Going by the latest Apple claims, Macworld tests have proved that the new iPod Touch is nearly two-times faster than its predecessor!

Apple had said that both the new iPod Touch models released last week - the $299-priced 32GB model, and the $399-priced 64GB model - have a faster processor, running Open GL ES 2.0. However, Apple also offers an 8GB model that lacks the faster hardware.

The tests, in which the new iPod Touch was compared to the second-generation iPod model, proved that the new device took 19 seconds to boot vis-à-vis the earlier iPod Touch's 31 minutes; and loaded a web page in 15 seconds, as against the previous model's 34 seconds. In addition, the new iPod Touch also loaded most games at a 33-50 percent faster pace!

A post-test Macworld statement said: "Just as the iPhone 3GS was faster than the iPhone 3G at everything, the new iPod Touch feels much faster at any task you throw at it: applications launch and quit faster, Web pages load more quickly, processor-intensive games and programs perform better-you name it."

Nonetheless, even though the Macworld tests showed that the new iPod Touch does not reach the 'overall 50 percent better benchmark all around'; as claimed by Apple, it still is a very impressive and notably improved device compared to the previous generation iPod Touch!