One of the advantages of working for the GigaOM Network is the ability to contribute some in-depth articles for the subscription site, GigaOM Pro. These articles give me a chance to really delve into an idea and flesh it out into a full-fledged product idea. One such idea concerns a device to compete with the iPod Touch from Apple.
The iPod Touch is a great audio player, but so much more. The inclusion of the iPhone OS on the Touch turns the iPod into a phone without the phone bits. That means good web surfing, email and the like, all due to the inclusion of Wi-Fi.
A competing device would have to do all the things the iPod Touch can do, and just as well, but there is one area that could be exploited to make it better — VoIP. Sure the iPod Touch can do VoIP, but it requires additional accessories and Apple doesn’t promote the function. This lack of promotion for VoIP is likely due to Apple’s partnerships with phone carriers on the iPhone side. Carrier partners wouldn’t like it if Apple started pushing the iPod Touch, no carrier contract required, for making free (or cheap) VoIP calls.
If a company would make a gadget that focuses on VoIP, it could be promoted heavily as a “Skype in your pocket” device. Skype (or the equivalent) could be included on the device along with the components to exploit it. A device like this, coupled with good media playing capability, could give the iPod Touch a run for its money, I believe.
These thoughts come to you from a longer article I wrote for our subscription research site, GigaOM Pro. Check out that article for my full analysis of what such a competing device must have, and who is in a position to make one. Please feel free to comment on this idea here; I am interested in your thoughts.
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