Apple Quietly Introduces $229 16GB iPod Touch Without Rear-Camera

Apple introduced a new, stripped-down member to the iPod touch family recently — which you might have missed if you weren’t paying close attention to Apple’s online store. 

Apple added a 16GB iPod touch for $229. The new version loses a few features found in the latest generation of the iPod touch family, such as the rear-facing 1080p camera and the assortment of colors (this new version only comes in black and silver).

However, the 16GB device does still hold key features like the 4-inch Retina display, the dual-core A5 chip, 720p front-facing camera, and even the Apple EarPods. 

If you can’t do without the rear-facing camera or the pretty colors, there’s the 32GB version for $299 or the 64GB version for $399. 

Apple is likely introducing cheaper models in an effort to gain a larger customer base and compete with its main rival — the Android-powered Samsung. 

Apple was also likely looking to fill the price gap between the $149 iPod nano and the $249 iPod Classic. This new 16GB version seems to have replaced the 16GB 3.5-inch Touch that had been selling for $199.

Also reportedly forthcoming in the cheaper Apple product line is a more affordable iPhone, but there’s no word on a release date quite yet.