Apple overnight updated the iPod Touch line for the first time in three years, with storage options ranging from 16GB to 128GB. They’re available today, and for once, we’re arguably getting them cheaper than in most of the US.
The new iPod Touch models come in space grey, silver and gold, AKA “standard iPhone colours”, as well as pink and blue tones. Internally they’re pretty much an iPhone 6 save for the lack of the “phone” bit and the lower screen size and resolution. There you’ve got to make do with a 4″ 1136×640 pixel, 326ppi display.
On the pricing front, Apple Australia’s selling the new iPod Touch models at a fairly aggressive price point. The 16GB model will sell for $279, while the 32GB model goes for $349. The 64GB model is $419 and the 128GB top tier version is $579.
So how does that compare to the US list price for exactly the same device? As always, the important factor to consider when comparing US prices is that tech firms never list sales taxes in their listed pricing. Here in Australia you’ve got to add GST onto the pricing. While Apple may employ some interesting-but-still-apparently-legal techniques to minimise its tax burden in Australia, GST is a tax it can’t work around.
| Capacity | US Price (USD) | Converted Australian Price (sans tax) (AUD) | Australian RRP (AUD) | US Price + GST (in USD) | Post-Conversion Price (AUD) |
| 16GB | $199 | $269.81 | $279 | $218.90 | $297.79 |
| 32GB | $249 | $337.61 | $349 | $273.90 | $371.37 |
| 64GB | $299 | $405.40 | $419 | $328.90 | $445.94 |
| 128GB | $399 | $540.97 | $579 | $438.90 | $595.08 |
It’s true that you can use a shipping agent to get items from states with zero sales tax, but the margin there is pretty small regardless, and most likely to be eaten up by any kind of inherent shipping cost. At today’s exchange rate, and taking GST into consideration, each and every model of iPod Touch is actually cheaper in Australia right now.
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