iPod Touch 3rd gen. Model MC086LL/A is really 2nd gen.

i realize an appreciate what you are trying tosay. my whole purpose of me coming on here was to get help and advice. when i purchased the ipod from walmart website that is the information that I got. I usually do alot of research on any electronics that I purchase, all the way down to reviews about what they have to say about a product and go from there. I will admit ipods where something new to me. both my sons have ipod nano's, so when my son at the time was 12 asked for this ipod touch 3rd gen I didn't know much about it, I should have done my homework. But I took it for granted that my son knew all the details of the product, when I purchased it in 2010. It was only a couple of months after the purchase that my son realize that it was 2nd gen by looking up the model#. By then it was to late to do anything with walmart it was past the 90 days. My son loves it anyway. The only problem he is having is that he can't get anymore updates for some of his apps that he paid for, now they won't work. I justed wanted some help in finding out what we could do about that. I have a ipod touch 4th gen that was a birthday present. I love it always have. so I told him I would get him a newer version for christmas this year. I don't have a problem with Apple products. Just wanted help. Instead I got alot of information that was no help and whom ever I was having these discussion with started to making comments that basically seem like they were attacking me and my son that we are stupid. that all I wanted was a hand out. tell me to be a better parent and just making me feel belittled and was very rude. I was just responding to the way them made me feel. Im sorry for that. I just wanted some kind of update. I didn't want money or a replacement.

I apologize for my language and my behave, I usually am not like that. Just dont take being humilated and being told I'm not a good parent for something that wasn't my fault. I would just like for him to be able to have one more update. so when I purchase a new one for him, what does he do with the apps and music that he has on the current one? Is there anyway that those apps and information can be transfered to the new one? Again sorry for my behavor.

You use can use itunes to load his new ipod. Like you, I got shafted when I purchased my last ipod (I bought mine in 2010, just as you did and didn't find out until the last update that it was only 2nd gen, since I am visually impaired and cannot read the tiny print on the ipod box). I just bought the 4th gen (I had someone read me the model number on the box when I got home so I could check to make sure it actually WAS a 4th gen) and it was pretty easy using itunes to load music and videos on my new ipod (apps were a little trickier, you may have to click on the apps tab once you've plugged the ipod into the computer and click on download apps-make sure you have show items in the cloud checked in preferences). One word of warning-if you buy the 4th gen for your son, buy a sturdy case, as I've seen many posts that the screen of the 4th gen tends to break easy (and the sales person at Target confirmed this-don't know if the 5th gen is as fragile so you might want to check it out before purchasing). Good luck!

Ismaelsbaby wrote:

Instead I got alot of information that was no help and whom ever I was having these discussion with started to making comments that basically seem like they were attacking me and my son that we are stupid. that all I wanted was a hand out. tell me to be a better parent and just making me feel belittled and was very rude.

I'm very sorry too that you took my comments personally, as that was not at all my intent. My comment to "be the good parent" was NOT a criticism of your parenting skills at all -- instead, it meant "this is a good opportunity to teach your son" (about the risks of buying tech items, they get outdated). My comment " there are lessons to be learned even in failure" was not to say that YOU were a failure -- instead, the failure I'm referring to is that you're not able to achieve what you came here for. Again, sorry that you misunderstood my comments, and keep in mind that my reply came after you insulted me about still living in mommy's basement 😉

Ismaelsbaby wrote:

I just wanted some kind of update. I didn't want money or a replacement.

Well, to be fair your first post stated "... reembuse the money we put out for this." That to me sounds like you were hinting at a refund 3 years after buying the product. Sorry, but if you're going to make such extreme statements you're going to get some push-back.

Remember, this is a user-to-user support site where people come for technical help. Your situation is beyone tech help as there is no way for a 2G Touch to run a later iOS, which you had already determined.

If what you want is help, going after Walmart or Apple is a dead-end at this point, so all I can suggest is a newer model, and TODAY the 5th gen Touch was released as a 16GB model at a lower price (than other 5th gen models) so iOS support for this will continue further than the 4th gen model that this new 16GB version is replacing.

Good luck!

Ismaelsbaby wrote:

i realize an appreciate what you are trying tosay. my whole purpose of me coming on here was to get help and advice.

Okay - well...

My advice is that you and anyone else with this issue should take it up with the retailer that you purchased from. If that retailer has printed 3rd generation on the receipt, or their marketing said it was 3rd generation, then it is that retailer who is responsible and should sort out the issue. It is definitely not Apple's duty or responsibilty (legal or otherwise) to make amends for errors or bad advice from other sources. Even if warranty has expired, I would still return to that retailer. I offer the same advice to anyone who purchased a 2nd Generation Touch second hand, if it was marketed/offered by the seller as a 3rd generation Touch.

If you acted upon a friend's advice rather than advertising/marketing, I think that you may have to regard this as an experience to be learned from, as bitter as that may be for you. We all suffer that at some stage in our lives.

If your advice was from an online source, such as a web site claiming to be expert, then once again, learn from bitter experience and regard that particular web site as unreliable. Write to them if you feel that strongly about it.

As you have seen from my previous contributions to this thread, I am stating categorically that there is no such thing as a 3rd generation Touch in 8GB capacity, no matter what anyone else may say. It really is that simple and it has been stated many times in several other threads on this forum, by several experienced contributors. Unfortunately, the conspiracy theorists have turned this particular thread (and several others) into an unhelpful one with their twaddle.

While I can't speak for rockmyplimsol, I can tell you that I regard this thread as bogged down by the "I hate Apple Brigade", whose contributions do not actually help or even move the discussion forwards. Both rockmyplimsol and I have read far too many posts from people who simply want to create trouble - and as a consequence, it's easy to assume that anyone else adding to this particular thread is also going to be unwilling to accept the painful truth.

After a while, it becomes annoying. I've got so bored with it (and the personal criticism I faced, even from the moderators when I defended myself after yet another round of negativity) that I have not contributed to the Apple forums for several months because, despite my good intentions, I know I'm wasting my time. (So are the trouble makers, by the way!) But I am not prepared to let janbo50 perpetuate his/her mis-information by slating my perfectly sound explanation, which is why I have added to this one now.

Just so you (and everyone else here) knows, neither rockmyplimsol nor I work for Apple. We are simply Apple product users, trying to help other users by offering the benefit of our wisdom and experience. We have our own grievances with Apple, rest assured.

I own a 2nd generation iPod Touch, so I am not very pleased that Apple has effectively forced App developers to stop supporting it. I suspect the developers are not very pleased either. Don't forget, if you can no longer use their App, then they (the developer) will no longer get money from in-app advertising, nor money from in-app purchases. So they lose out too. I'm sure they are aware that people cannot simply rush out and replace their iPods "just like that"!

I doubt that I will be making many more contributions to Apple's forums, not as a consequence of janbo50, but because in addition to the point I made above, offensive abuse directed at me by three individuals in one thread was allowed to remain until I complained a second time. My point being that the moderators need to wake up!

I have better ways of spending my time.

rockmyplimsoul wrote:

TODAY the 5th gen Touch was released as a 16GB model at a lower price (than other 5th gen models) so iOS support for this will continue further than the 4th gen model that this new 16GB version is replacing.

For full disclosure, lest anyone make this choice and regret this difference, today's new 16 GB 5th gen model has no camera (just one on the front for FaceTime only).

the fiend wrote

I doubt that I will be making many more contributions to Apple's forums ...

You didn't rack up all those points for no reason, so you'll be missed ...

To be fair you attacked me first with the senator comment and the other ones you made. I was just responding to defending myself. All the information I have been getting from everyone is not news to me. I already new all this three years ago. I just want to know if there was a way for my son to get an update. I have an ipod touch 4th gen and yes it is i made sure when it was bought as a gift for me. I have never had a problem with it at all. I will be getting my son the new one. Just want to be able to keep what he has now.

I know it seems that this topic has been covered ad nauseam but I feel compelled to add one more thing. In Apple's September 2009 press release under pricing and availability, it states: "The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB model through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers."

So it sure sounds to me like Apple themselves said that the 8GB selling in the end of 2009 was a new model. Those are Apple's words in Apple's press release.

I am not looking to fight with anyone. I just feel it is rather unfair to blame Walmart and Target and Best Buy and a host of other retailers for claiming what Apple themselves stated to begin with.