IPod touch

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

The iPod touch can see the last ten songs played in a Starbucks café through Wi-Fi within the location of the iPod. The user can download tracks from the online iTunes music store with an iPod touch. 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.

The iPod touch's touchscreen ability is the same as the iPhone's. 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, and 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.

As of September 9, 2014, when iPod Classic was discontinued, iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Touch were the only ones still manufactured. The iPod touch is the only remaining iPod still being manufactured as of July 27, 2017, when the iPod nano and iPod shuffle were discontinued. Apple concluded the iPod touch on May 10, 2022. However, the iPod touch was still available at Apple's online store while supplies lasted.

## Models 
# iPod 1st Generation (iOS 1 to 3.1.3) 
# iPod 2nd Generation (iOS 2 to 4.2.1)
# iPod 3rd Generation (iOS 3 to 5.1.1)
# iPod 4th Generation (iOS 4 to 6.1.6)
# iPod 5th Generation (iOS 6 to 9.3.5)
# iPod 6th Generation (iOS 8.4 to 12.5.5)
# iPod 7th Generation *Current Model* (iOS 12.4 to 15.8.3)   

## Requirements 
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. When it's first turned on, iTunes must be installed on either a macOS 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. 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.

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.

The official requirements for the iPod touch are:
* A computer running either:
** Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later
** Microsoft Windows XP (Home or Professional x32 Edition) with SP2, or Microsoft Windows Vista (32 bit OS only )
* iTunes 7.4 or later
* Available USB 2.0 port
* Internet access

## Wi-Fi 
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.

## Third-party applications 
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. 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.

## Software upgrades 
During the initial launch of the iPod touch, reviews noted some differences compared to Apple's similar iPhone. One of the primary criticisms of the iPod touch is the absence of the 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 consisted of five new applications: Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes and Weather. The new Maps feature is similar to that of the iPhone, 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.[1] New iPod touch units with 1.1.3 installed (MA623LL/B or MA627LL/B) will also have the software upgrade pre-installed.[2]Customers who purchase an iPod touch with part number MA623LL/A or MA627LL/A must pay the upgrade fee to receive the new applications.

## Comparisons to the iPhone 
The first reviews of the iPod touch have cited some differences compared to Apple's similar iPhone. In addition to what was previously indicated regarding the differences that were subsequently considered and included in the January 2008 software upgrade, 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.

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.

## Manufacturing flaws 
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.

## Specifications 
The specifications as listed on Apple's website are:
* Screen material: Glass
* Screen size: 8.9&nbsp;cm (3.5&nbsp;in)
* Screen resolution: 480×320&nbsp;pixels at 163&nbsp;ppi
* Input method: Multi-touch screen interface
* Operating system: iOS
* Storage: 8, 32, or 64&nbsp;GB flash memory
* CPU: 1.0&nbsp;GHz ARM Cortex-A8
* RAM: 256&nbsp;MB
* Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
* Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 7 hours of video playback, and up to 40&nbsp;hours of audio playback, times vary.
* Size: 110×61.8×8&nbsp;mm (4.3×2.4×0.31&nbsp;in)
* Weight: 120&nbsp;grams (4.2&nbsp;ounces)
* Direct iTunes Wi-Fi store access
* Wide screen video
* Integrated Safari web browser and YouTube client
* Access to Starbucks music (currently only in New York, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. Coming to Chicago in March 2008)

## Timeline
## Related pages
* iPod
* iPad
* iPhone
* Touch screen

## References 
## Other websites 
* iPod Touch Installer Application(3rd Party) Directory 
* Apple's iPod touch official product page
* Apple's list of special web applications usable with the iPod touch
* Apple special event: Keynote address introducing *iPod touch*. September 2007