The iPod touch is a media player that was created and sold by Apple Inc. It was first seen by the public at an Apple meeting called "The Beat Goes On" on September 5, 2007.[7] The iPod touch was famous for its touch screen. It has internet access with YouTube and the iTunes store.[8] It was sold with either 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage.

The iPod touch can see the last 10 songs played in a Starbucks café through Wi-Fi within the location of the iPod. With an iPod touch, the user can download tracks in the online iTunes music store. This feature is to be offered in some Starbucks stores in the US. Right now, there are no plans to expand its Wi-Fi iTunes stores in any other country than the United States.[9]

The iPod touch's touch screen ability is the same like that of the iPhone. Like the iPhone, the iPod touch also has a physical home button separate from the touch screen. The home screen includes a headphone set, an alarm clock and also a list of buttons corresponding to the available applications: Music, Videos, Photos, iTunes on the bottom button row. Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator, and Settings are at the top. The iPod touch is also sold with 28 wallpaper photos, some of which are figures from the iPod advertisements.

The iPod touch is the only remaining iPod still being manufactured as of 2017, when the iPod nano and iPod shuffle were discontinued.[10]

32 GB64 GB[11]

Following the introduction of the 3rd generation iPod Touch, Apple also continued offering the 2nd generation 8 GB version, upgraded to the same iPhone OS version as the new 3rd generation devices. The iPod Touch (3rd generation) is model A1318.

On June 26, 2014, Apple released a new version of the 16 GB model that includes the rear-facing camera and more color options. The prices for every iPod Touch model were also dropped. The 16 GB model is now $199 from $229, the 32 GB model is now $249 from $299, and the 64 GB model is now $299 from $399.[25]

Before October 12, 2011, when the iPod Touch is taken out of the box for the first time, it needs to be connected to a computer for it to start.[26] When it's first turned on, iTunes must be installed on either a Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows operating system computer for programming the iPod touch. On either operating system, the iPod touch needs a USB 2.0 port on the computer to connect.[27] When the iPod is first turned on it needs data communications with iTunes, and will always show the "cable to iTunes" picture until it senses iTunes.[28]

However, after October 12, 2011, new iPods that were bought will have iOS 5 installed and that means users can set up the iPod wirelessly, without connecting it to a computer. It also means that users do not have to connect their iPod to a computer in order to sync and back up data. All of this will be done through Apple's iCloud service.[29]

The official requirements for the iPod touch are:[30]

The iPod touch is included with Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, and, like the iPhone, has the Safari web browser and YouTube. The iPod's Wi-Fi ability can also be used to buy music from the iTunes Store.

On October 17, 2007, Steve Jobs, gave an open letter posted on Apple's webpage, announced that a software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone would be made ready to third-party developers in February 2008. Because of security concerns and Jobs' praise of Nokia's digital signature system, it is also suggested that Apple will adopt a similar method. The SDK will also apply to the iPod touch.[32] However, end-users have still been able to "jailbreak" the iPod touch in similar methods to the iPhone, allowing the usage of third-party applications created by users. The most popular iPod touch jailbreak method is a website which takes advantage of a TIFF exploit in the iPod touch's web browser to execute the code in order to install the hacks. The site also patches the exploit as well. This method only worked on the 1.1.1 firmware, as 1.1.2 fixed the exploit needed for the installer to work.[33]

During the initial launch of the iPod touch, reviews have noted some differences when compared to Apple's similar iPhone. One of the primary criticisms of the iPod touch is the absence of iPhone's email, mapping and stock tracking applications. On January 15, 2008, Steve Jobs announced at his Macworld 2008 keynote that the January Software Upgrade for the iPod touch consists of five new applications: Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes and Weather. The new Maps feature is similar to that of the iPhone's, with new software from Skyhook Wireless that pinpoints the user's location using Wi-Fi. The software upgrade is available for current iPod touch owners via iTunes download for US$19.99.[34] New iPod touch units with 1.1.3 installed (MA623LL/B or MA627LL/B) will also have the software upgrade pre-installed.[35] Customers who purchase an iPod touch with part number MA623LL/A or MA627LL/A must pay the upgrade fee to receive the new applications.

The first reviews of the iPod touch have cited some differences compared to Apple's similar iPhone. One of the biggest criticisms of the iPod touch was that it did not have the iPhone's email, mapping and stock tracking applications. Another complaint mentioned that the iPod touch had no physical buttons for volume control - a feature that the iPhone had. The iPod touch instead used software-based controls, which makes users to double click the home button, bringing up an on-screen volume control.[36] The iPod touch also did not have the iPhone's external speakers, built-in camera, and Bluetooth capability, but the 2nd generation onward has external speakers and the Bluetooth capability. The fourth generation, released in September 2010, was the first iPod touch to feature the retina display and two built-in cameras for FaceTime and for videos and still photos. At least one critic has suggested that Apple may have left out these applications and hardware features on purpose in order to differentiate the iPod touch from its more expensive cousin, the iPhone. Others say that the touch does not need the applications mentioned above because it's an iPod and not a mobile phone. However, the 2009 model of the iPod touch does feature Bluetooth, but only to link with bluetooth headphones.[36]

By now, the 5th-generation iPod touch mostly has the same functions as the iPhone, but is not quite as powerful, uses an inferior camera, lacks a built-in GPS, and lacks cell phone capabilities. However, it is cheaper than the iPhone, and also thinner, making it more portable.

A number of early iPod Touch users have complained that their iPod's screen could not properly display shades of black. The problem has been related to the bad reflective coating on the LCD display and bad quality control. The defect caused the screen to have very narrow optimal viewing angle (hard to look at the screen from the side) and also resulted in "shimmering" blacks. This screen problem was later fixed with the firmware update 1.1.1 although some still complained that the screen still could not properly display certain shades of black. Critics also say that the update simply "alleviates" the screen problem by adjusting contrast settings and does not provide a fix for the screen itself.

The specifications as listed on Apple's website are:[37][38]