∞ Study: Apple's secret weapon is iPod touch

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As competition heats up in the mobile phone space from companies like Google and Motorola, a new study points to Apple’s iPod touch as the company’s secret weapon.

iPod touchCalling the iPod touch “Apple’s Weapon of Mass Consumption,” market research firm Flurry says that it estimates 40 percent of the 58 million iPhone OS devices worldwide are iPod touches. In fact, Flurry says it is the iPod touch that is protecting the iPhone’s flank from the competition.

Flurry also says that the iPod touch has more long term strategic value for Apple that the iPhone. They use the old argument of getting people hooked young and keeping them for life. That’s a strategy that every company would like to be able to use with its products, but in this case, Apple could use it successfully.

“When today’s young iPod Touch users age by five years, they will already have iTunes accounts, saved personal contacts to their iPod Touch devices, purchased hundreds of apps and songs, and mastered the iPhone OS user interface,” according to the report. “This translates into loyalty and switching costs, allowing Apple to seamlessly ‘graduate’ young users from the iPod Touch to the iPhone.”

[Via AppleInsider]


  • kevin

    Actually I think the iPod Touch is the wave of the future, not the “get the young ‘uns in first” device. An iPod Touch combined with a MiFi is an awesome thing. With the iSip iphone app and Google Voice/Gizmo5 VOIP I can make calls, and since the MiFi allows 5 devices, screw tethering charges.

    Seperate channels for voice/data is ridiculous, it should be all data. iPhone needs to go all data and let you use whatever voice service you want. Carriers are going to fight that one tooth and nail though.

    • Jim Dalrymple

      Very good points Kevin.

    • Jocca

      I am already using this system and it works like a charm. The connection with Verizon is a lot faster than with AT&T. Skype works well except that I cannot detect the incoming calls, but I can always check my e-mail for any missed calls, which is not a problem.

      • Jim Dalrymple

        What is the quality of the calls like? Similar to Skype on a computer?

        • Stan

          Jim
          I’ve used Skype on my iPod Touch with a decent set of earphones/mike, and my contact said that my voice sounded better than from my iMac computer.

          Stan

  • http://twitter.com/zweigand zwei

    And if it had a friggin camera in it I’d already have one!

    • Stan

      Zwei
      I have a 32 GB iPod Touch that I really like, and I’m hoping to get an iPod Touch with a camera.
      However, I just read that Apple is being sued for patent infringement because of the iPhone camera.
      I wonder if that will delay or eliminate a camera appearing on the next generation iPod Touch.
      Stan

  • prak

    “Company’s” jeez. Get a copy editor.

    /pedant

  • Jim Dalrymple

    The camera is okay in the iPhone, but far from perfect.

    • http://twitter.com/zweigand zwei

      I’m just wanting something I will actually carry with me all the time so I can snap quick pics (i.e. of the lady I saw riding a bike in high heels while talking on a cell phone Saturday) :)

      • Jim Dalrymple

        Okay, it will work fine for that. Strange pic though — you sure you would want that :)

        • http://twitter.com/zweigand zwei

          Indeed …along with the house in our neighborhood that has a toilet in the front yard doubling as a flower pot. ;)

  • http://www.marketingtactics.com Dave Barnes

    So, the iPod Touch is a gateway drug.

    • Jim Dalrymple

      LOL or a McDonald’s Happy Meal.

  • Jim Dalrymple

    @zwei Perhaps moving would be better? :)

  • Jim Dalrymple

    Stan, that is pretty amazing sound quality.

  • Stan

    Jim, the earphones/mike were not from Apple.

    I tried the Apple set, but the sound was terrible with music–at least for me.

    I bought Novodio PureSound IH7, which cost much less than the earphones/mike from Apple, and the quality was superior, but the wires are not white. Sob….
    Stan

  • Heide

    Many of the apps I have on my my IPOD TOUCH need for me to be online at some point how can I buy on line minutes? The Apps wont work unless I am at home and if i am out then I cannot retrieve the codes for discounts, or location maps ect.

  • Theresa Smith

    I love my ipod touch and have recently gotten my very first one and am already hooked. My husband has one as well and loves his. We are big fans here and love the apps store. Trying to figure out how to share apps now and everything. Ipod touch is an awesome piece of technology that we cannot be without now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000367455573 Lucio DiGiovanni

    I think the iPod Touch is SO GREAT that I think I am going to pass up the iSlate coming at the end of January!