The iPod touch, Apple’s game machine, is becoming Cupertino’s way to introduce younger users to the iPhone. The phone-less iPod represented more than 40 percent of the devices running the iPhone OS software sold through September, according to researchers.
The iPod touch is “quietly building a loyal base among the next generation of iPhone users,” announced mobile analysis software firm Flurry. The study also suggested young iPod touch owners are using the device for games and social-networking. Flurry found 42 percent of the iPod touch sessions include social-media while gaming is 49 percent of the device’s sessions.
“When today’s young iPod touch users age by five years, they will already have iTunes accounts, saved personal contacts to their iPod touch devices, purchased hundreds of apps and songs, and mastered the iPhone OS user interface,” the study said. This will allow “Apple to seamlessly ‘graduate’ young users from the iPod touch to the iPhone,” according to Flurry.
The report said the strong growth of social-networking and gaming usage on the iPod touch “reflects the strength of the iPod touch Generation’s influence among its peers.”
Although the numbers were encouraging for Apple, they all served as a warning for competitors. “For OEMS hoping to challenge Apple, we believe an even greater sense of urgency must be adopted,” the report advised.
[Via 9to5Mac and AppleInsider]
