iOS 5′s iPod touch 3G toggle switch
Some people have scoffed at the notion of an always connected 3G iPod touch. I’ve praised the idea and will buy one, assuming of course that Apple actually makes it and no contract is required. Still, I’m not yet convinced it will and won’t be holding my breath until September.
A few weeks ago rumors of a iPod touch 3G surfaced for the first time and there was much eye rolling. I get that, but it has to be admitted the concept has potential.
Now, a couple of 9 to 5 Mac readers dug into the just released iOS 5 beta 4 and found this tantalizing nugget — “When not connected to Wi-Fi, use cellular network to transfer documents and data” — buried in an iPod touch’s Settings.
So, is this Apple’s version of Amazon Kindle’s “free with hardware purchase” Whispernet? Or, will it be full-blown data access as a mobile plan add-on?
As beautiful as the iPod touch 3G concept is, right now, there are more questions than answers…
What’s your take?
Related posts:
July 25th, 2011
I would love a pocketable device with optional 3G. I’m very concerned about battery life though. My iPod touch doesn’t last many hours with WiFi turned on and Apple is determined to keep making it thinner, thus reducing the amount of space for a battery.
My preference, and I realize it may not be a popular one, is for the next generation touch to sport a much bigger display. That way the battery could be significantly larger and I might not have to reach for my reading glasses to see what’s on the screen. I made some mockups to see how they fit in my hand. An iPod touch with a 5.5″ display would fit in one of my hands. To account for the fact that most women have smaller hands and lower tolerance for a heavy device I’d go with something in the 4.5-5″ range.
If Apple comes out with a 3G touch in September, but sticks with a 3.5″ display I can guarantee that nobody in my family will get one.