Hands-On With Apple's New 7th-Generation iPod Touch

Apple earlier this week introduced new iPod touch models, updating the 4-inch device for the first time since 2015. Not a lot has changed, but there's a new processor and updated storage tiers.

We thought we'd go hands-on with the new iPod touch to see if it still has a place in Apple's lineup in 2019 and who might want to purchase one.


The new 7th-generation iPod touch is now Apple's smallest device and the sole device that has a 4-inch display. The smallest iPhones (7 and 8) have 4.7-inch displays, so the new iPod touch is a good bit smaller and comparable to an iPhone 5s or SE.

Coming to a 4-inch iPod touch from a larger ‌iPhone‌ is quite an adjustment because most of us are no longer used to using a device with such a small display. It's tiny and it's made from a lightweight aluminum, which is nice if you need something you can just tuck in a pocket.

ipodtouch1
We have the iPod touch in blue, but it's also available in five additional colors: pink, (PRODUCT)RED, silver, gold, and space gray. As with the previous-generation iPod touch, there are thick bezels at the top and bottom of the device.

The bottom bezel houses a Home button, but unlike the ‌iPhone‌, there's no Touch ID built in. There's also no Face ID, because the iPod touch has no biometric authentication system at all. You need to use a passcode for unlocking the device.

Camera tech hasn't been updated, so the new iPod touch is still using an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, both of which are pretty far behind current camera technology in more modern Apple devices. For those who prefer wired headphones, there is a headphone jack.

The sole major update to the 7th-generation iPod touch is its new processor, which is an A10 Fusion chip that Apple first used in the 2016 ‌iPhone‌ 7 and ‌iPhone‌ 7 Plus. The A10 Fusion chip is a good bit faster than the A8 chip that was in the 6th-generation iPod touch, but it's worth noting that it's underclocked in this new model compared to other A10 devices.

ipodtouchbenchmark
The A10 chip in the iPod touch is running at 1.6GHz compared to 2.3GHz in the 6th-generation iPad and ‌iPhone‌ 7, both of which use the A10 chip. Apple is undoubtedly underclocking the processor to save battery life. Since this is a 4-inch device, it has a small battery.

The iPod touch earned a single-core Geekbench score of 2722 in our testing, and a multi-core score of 4695. That's a good bit slower than the 6th-generation ‌iPad‌, which earned a single-core score of 3520 and a multi-core score of 6079.

It's faster than the 6th-generation iPod, though, which has a single-core Geekbench score of 1330 and a multi-core score of 2250. Apple also underclocked the A8 chip in the 6th-generation iPod touch, so having a chip that runs a bit slower in an iPod touch isn't new.

You can get the iPod touch with 32GB of storage for $199, while 128GB of storage will cost $299 and 256GB of storage (a new storage tier) will cost $399.

ipodtouch2
As for the question of who the iPod touch is for, it's not entirely clear. This is probably a good starter device for a younger child that needs access to games, FaceTime, iMessage, and other features, but there are also potential business applications, as this is an affordable device for something like mobile checkout. It could also be useful for schools looking for inexpensive Apple devices.

For the average person that has other Apple devices like an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, you're probably not going to want to pick up an iPod touch unless you have a specific use case for it, such as listening to music with wired headphones while at the gym or something. Most people aren't going to have a use for an iPod touch over an ‌iPhone‌, which is likely why it received only a modest processor update.

What do you think of the new iPod touch? Let us know in the comments.

Related Forum: iPod touch and iPod

Top Rated Comments

otternonsense Avatar
50 months ago
I think it’s a disgrace, even for penny pinching Tim Apple, and such a pathetic minimum effort cash grab that it doesn’t even merit a Macrumors post. It should be boo’d and thumb’d down altogether.
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thrilllho Avatar
50 months ago
For the average person that has other Apple devices like an iPhone or iPad, you're probably not going to want to pick up an iPod touch unless you have a specific use case for it, such as listening to music with wired headphones while at the gym or something. Most people aren't going to have a use for an iPod touch over an iPhone, which is likely why it received only a modest processor update.
I hate this short sighted attitude. There are TONS of reasons to have a dedicated iPod. Not everyone wants to risk their $1500 phone in a sweat and metal filled gym. Not everyone wants to use wireless. Not everyone wants to store their music on their phone and kill the battery during their workout. Not everyone wants to be interrupted by a phone call during their workout.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rjohnstone Avatar
50 months ago
My 6th gen still works perfectly.
The fact that they double the cost of the unit for 256GB version is an obscene markup. That memory module cost all of $30 tops... not $200.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBoy2018 Avatar
50 months ago
I just don't get the lack of Touch ID. That really surprised me when I heard that. Very unfortunate.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
50 months ago
Here's an excellent review, from 3 years ago ;)

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tkermit Avatar
50 months ago
From a developer's perspective, it's idiotic to still offer a 4" screen.
As a developer who is also a user, I'm glad that developers don't always get their way.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Apple Music Classical

Apple Explains Why It Launched an iPhone App Dedicated to Classical Music

Monday March 27, 2023 8:54 pm PDT by
Apple today published a support document explaining why it decided to release a standalone Apple Music Classical app for classical music. In short, Apple says the app was designed to support classical music's complex metadata:Classical music is different. It has longer and more detailed titles, multiple artists for each work, and hundreds of recordings of well-known pieces. The Apple Music...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5

Tuesday March 28, 2023 10:15 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the launch of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4. Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an...
home upgrade available feature

PSA: Apple Has Made Its New Home Architecture Update Available Again

Tuesday March 28, 2023 1:50 am PDT by
Apple has made the option to upgrade to new Home architecture available again with the release of iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, after it temporarily pulled the update in December. After updating Apple devices to the latest software, users can once again opt to upgrade any homes set up in the Home app to the new Home architecture, which Apple says brings faster, more reliable ...