While some forward-thinking individuals were dropping $10 to purchase the iPod touch 2.0 software update, Apple quietly issued a free iPod touch 1.1.5 update. If you own an iPod touch that hasn’t been updated to version 2.0 and would like the update, just plug your iPod touch into your Mac and decline the 2.0 update. iTunes will then inform you that the 1.1.5 update is available for download and installation.
And what remarkable features does this update bring? As far as I was able to discern, not a thing. I installed the 1.1.5 update on my 32GB iPod touch and used it, side by side, with my 16GB iPod touch, which has the 1.1.4 software installed on it. Poking each touch simultaneously, I ran through the interfaces on each and found no differences.
Some across the Internet have suggested that the 1.1.5 update improves the touch’s performance. That was not my experience. Applications launched in the same amount of time, Safari pages loaded identically, YouTube videos downloaded and displayed in approximately the same period of time, and stocks and weather on each iPod likewise updated simultaneously.
What purpose does this update serve? So far, Apple is mum on the subject as it hasn’t issued any technical notes on the update. Therefore, until we hear differently, we’ll assume that all changes take place “under the hood.”