The iPhone 3GS was released in June. The iPhone included an amped up camera, vastly improved speed, GPS, and firmware 3.0 features made me sigh in jealousy. Unfortunately my carrier doesn’t use the iPhone and/or subsidize it so that I can afford it where I was going to live. And so I began looking forward to the 3rd generation Touch. If the 3rd gen product had the new processor, highly rated camera, and improved voice recording then that would force the upgrade. I could blog, podcast, take pictures, capture video, and then upload all from the device. That would be worth putting it into my pocket. Who knew? Maybe Apple was going to throw in GPS and that would be delicious frosting. With those features I would pay a price increase.
And yet, Apple released a Nano with the camera but the Touch without the camera. What? Are you kidding me? Speculation in days prior hinted that hardware problems would keep the camera out of the Touch. It works fine in the iPhone. Or then maybe it doesn’t and this is Apple’s way of covering themselves. Or maybe they left the features out so that they could drop the price and undercut Microsoft’s new Zune handheld (Update: Since original draft this has been verified in an interview with Steve Jobs). Whatever the reason, they will sell millions of iPod Touch units, but will see few upgrades from previous generation users. Give me the iPhone without the phone, nothing less. This new one just didn’t come close to delivering the upgrade motivation for me. Sad day. I wanted to give them my money. No doubt someone will.