Owners of iPod Touch handheld computers will have to pay for
thecritical updatesApple issued last week to correct 46
holes in its software.
Through iTunes, Apple is charging $9.95 to download the critical
patches for the iPod Touch, while iPhone users can download the
patches for free.
The software is part of the v3.0 operating system, which
includes extra functions for both iPhone and iPod Touch users to
support.
Expert have slammed Apple's decision to charge for the
patch.
Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said,
"There is no doubt that some iPod Touch users will be unhappy that
they have to pay for their devices to be fixed, and it is certainly
unusual for a company to charge for important security patches like
this. In an ideal world Apple would make free fixes available for
iPod Touch users who don't feel they need cut-and-paste and other
new features, but do want to be able to use the internet
securely."
Tony Cripps, principal analyst at Ovum, said, "This is not the
first time Apple has charged for a software update. The iPod Touch
is a relatively low-cost device and Apple may not feel it is
obliged to provide support for this device because it is not a
flagship product like the iPhone."
With a couple of million iPod Touch devices in circulation,
Apple could be quids in if users decide to upgrade.
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