iPhone vs iPod touch: which to buy?

I'm facing a dilemma, writes Andy Clough. Like many of my colleagues here in the office, I've been saving up for an iPhone for Christmas. Ever since I first clapped eyes on it, I knew I had to have one.

But now Apple has unleashed the iPod touch, available in the UK from Sept 28 (that's only 17 days away!), and I'm tempted to buy that instead, as I'm just too impatient to wait for the iPhone.

As I've just got back from the States, I could have bought an iPhone over there (as Tom Dunmore, editor-in-chief of our sister magazine Stuff did) and then hacked it to work over here. Only problem is, it still wouldn't work as a phone, which rather defeats the whole point of the exercise.

Anyway, I'm glad I didn't buy the iPhone, as that nice Mr Jobs has just slashed the US price by $200 (sorry Tom!)

So now I have to decide: do I keep my ancient Motorola mobile phone, and replace my equally ancient 3G iPod with a touch, or hold fire until Christmas and buy the iPhone as a replacement for both? Decisions, decisions.

In the meantime, to satisfy my technological cravings, I'm having my car kitted out with an iPod in-car system that allows me to control my iTunes through the sat-nav screen and steering wheel controls.

Of course, the iPhone's Bluetooth connectivity would allow me to use it with my car's Bluetooth hands-free system too.

So the sensible part of my brain tells me to wait until Christmas and get the iPhone. But you know what? The minute I see (and play with) an iPod touch in my local Apple store, I suspect the Devil within me will out... Ever thus.

Technorati Tags: iPhone, iPod, MP3

Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.