Edible Apple

With Apple’s special media event now just days away, the rumors regarding what type of products has waiting in the wings are starting to get louder. Yeah, we’re all expecting to see a revamped iPod Touch with both a rear and front facing camera, and there have, of course, been no shortage of rumors pertaining to a refreshed Apple TV. But one product that has seemingly escaped the rumor mill up until recently has been the iPod Nano.

AppleInsider, citing people familiar with Apple’s plans, reported late last week that Apple is planning to announce a new iPod Nano with a completely redesigned form factor. The 6th gen iPod Nano will reportedly take on a more squarish look as evidenced by a recently leaked case design.

The new iPod nano is said to utilize a tiny 3cm-by-3cm display that was revealed in its bare form as unknown Apple-branded component earlier this summer. For comparison, the second-generation iPod nano had a screen that was about 3cm by 2.5cm.
AppleInsider was told that overseas manufacturers have been creating protective cases that will fit the new form factor since July. The cases seen this week appeared to indicate that the device will have buttons on its side, perhaps for volume control.

If AI’s report proves to be accurate, it’ll be interesting to see how the UI will shape up. Some reports have indicated that the upcoming Nano will support touch controls, though the device’s smaller form factor might make things a bit difficult.

Also worth mentioning is a speculative report, also from AI, that Apple over the past few months has been toying with the idea of releasing an iPod Touch 3G after witnessing how popular the 3G model of the iPad has been. And lastly, AI notes that Apple may use its upcoming media event to announce a new iteration of its iLife suite of software. AI warns, though, that these rumblings are extremely speculative.