Apple charging for iPod touch updates is such BS.

RandomFool

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Dec 25, 2001
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I'm semi-half considering buying an iPod touch, mainly for the Wi-Fi web browsing but Apple charging for firmware update is such BS. I know they're feeding some line about not being about to add significant enhancements without calling it a new product or something. It just makes me grumpy that if they add something neat next year I'll have to shell out 10 bucks for it.

Seriously, even MS didn't charge to get the new firmware on the Zune, and that update was about as major as Apple's. Heck they're even adding a Zune AppStore soon.
 

quackerww

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Sep 18, 2005
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Look at it this way... They could just let the iPod touch die like all other "old" ipods.

Everything free would be ideal; yet for some reason...
 

QueBert

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Jan 6, 2002
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I love my Touch, I've never owned another Apple product or really wanted to. I don't know how common my thinking is, but if Apple made the Touch only work with a monthly update that cost money (I know it won't happen) I would pay every month. I'd put my Touch up next to my C-64 as one of my all time favorite gadgets.

MS didn't give away the Zune update for free to people with the first gen Zunes because they're nice, it's because they want to gain ground in the mp3 player market. If they were #1 and had the margin Apple does with the iPods believe me MS would have charged.

It sucks apple didn't give away the update but I love my Touch so much at this point they can do no wrong with it.
 

RandomFool

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Dec 25, 2001
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Is it really too much to ask for a company to support a device for more than a year? To me it seems like Apple is getting away with it because they're Apple. I can't think of any other company that charges for firmware updates like this.

Maybe I need to drink some more Apple Kool-Aid...
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
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I can think of a lot that don't charge for updates, but also a lot don't offer them. Oh these features COULD work on your hardware, but how about we just release a new version of it and you can buy it.

a $15 firmware update is better than a $200 new version, and sadly that is what most companies seem to do.
 

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
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Jul 19, 2001
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Although its quite a bit above my head, its something to do with the restating closed accounting books if they release an update adding new features to a device that is not based on a subscription model, but required research and development to create. </whew>

The issue first came up with the 802.11n enabler back in early 2007. You can read more about it here (and generally speaking, the same applies to the touch)

http://www.macalope.com/2007/0...acalope-do-everything/
Apple is required to charge you for the enabler. 802.11n was R & D intensive; it?s not your granny?s WiFi. You can?t amortize R & D costs against new products?in this case, AirPort Extreme and Apple TV?and then give that same R & D away somewhere else. That would create what?s called an accounting irregularity, and these aren?t popular at places like Apple and Dell just now. The only way to put 802.11n into existing Mac users? hands was to turn it into a product against which R & D could be charged.
If Apple had given the enhancement away free, Apple?s auditors could have required it to restate revenue for that period and could possibly have required Apple to start in the future to defer all the revenue from computer sales until all such enhancements are shipped, this person said. That would have had a devastating impact on Apple.

And here is another article relating specifically to the $20 upgrade for firmware on the iPod Touch
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1350...50999-20.html?hhTest=1
The short story for those who got to class late is Apple must charge for substantial enhancements to products that do not have revenue recognized on a subscription basis or it has to restate prior earnings. The iPod touch does not have revenue recognized on a subscription basis. The iPhone does. As does the Apple TV. Hence, they get free updates and the iPod touch does not.

It's a somewhat complicated accounting convention and perhaps you can argue that the iPod touch revenue should also have been recognized on a subscription basis, but then it raises the question as to whether or not all iPods should have their revenue recognized that way and pretty soon it all devolves into communism and everyone's getting everything for free and even Randy Newman doesn't want that.

As for the price and whether or not you want to spend money for upgrades - That's up to you. Apple set a price and you can choose to pay or not.

And just to clarify, they don't charge for all firmware updates, only ones that add notable features. Bug Fixes, stability enhancements, and speed improvements are all free. To say they don't support their products after one year is just patently incorrect, they do, you just can't get the firmware with added features unless you pay up.
 

onlyCOpunk

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May 25, 2003
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Dude, no need for a Touch. Get a used 1st gen iPhone, hack it and you've got a touch and a phone with free updates and for the same price as a touch would cost.
 

ChAoTiCpInOy

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
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At least you can update it have the same features as the iPhone. If you are worried so much, why don't you just buy an iPhone or just unlock one of them.