Apple has released a mild refresh of its iPod Touch, the first changes to its iconic line of digital audio players in almost four years.
The seventh generation iPod Touch starts at A$299 for the 32GB model, and is the last remaining in the California tech giant’s range that owes much of its success to the iPod brand.
The new Touch looks just like the old Touch but features an upgraded processor to improve gaming performance and add augmented reality and Group FaceTime capabilities.
The A10 processor originally found in the iPhone 7 has replaced the the A8 chip found in the previous generation touch.
Some commentators have theorised the lack of a physical design change shows Apple has become risk-averse and is now more interested in profit than innovation.
Apple is seeking to position the Touch as a cheap entry point into the iOS ecosystem and have enhanced the gaming capabilities ahead of the launch of Apple Arcade expected later this year.
Apple claims a three-fold improvement in graphics.
The iPod Touch provides a way for Apple to introduce its devices and ecosystem to younger consumers by providing entertainment that appeals to children, at a price appealing to parents who may not want them to have a fully-fledged smartphone.
Apple have also added an increased capacity, with storage now topping out at 256GB ($599), well past the 160GB iPod Classic consumers mourned following axing in 2014.
The increased capacity will likely appeal to those with large music collections who want a cheaper alternative to high capacity smartphones.
Paying subscribers to streaming networks like Apple Music would also be able to download more songs for offline listening, given the iPod Touch doesn’t have a cellular connection for mobile streaming.
The iPod Touch will also come in a 128GB model ($449).
