Apple Updates iPod Touch (2015)

Apple has revealed their updated iPod Touch for 2015. This new model uses a 4 inch display with an underclocked A8 processor, so performance should fall under the iPhone 6, but remain respectable. The rear camera has also been updated to 8 MP and the front camera has also been improved.

Pricing in USD:

• 16 GB - $199
• 32 GB - $249
• 64 GB - $299
• 128 GB - $399

UPDATE:

Tech Crunch had a chance to benchmark the "underclocked A8" in Geekbench 3. Based on the results, the performance is slightly under the A7 inside of the iPhone 5S.

Results (multi-core):

• iPhone 6 Plus - 2887
• iPhone 6 - 2885
• iPhone 5S - 2515
• iPod Touch 2015 - 2440

Color me SURPRISED that it has an A8 inside. That's about as good as a non-smartphone media player is going to get. No fanfare is not a surprise given how small the iPod line is these days. Neat color choices, though. Extra interesting that they're still rolling with 4" displays, even if it's not wholly surprising.

I think Apple is gearing up for an Apple TV refresh. All their recent devices will feature wireless AC, A7/8 (64bit) SoC, and presumably the Apple TV would also get those items.

Very interesting times.

EDIT: No TouchID is disappointing, that's my only real issue with the hardware. Too bad. I also wonder if the A8 is modified, or if it's just underclocked. Apple has been known to stick modified chips into newer devices (the A5 in the original iPad 2 was different from the A5 in the re-issued iPad 2 and that newer version featured approximately an hour longer battery life).

The A5 refresh was just a change from a 45 nm process to a 32 nm process.

The A8 is already on a 20 nm process, which is the latest Apple can currently use. For ARM devices, only Samsung has their "14 nm" process on the market. The A9 should come on Samsung's "14 nm" and / or TSMC's "16 nm" process.

The small chassis is enough to explain the need for an underclock, but there is a chance Apple could have gone in the other direction as well. Meaning, Apple could have had the underclocked A8 manufactured on a 28 nm process (the same as the A7).

Good points. Indeed.

EDIT: Samsung is rumored to have won Apple's A9 business, btw.