolete (like my old 3g and 5g ipods), and encourages quality new apps, I'm all for it.
 
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The problem with the update is all about timing, IMO, and the fact that many iPod Touches were given for Xmas, so you have a higher than normal number of very recent purchasers than if they did this in, say, April. Apple should take their head of marketing and throw him/her out the window for not figuring on this. Or, if they did figure on it, Apple is behaving considerably more like Microsoft than ever -- a disturbing sign.

I've downloaded the 1.1.3 basic update, and I'm still considering the "pay for play" add'l apps. Frankly, I can live without the apps -- Mail is the only real plus, and I can get my mail through standard webmail accounts anyway. I've got a GPS unit in my car already, so Map is of no consequence. Weather and Stocks can be had from any number of websites easy enough. Notes -- well, with a touchscreen keyboard typing on this device is not something I would do with any frequency (it's tough enough on my Blackberry). Unfortunately, my geekish nature wants to have the latest functionality.:Smirk:

The real underlying issue I see is what the heck the iPod Touch is supposed to be -- an "iPod on steroids" music/video device or a PDA with enhanced music capability. I've already got a kickass PDA/phone in the Blackberry that is much, much more business friendly than the iPod or iPhone. Personally, I just wanted a really good iPod with a bigger screen -- the wifi was a very nice added feature. The rest of it? pfffft.
 
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I can jailbreak and install the apps myself for free w/in an hour easily. Or I can update and buy the apps within minutes. An hour of my time is work at least 3x what apple is charging. So it makes monetary sense to buy it from Apple. Don't just look at the dollar sign - think about it for a minute.

And yet - these apps were already built. As stated above, its simple to 'port' them from iPhone to IPT. That's if you call "copy" "port".
It's just a silly update. I understand they need to make back their money/efforts of making these four apps legally available to IPT. Why did they spend so much effort on these four apps??
 
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Disgruntled iPod Touch owner

I bought an 8 GB iPod touch less than a month ago, for $329 now all of the sudden there is an update with Maps, notes, etc. and the price is lower, yet us poor suckers who recently bought it need to pay even more? $329 + $20 = $349 for something that's being sold for $319 now.... Sorry, that isn't justified.

I'm quickly losing faith, Ive been stung yet again. Got screwed out of the Leopard upgrade by only two weeks with the aluminum iMac, now this..

Gee, thanks Apple, I wont be buying a MacBook Air, cause by the time I do, they'll probably add a DVD writer a week later.
 

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