iPod Touch Owners Protest $20 Upgrade

Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:04AM EST

See Comments (39)

The Macworld crowd cheered when Steve Jobs announced that the iPod Touch was getting a set of new apps: Mail, Maps, Weather, Notes, and Stocks. Then, the lead balloon: the upgrade will cost $20. Now there's an online petition calling for Apple to drop the charge, and thousands of Touch owners have signed on.

TUAW found the online petition on Wednesday, complete with about 600 signatures; as of Thursday morning, close to 4,500 users were on board, many of them peeved that the five apps will come pre-installed—for free—on new Touches. "Why should I have to pay 20 bucks when I was an early adopter," complains one Thomas Hedrick. "Now you give away those apps for free—four months later! Come on."

It's hard to argue with the guy. Back when the Wi-Fi-enabled iPod Touch was first released, I wondered why it came with the iPhone's Safari, YouTube, calendar, contacts, and clock widgets, but skimped on such essentials as mail, maps, weather, and other widgets included in the new update. After all, both the iPhone and the Touch run on the same basic platform, and the Touch has Wi-Fi, so why not? Now Apple seems to have (finally) come to the same conclusion, but charging early adopters $20 to get what they should have gotten in the first place—and what new Touch owners will get for free? Pretty weak.

Related:
Pod touch owners rally to get new apps for free [TUAW]

Comments on iPod Touch Owners Protest $20 Upgrade

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  • 1 Posted by matt_archbold2002 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    More complaints from early adopters. They bought the product as is, and thats that. If apple wants to charge for an upgrade (or update), let them.

  • 3 Posted by momofhiagirl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm really glade I waited to get the Touch, I just new that they would be upgrading it with the new software. Like post number 2 stated "never buy 1st gen product" just like with the new mac air watch it'll have some of the things people want more USB ports and fire wire ect.

  • 4 Posted by rubenarthe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    At least you can get the upgrade. In many many countries where there is not an iTunes Store, there is no way to buy and get the upgrade. I would pay for it if I could.

  • 5 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am surprised that so FEW people have complained about this... Personally I would not even touch an iPod Touch until these new updates are on EVERY iPod Touch the stores are selling - I'm not going to spend an additional $20 to put on a SOFTWARE UPGRADE. Robbery...

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