The iPod touch Will Outsell the iPhone

The iPod touch Will Outsell the iPhone. You don't need an IPhone. You need a cell phone with an inexpensive data plan, and an IPod Touch. Apple is clearly making the Touch more capable, and it can now, with WiFi and Video and 2d Gen apps, compete effectively with the IPhone in all categories. VOIP permits calls to any phone over any WiFi network, and the only accessory required is earbuds with a microphone. The only gap is the need for a WiFi network; but, as this article points out, and as I have opined in my recent posts, WiFi is everywhere, and you can turn a smartphone into a portable router with today's tech everywhere else. Don't sell your soul to AT&T until you know whether you can get along with a Touch and a cell phone.

Comments

[Harry]

Groan! You're making me rethink my iPhone 3G purchase. I seriously considered this approach; i.e., get a simple phone with a cheap plan and use the ipod touch as a PDA/ipod. However, I do like the GPS when traveling and the ability to get online anywhere.

[Neil J. Squillante]

Harry, not to worry. There's no competition. I have an iPhone 3G and and the original iPhone, which has essentially become an iPod touch.

My 3G is my goto device outside my home. Even in Manhattan, which probably has more free WiFi per square mile than anywhere else, I use AT&T's 3G network 99.9% of the time. Do you really want to walk out of your way to a Starbucks just so you can check your email? Not me.

My original iPhone (now essentially an iPod touch) is my goto device at home for playing games, reading, and controlling iTunes (while my 3G charges up after a hard day's work).

So I disagree with Rick. If you must choose between the two, the iPhone 3G wins hands down.

[Richard M. Georges]

If you already have a USB Wireless Broadband Modem, like my Verizon Wireless USB727, and are already paying $59 a month for Internet access, it doesn't make sense to buy an IPhone. With the addition of a Cradlepoint battery powered Personal HotSpot router, I just plug in the Verizon modem, and, bingo, all 3 of my family's IPod Touch devices can connect to the Internet simultaneously. And, no phone or 3G account with AT&T. The personal hot spot can travel anywhere, and is great for setting up in hotel rooms and schools.
Rick

[Neil J. Squillante]

That makes sense for people who carry a laptop everywhere, but not all professionals carry a laptop everywhere these days.

I used a laptop as my sole computer from 1999-mid 2008, but it became a hassle to carry it back and forth every day. Five pounds seemed like a miracle in 1999 but more like an anvil in 2008. Times change and so does your perception.

I now have two desktops -- one at work and one at home. My iPhone serves 99% of my mobile needs. The other 1%? Well, on the few occasions every year when I need to give a presentation I grab my old laptop from the closet and dust it off. Within 2-3 years, I suspect I'll be able to give presentations from my iPhone.

Everyone has a different take and different needs. When I switched to a laptop, desktops ruled the world. Laptops rule the world now that I've abandoned them. My lifestyle tends to be 5 years ahead of the marketplace so look for the decline of laptops about 5 years from now.