Apple "Let's Rock" Event Sparks Rash of iPod Rumors

Apple sent out select invitations to a "Let's Rock" media event set for September 9 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. As with the run-up to many other Apple media events this one is no different when it comes to spurring a guessing game of expected announcements. Will Steve Jobs be there? Will he pull a thicker redesigned iPod Touch out of his pocket? Will new next-gen iPod Nanos be announced along with a possible Apple partnership with satellite radio provider Sirius XM?

Apple iPod navel gazing kicked into high gear today when iLounge reported it has come into the possession of Apple's next-generation digital media player designs. iLounge speculates these blueprint-looking Apple designs prove we can expect a taller and narrower fourth-gen iPod Nano and a thicker second-gen iPod Touch at the "Let's Rock" event.

Late last month Kevin Rose, founder and site architect for Digg, revealed a blurry photograph of the upcoming iPod Nano model. He claimed, along with iPhone/iPod Touch 2.1 software and iTunes 8.0, that all iPods would receive a price cut to compete with the $199 iPhone, and that the Nano would receive a "significant redesign." The new model supposedly returns to the Nano's longer, skinnier roots as opposed to the short, fat current model.

Further "proof" of the Nano update came in the form of protective cases, Gizmodo reported. The cases are manufactured by Hama, a large European accessory manufacturer. It's hard to believe an accessory company would waste time and money on cases for nonexistent products - this photo most likely confirms the Nano redesign.

At Tom's Guide there is speculation the iPod Touch will get a price cut and a facelift. Since the iPhone 3G has more features - and is $100 cheaper - a cut seems likely. Also, the thinning of the iPhone 3G might be mirrored on the newest Touch model.

Wired guesses at a few more updates, including use of the iPhone's rotating screen technology in both the new Nano and the iPod Classic.

Professional financial prognosticators at The Motley Fool are predicting Apple will boost iPod content offerings exponentially by offering an iPod Touch with a satellite radio tuner. Foolish reporter Tim Beyers theorizes if satellite radio posses a competitive threat to Apple why fight 'em when you can just partner with them. "A partnership would be particularly meaningful if the Touch were the platform. It already has a Wi-Fi antenna; would adding a satellite tuner be too much of a burden? I don't think so," Beyers writes.

This music-specific announcement pushes the release date of supposed MacBook Touches further back. Speculation has it that the MacBook and MacBook Pro, which haven't been updated in 2 and 2.5 years, respectively, will get theirs in October.

Comments

Nice to know that apple seems to listen to their customers when it comes to features... although you would think before xm they may want to put a FM tuner in it first...

just my 2 cents

Pizzaboy192

September 07, 2008

7:55 AM PT