iPod Touch 1G vs 2G Comparison

 

The original iPod Touch was released in September 2007  and the second generation was released a year later in 2008. But what changed from the ipod touch 1G ( first generation ) to the  2nd generation? Below we compare the two. A recent update you should know about however is that with the release of the 3rd generation iPod touch , the first and second have become obsolete due to the lower cost and advanced features of the newer third generation model. For that reason it has been included in the chart below. Check out our comprehensive ipod touch comparison article for a detailed comparison including the ipod touch 3G( third generation).

IPOD TOUCH COMPARISON CHART

		1st Generation	2nd Generation	3rd Generation
Image
Date Released		September 2007	September 2008	September 2009
Capacity		8Gb 16Gb 32Gb	8Gb 16Gb 32Gb	8Gb 32Gb 64Gb
Os Requirements		MAC: OSX 10.4 PC: XP	MAC: OSX 10.4 PC: XP	MAC: OSX 10.4 PC: XP
Multi-Touch Interface
Wi-Fi
External Volume Control
Built In speakers
USB 2.0
Firewire (charging only)
Slim Side Profile
Voice Control Support
Rated Battery Life hours		Audio:  22 Video:   5	Audio:  36 Video:   6	Audio:  30 Video:   6
MSRP (Manufaturer's Suggested Retail Price)	8Gb	$199	$229	$199
	16Gb	$499	$299	N/A
	32Gb	$599	$399	$299
	64Gb	N/A	N/A	$399

 

So let's jump straight into the differences with the 2nd generation release.


1. Built-in speakers

This is a great thing for me. There are some cases at my friend’s house where I found a YouTube video on my Touch, and I may just show it, but with no audio. Those were the times I wished I had an iPhone.

2. Volume controls

Volume buttons are on the left side so you can adjust the volume with the iPod Touch physically. This goes hand-in-hand with the built-in speakers

3. Support for new earphones, which includes a remote for volume and play controls and a mic. A much needed feature for music playback. With the previous model, each time you wanted to change the volume, you had to take the iPod Touch out of your pocket. Mic maintenance is neat. Now you won’t miss out on apps that take profit of a mic such as apps that record voice memos and Midomi (singing app). Now if there was a voice chatting app like iChat, the mic would become quite beneficial. If such app does come out in the App Store, it'd be for both iPhone and iPod touch. Cell phone companies probably wouldn’t be too happy with iPhone customers talking via wi-fi, so chances are slim for a voice chatting app, I think.

4. The new earphones are not included, and will set you back $29.99 or $79.99 depending on which version (regular or in-ear) you get.

5. Built-in Nike+

I’m not a big fan of this one. A PDA-sized music player is kind of big to carry for jogging, don't you think?

So are we saying that for owners of iPod Touch 1G, should you immediately sell it and get the new version?

If you may bare with taking out the iPod touch from you pockets every time you want to change a song or adapt volume, then you might wish to sit out on this upgrade . As for the speakers, there’s a workaround of attaching external speakers.

You must consider upgrading if:

1.you record a lot of voice memos

2.you like to run and don’t mind the size of the iPod Touch

3.there are apps that use the mic that you absolutely use frequently

Now, if you don’t have an iPod Touch, is it necessary to buy the new version?

In terms of software and apps , compared to when the 1G was released, the iPod Touch has come a long way. It now has all the iPhone apps like Google Maps, and some of the usability flaws are fixed with external volume control, built-in speakers, and the new earphones.

Although it’s positioned as an entertainment gadget, it’s quite capable PDA. So the answer would be an easy - yes.

 

As mentioned before , the 3rd generation ipod touch replaces the ipod touch 1G and ipod touch 2G , being cheaper , faster and having more capabilities. Please read the ipod touch 1G vs 2G vs 3G comparison for a proper comparison inlcluding all three models.