Apple’s New (Neglected) iPod

On Tuesday, Apple announced their plan for the iPhone 4S release among other public announcements. With everyone's attention focused on the iPhone, what may have been overlooked from the event was the future of iPods. Where is Apple planning to go with the music player that changed the way we listen to music?

Besides introducing the new iPod Touch in white, this iPod is also integrating all the same upgrades as the iPhone 4S: HD video recording, iOS 5, iCloud. At $199 for 8GB, it's comparable to the new iPhone 4S in terms of features and functionality, all except for the phone part. For the same price, you can get an iPhone 4S with 16GB capacity. So, is it worth it? More importantly, is there a place for mp3 players in this world increasingly dominated by smartphones?

By now, Apple's managed to make their iPods more than just devices. They're icons, fashion statements, and accessories. Also rolling out in new features, the iPod Nano will also see some changes. On top of iCloud integration, Apple is including 16 watch-face styles on the Nano and built-in Nike+ exercise monitor. If you don't need or want all that, Apple also says they will continue selling non-iOS iPods for those who just want the classic music player.

The answer really comes down to whether you're a multimedia and music lover or a casual listener. There's no debate that if you want a device purely for musical enjoyment, then the new iPod Touch satisfies that-and a whole lot more. With the Touch, you can take a lot more media and content with you, whereas the iPhone has limited storage capacity for that.