New 16GB iPod Touch to Sell for £199 in UK

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

As usual, folks in the UK are getting gouged just a tad.

Apple today quietly updated its online store, adding a 16 GB version of the 5th generation iPod touch. Released last year, the 5th gen iPod touch boasts a 4-inch screen, IPS display, support for 1080p video recording and panoramic stills, an LED flash, Apple's A5 chip, and support for Siri. Unfortunately, it was only released in 32 GB and 64 GB formats, which meant getting your hands on one was going to cost you at least $299 or £249. Today, Apple added a new iPod touch with a lower capacity at a slightly lower price.

The 16 GB iPod touch costs $229 in the United States. Across the pond, in the United Kingdom, it's going to sell for £199. That's fifty pounds cheaper than the 32 GB model but still considerably more than U.S. customers will be paying. If one were to take the iPod touch's U.S. price and convert it to pounds, the figure would be somewhere around a hundred and fifty quid. Still, this is par for the course, and none of the other iPods (or any other Apple product, for that matter) does direct conversions, so it's not really surprising. Just a tad painful on the wallet.

While we're at it, we might as well mention that the new model isn't exactly the same as the 32 GB and 64 GB iPod touch. Apple's new 16 GB model of the 5th gen iPod touch is only available in silver (as opposed to blue, black, silver, red, pink and yellow) and doesn't have a rear-facing camera or a loop for a lanyard.

Jane McEntegart
4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • But I can still get a nexus 7 16GB for £159, I think ill take that any day
    Reply
  • rwniel
    In regards to the UK price, you seem to be overlooking the common mistake of not allowing for the 20% sales tax (VAT) which is already included in quoted prices here (and which neither the manufacturer or the retailer see a penny of). £199 is £165-ish ex VAT which isn`t too far off the US price once you factor in that manufacturers generally like to build in at least 10% to allow for currency exchange rate fluctuations (rather than trying to raise or lower the suggested selling price later).
    Reply
  • Spanky Deluxe
    10889609 said:
    In regards to the UK price, you seem to be overlooking the common mistake of not allowing for the 20% sales tax (VAT) which is already included in quoted prices here (and which neither the manufacturer or the retailer see a penny of). £199 is £165-ish ex VAT which isn`t too far off the US price once you factor in that manufacturers generally like to build in at least 10% to allow for currency exchange rate fluctuations (rather than trying to raise or lower the suggested selling price later).

    What he said. 9 times out of 10 when someone accuses Apple of gouging local customers compared to US prices, it's because US prices don't include sales tax (VAT).
    Reply
  • Memnarchon
    "the 5th gen iPod touch boasts a 4-inch screen, IPS display, support for 1080p video" I stopped reading here...
    Reply