Apple exec explains absence of light sensor on new iPod touch

When Apple announced the iPhone 5, the new iPod touch devices launched at the same event too received a warm welcome. However, a feature that is missing with the device is that it does not come equipped with an ambient light sensor. The lack of this feature has bemused a lot of early adopters, and one such user has written an email to Apple executive Phil Schiller inquiring why this feature was not present in the device. Apple’s Phil Schiller has replied explaining that the iPod touch does not come with an ambient light sensor because the device is too thin for it.

As per a report by iDownloadblog, the author states that Apple had emphasised the lack of an ambient light sensor in the fifth generation iPod touch after initially highlighting the omission in its iPod touch fifth generation review. A reader then claims to have emailed Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, and received the response explaining the drop of the sensor.

Apple recently announced the 2012 line up of iPods. The new iPod touch is the thinnest iPod touch ever, and features a 4-inch Retina display, Apple’s A5 chip, and Siri. Housed in an anodised aluminium body, it’s even slimmer than the iPhone 5 at just 6 mm thick, and weighs just 88 gm. With Apple’s dual-core A5 chip inside, iPod touch is touted to deliver up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than the fourth generation iPod touch. Apple states that the device has a battery life of up to 40 hours of music playback and up to eight hours of video playback.

The email response

While most components of the device have been upgraded, the new iPod touch’s 5-megapixel camera is a downgrade from its predecessor’s 8-megapixel camera. The camera has autofocus, support for 1080p video recording with video image stabilisation, face detection and an LED flash. It also has a new panorama feature that lets you capture panoramic photos by simply moving the camera across a scene. It also features Siri, Apple’s voice-based intelligent assistant. Siri arrives on the new iPod touch with support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings. The new iPod touch also includes built-in Facebook integration with ability to post directly from Siri, Shared Photo Streams via iCloud and other key iOS features such as iMessage, FaceTime, Mail and Game Center.

The reinvented iPod nano is quite slim at just 5 mm in depth, and features a large, 2.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display, a home button, and buttons to control volume and play, pause or change songs. The new iPod nano has built-in Bluetooth for wireless listening with Bluetooth-enabled headphones, speakers and cars. Apple claims the iPod nano will give you 30 hours of music playback. Other features include a pedometer and support for Nike+. The new iPod nano comes in seven colours.