Why is my iPod touch so slow after installing iOS 5?

Solution 1:

Newer iOS devices have more system memory, which is separate from the flash memory. The OS itself has a specific memory footprint at boot time, and the rest of the system memory is used by applications. I don't have any data on this, but I can imagine that each major revision of iOS (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) has a larger system memory footprint than the previous release.

Keep in mind that the iPod Touch has a lower overall price than the iPhone released within the same year. An iPhone may cost $200 plus a two-year contract, but this is due to a subsidy paid by the wireless provider to Apple. So, the iPod Touch is expected to have a bit lower quality in terms of hardware specs (for example: system memory size, camera quality, CPU speed).

Taking the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4th generation as examples, Wikipedia states that the iPhone 4 has 512MB of system memory, and the iPod Touch 4th gen has 256MB of system memory. When the system runs out of memory for applications, it must make more memory available by terminating background processes or reducing their memory footprint. This may take time. You're more likely to experience this overhead on a device with less system memory, and on a likely slower CPU.

Solution 2:

This provided answer is completely incorrect. I have a 4th gen touch and have notice MAJOR slowness after IOS5.

However, if you want to get your device back to speed, put it in airplane mode. Once I discovered this, it became apparent that the culprit is the background data services that Apple uses to amass tons of personal data on its users.

In airplane mode, switching between applications is quick. Loading play lists is still slow, so I wonder if it has to do with DRM? Either way, Apple is turning me off with every update.

Unless they add a projector to the next touch, I will not be upgrading.

Solution 3:

I had the same experience with my 4th generation iPod touch. I think it may be because you have too many apps? I deleted a lot of my apps, and it's faster. You can also try upgrading or restoring it. I didn't do that as it's too much work. If you double-press the home button, press and hold the apps, and then minus them, it goes faster :)