The Evolution of the iPod Touch

Four more generations of iPod Touch have come from from Apple since the release of the first in September 2007, each outdoing the previous with new features, many of which also featuring on the Touch's closest relative, the iPhone. As well as the music by which the iPod became popular, the Touch provided more entertainment options such as videos, apps, and of course games. But with so many models starring in the iPod Touch timeline, what's the difference between them?

The 1st generation iPod Touch was released the September after the original iPhone in 2007, and like the iPhone changed the way we listen to music, offering the capability of watching videos, playing games or sending an email, all while listening to our favourite tunes. The App Store allowed users to download music, apps and videos from the largest content collection available. Although its features now seem very limited, it was the first MP3 player with Wi-Fi connectivity and multi-touch gestures, along with the widest selection of apps via the App Store. However, it lacked volume buttons on the side and a built in speaker - features to be included in later models.

The 2nd generation Touch was a decent step up from the original, with a shinier back, rounded edges, external volume buttons, a built in speaker, bluetooth for connecting and sharing photos with other iPods and other minor features like shake to shuffle and a longer battery life.It also included an upgrade to iOS 4.1.2, however its features were limited, for example, multitasking and home screen background editing were not available.

The 3rd gen version, much like the iPhone 4S, offered little more than the previous model. It was 50% faster then the 2nd gen, a remote and microphone on the earphones and Voice Control for 16GB and 32GB versions, but except for that it looks exactly the same.

In the 4th generation Touch, released September 1st 2010, included more features than ever before. A front facing camera compatible with Facetime allowed users to, like Skype, connect and talk with other friends on their Macs, iPhones or iPod Touches, while the back camera was capable of  recording 720p HD videos for viewing on the Retina Display screen. It also featured Apple's latest operating system, iOS5, which included  photo editing, a camera shortcut on the lock screen, Apple's BlackBerry Messenger equivalent, iMessage, and a much needed notifications bar, solving previous problems in which notifications would simply disappear after interrupting your game or call.

The latest iPod Touch, 5th gen, again arrived with more features, including the new iOS6. As well as its taller screen, faster A5 chip, Lightening power connector and 1080p HD video recording, iOS6 added a whole bunch of new features. Firstly, Apple included its own Maps apps to replace Google Maps. Although it originally came under criticism over towns and cities being mislocated, its good graphics, real time traffic updates and flyover view to view the city from the air make up for the odd mistake. Secondly, the Passbook app stores all your coupons, loyalty cards and tickets on your iPod/iPhone for use in partaking shops and cinemas. Siri became available for latest iPad and iPod Touches, Safari was updated to include seamless browsing on different devices, allowing you to continue your browsing experience on whatever device you prefer, and Facebook became integrated with your iPod, making it even easier to share your favourite photos and links with your friends. However its hefty £250 price tag makes it only £10 cheaper than the iPad Mini - a much better idea. But without note to the price, the 5th generation iPod Touch has to be, by far, the best yet.