NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
Should you buy the new iPod? Old vs. New: full specs
Apple has updated its iPod line with the long-rumored iPod touch, new iPod shuffle and nano.
The iPod touch received an upgrade, but the same cannot be said for the shuffle and nano, as the changes for the two devices are more aesthetic rather than hardware upgrades.
The question now is, if you have a fifth-generation iPod touch, what will make you purchase this new device? Are there any striking new features that would compel iPod touch owners to update their gadget?
New vs. old
What’s in the box
New iPod touch: the device itself, EarPods, Lightning to USB Cable, Quick Start guide.
5th-gen iPod touch: the device itself, loop – the strap you connect on your device, EarPods, Lightning USB cable, Quick Start guide.
Size and weight (no change)
New: height 123.4 mm x width 58.6 mm x depth 6.1 mm; weight 88 grams.
5th Gen: height 123.4mm x width 58.6mm x depth 6.1 mm; weight 88 grams.
Capacity
New: 16/32/64/128GB.
5th Gen: 32 and 64GB.
Wireless
New: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 technology, Maps: location-based service.
5th Gen: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, Maps: Location-based service, built-in Nike+ support.
Display (no change)
New: 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen display with Multi-Touch IPS technology, Retina display, 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
5th Gen: 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen display with Multi-Touch IPS technology, Retina display, 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
Chip & OS
New: A8 chip, M8 motion processor, iOS 8.
5th Gen: Apple A5, upgradable to iOS 8.
Camera, photos and videos
New: iSight camera: 8MP photos, autofocus, ƒ/2.4 aperture, five-element lens, hybrid IR filter, backside illumination, improved face detection, exposure control, panorama (up to 43MP), burst mode, tap to focus, photo geotagging over Wi-Fi, timer mode. FaceTime HD camera: 1.2MP photos, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 720p HD video recording, backside illumination sensor, auto HDR for photos and videos, improved face detection, burst mode, exposure control, timer mode, 1080p HD video recording (30 fps), tap to focus while recording, slo-mo video (120 fps), time-lapse video, cinematic video stabilization, improved face detection, 3x zoom; video geotagging over Wi-Fi, syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats.
5th Gen: 5-megapixel iSight camera: Autofocus, tap to focus video or still images, backside illumination, hybrid IR filter, five-element lens, LED flash, ƒ/2.4 aperture, face detection, panorama, HDR, HD video recording (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio. FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second, video stabilization, tap to control exposure for video or stills, photo and video geotagging over Wi-Fi.
Input and output
New: Lightning connector, Stereo headphone minijack, built-in speaker, microphone.
5th Gen: Lightning connector, 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack, built-in speaker, microphone.
External buttons
New: Physical button for sleep/wake/on/off functions at the top right of the device, volume buttons on the left side, and the Home button appears below the screen.
5th Gen: Physical button for the sleep/wake/on/off button appears at the top right of the device, volume buttons on the left side, and the Home button appears below the screen.
Power and battery
New: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, audio playback up to 40 hours, video playback up to 8 hours.
5th Gen: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; music playback time: up to 40 hours when fully charged; video playback time: up to 8 hours when fully charged; charging times: fast charge in about two hours (80 percent capacity), full charge in about four hours.
Price
New: 16GB $199, 32GB $249, 64GB $299, 128GB $399.
5th Gen: Apple has taken this model off its online store, but you can purchase one on Amazon.com for somewhere between $200-$300 depending on the storage.
To buy or not to buy
If you have a fifth-generation iPod touch, you might be wondering if you need to upgrade to the latest model, right?
The main difference between the two devices, aside from the obvious lack of the loop, is the iSight camera. If a 5MP camera doesn’t bother you that much, then it doesn’t really make sense to upgrade to the new model, unless you’re aiming for the 128GB model.
Image source: Apple, Inc.
A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:
Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.
- 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
- 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About SiliconANGLE Media
SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation, uniting breakthrough technology, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — with flagship locations in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology and AI.
Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.
