Australian review: Apple’s new iPod Touch could be its last but it’s more than mere nostalgia

Apple’s new iPod may be its last but the sixth generation iPod Touch has more in common with the iPhone 6 than anything with a scrollwheel.

WHEN the iPod Touch first appeared in September 2007, Fergie topped the music charts, John Howard ruled Australia, and the final Harry Potter novel was becoming the top-selling book of the year.

Touchscreen devices were also fresh and the iPod Touch seemed an easy starting point.

LAST DRINKS: Is Apple planning the end for the iPod?

FRESH TOUCHES: Apple surprises with new Touch model

Flash forward almost eight years and a lot has changed. Fergie hasn’t released an album since 2006, John Howard is a political commentator, and Harry Potter’s film stars are adults with scantily clad pictorials.

But the iPod Touch is back again, albeit in a slicker, faster package. It’s as if Apple wants to remind us of its music credentials in the wake of its streaming music service launch.

There are reasons other than nostalgia to buy the sixth generation iPod Touch, however.

Like its 2012 update, this model is lightweight. At 88g, you can confidently strap this device to your arm and go for a run. You can also slip it into a pocket, connect some wireless headphones, and forget it’s there at all.News_Image_File: Portable music ... Apple’s upgraded iPod Touch is faster than the previous model (pictured).

This model is also a lot smarter and faster than its predecessors. In many ways, its hardware matches that of the iPhone 6, without the higher price or mobile phone plan.

This iPod uses the same A8 chip and M8 motion coprocessor as the top iPhone, and features double the RAM of the past iPod Touch at 1GB. The result is a device that can ably run the most demanding apps, which is particularly useful if you intend to use it as a games machine.

This iPod Touch’s main camera is also better than before, with an eight-megapixel resolution and the ability to capture slow-motion video.

It’s not quite as advanced as the iPhone 6 camera — it has a smaller aperture and will not capture as many frames per second in video mode — but it’s impressive for a reasonably inexpensive purchase.

iPod Touch users still hanging on to their original models should note that this model now features Bluetooth connectivity for use with wireless speakers and headphones, and a built-in speaker for personal audio.News_Image_File: Portable player ... The sixth generation iPod Touch is just as easy to carry as the last model, and shown by Caris Tiivel from Chadwick Models.

Not everything received an upgrade in this model, however. Apple’s phones have increased in size but the iPod Touch’s screen stubbornly remains at 4 inches.

There’s also no Touch ID fingerprint sensor to lock it down, and no GPS chip to track outdoor exercise.

It also faces some stiff price competition from within its own camp, as you can buy an iPad to play games for just $90 more.

The newest, and possibly the last, iPod Touch is the cheapest iOS device, however, and is likely to prove popular as a games machine for tiny hands, a music device for weight-obsessed road runners, and perhaps even as a dedicated Apple Music machine for Fergie fans.

Apple iPod Touch 6th generation

4 out of 5 stars

4/5 /

$279-$579