Surging iPod touch eclipses the iPhone. Why now?
Even as Apple gears up to present its next insanely great product, the iSlate, last year’s sleeper Christmas hit is getting even more popular. Although seen as the crippled cousin of the company’s zeitgeist defining smartphone, the iPod touch is now at least as popular and perhaps even more so than the iPhone.
Quoting data from web metrics firm — they seem to sprout like mushrooms after a rain — Flurry, BusinessWeek writes that software downloads by iPod touch users jumped more than 1,000 percent on Christmas Day.
“Apple downloads continue to grow at staggering rates,” said Peter Farago, spokesman, Flurry. “IPod Touch devices must have flooded the market over Christmas.”
This surge in iPod touch downloads represents the first time downloads from the device have surpassed those of the iPhone, indicating that a tipping point was reached sometime over the last few months.
Moreover, this spike is part of a larger growing trend for Apple devices — December saw download grow 51 percent over November. Further, Android downloads also jumped 22 percent over November.
Nevertheless, Apple mobile device app downloads are still 13 times greater than Android downloads and, one expects, that the gulf in app download revenues is at least that big, as well. This yawning gap, something Android proponents hoped would begin to close as the number of available rose, probably will continue to grow until sales of the Google-powered devices reaches some magical figure, like 40 million.
Why the touch and why now?
Apple’s handheld computer that isn’t also a phone is has now come into to its own in part because of the overwhelming desirability of the iPhone — it’s cool just to have an iPod touch because it has 90 percent of the functionality (without AT&T). Also, the one-two punch of social networking apps and mobile gaming on the touch, with thousands of compelling games available, especially multiplayer, has become a phenomenon in its own right.
All of this is being driven by the growing ubiquity of Wi-Fi networks (i.e. drive past a school, through any residential area or a cluster of fast food restaurants).
And, this brings up my last point, for the parent of child begging for an iPhone, a device with a bare minimum total cost of ownership of $1,779 (24 x $70 + $99), the iPod touch is expensive enough and has enough functionality (apps + games + Wi-Fi) to make Christmas survivable for the beleaguered mom and dad. Also, for those very same adults, acutely aware of AT&T’s endless failings, the iPod touch gives them the same cachet and economy.
Whatever the case, even as Apple prepares to roll out the iSlate, the company is experiencing phenomenal iPod touch and app sales growth.
Thereupon, it wouldn’t surprise to see what’s left of Apple’s iPod competition, the Zune included, simply disappear. The game’s over…
What’s your take?
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December 29th, 2009
A bare minimum total cost of ownership of $1,779(iPhone) – cost only $2.44 a day which is negligible compare to the usefulness, functionality and pleasure one can derive from it.
December 29th, 2009
yes, the touch Xmas boom reflects presents for kids of course. duh.
what us grownups miss is how much kids love all the multiuser social and game apps linked locally via blutooth or wifi. now that the touch has critical mass, it is becoming the standard everyone wants to have to connect with their pals.
adios DSI! sorry PSP! the Zune? ick!
December 29th, 2009
For all its mistakes (Newton, Cube), Apple’s genius is recognizing where technology and the market are going before they get there. Microsoft, for all its billions, is simply playing hopeless catch-up, as it has for a long time. It has become a pitiable giant, which is unfortunate for all of us. As a long-time prof. of computer science, I have said for some time that Apple is set to roll the entire tech industry. It will be facing anti-trust pressure in fairly short order, which is too bad. But a fascinating saga indeed.
December 30th, 2009
I had owned a 1rst gen iPod nano for awhile and I learned that Apple does 2 things very well with the iPod.
1) Squeeze every dollar it can from our wallets
2) Provide a good user interface
I’ve a cheap USB mp3 player and my cell phone can also play mp3′s and neither of them have a user interface as good as the iPod. I love the UI in the iPod. it’s so functional and easy to use.
Unfortunately my iPod dissappeared a couple months ago. Luckily for me my sister bought me a Sandisk Sansa Fuze for christmas. It’s a pretty good mp3 player and its very functional. It does everything my old one did, albiet the interface is slightly different, but still better than on my phone or cheap mp3 player. It also has an FM radio built in! Which is very nice. The iPod didn’t have that.