Apple just announced some interesting upgrades to the iPod Touch. Some new applications are now available for the iPod - including maps, email, weather, stock quotes, and a customizable home page. Unfortunately, the are planning to charge existing users $20 for the upgrade.

I don't think this is going to persuade people to stop hacking their iPods. Many of these applications already exist for the iPhone, and Apple is simply installing them on the iPod Touch as well. The binaries are identical, so they don't even need to recompile. It costs them nothing to do this - just add the applications into the iPod deployment package.

To an uninformed customer, like me I guess, it seems like they are simply trying to get another $20 from my pocket, for no discernable reason. It's not costing them $20 to develop and deliver these to me. It's just they've been holding them back from me. It's like a cover charge to a bar, where I've already paid $400 to be a member (to buy the iPod) and regularly pay for drinks (songs) anyways. So why this extra $20?

Add this to the already long list of reasons Apple is one of the most consumer unfriendly companies around. (With Sony of course.)

I wonder what a Zune is like?