Come September, will fourth-gen iPod touch be the MID to beat?
Apple rumors always tend to be better received when taken with more than a grain of salt, but the latest whispers about the refreshed iPod touch do make complete sense, especially in light of the new whiz-bang features in the iPhone 4. According to MacRumors, prominent UK retailer John Lewis has been spewing a ton of specs that it's expecting the world's best-selling MID to contain.
Before Android MID and tablet makers barely get their feet in the door, Apple is about ready to take things up a notch, courtesy of iOS 4 and some nice hardware upgrades. Supposedly making the transition over from the iPhone 4 will be the 5.0MP camera and HD video recording feature, along with Apple's FaceTime technology, which means a front-facing camera will also be present. A gyroscope will help provide more control for gaming, and the 1GHz A4 processor should also make the cut, but there is one other bit that needs to make the jump.
What will truly convert the iPod touch into more than just a glorified media player or stripped-down iPhone is the "Retina display" that's been wowing just about everyone who has seen it. True, the iPod touch will still have a smaller screen than the trendy 4-inch plus screens finding homes in the HTC EVO 4G and Dell Streak, but does it really matter when the higher resolution of the Retina effectively gives you more real estate? Call me crazy, but I'd rather have more pixels crammed into a smaller screen than have less of them spreading out into a 5-inch display.
Coupled with more built-in storage, a lower price without having to worry about any type of carrier discounts or contracts, the smallest and most pocketable form, and the largest collection of apps, what else will possibly compete with the new touch? Even for regular Apple holdouts, the small MID alternatives just aren't there and may never be as large screens take over.
