Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is widely expected to announce a new version of its iPod Touch, with a retina display, at least one camera to make FaceTime video calls, and more storage at a press event next Wednesday. A new higher-capacity iPod Touch may signal the end of line for the iPod Classic, the last full-sized iPod that contains a click-wheel.
The event is set for September 1st at the Yerba Buena Center for The Arts, in San Francisco, the same venue that Apple used to introduce the iPad earlier in the year and the same location that Apple has traditionally held its September iPod announcements. CEO Steve Jobs is widely expected to lead the event.
Apple has a reputation for secrecy, has been quiet on details about the new product, but many analysts expect that the new iPod Touch will feature dual cameras, one that’s rear facing and one that’s forward facing. A front facing camera would allow users to make use of “FaceTime”, a video phone calling application available on the iPhone.
If the iPod Touch is revamped to include a 128 GB model, it may eliminate the single advantage that the iPod Classic has over the iPod Touch, storage space. Apple has kept the iPod Classic around for music enthusiasts with large libraries, because hard-drive storage was much more affordable than flash memory, but during the last three years, the pricing difference has narrowed as flash memory has gotten cheaper. A 128 GB iPod Touch may mean that Apple no longer needs to keep the iPod Classic on store shelves and will consolidate down to its iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle lines.
Apple Inc. (Apple) designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication devices, and portable digital music and video players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. The Company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, its retail stores, its direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party Macintosh (Mac), iPhone and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and various other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores, and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The Company sells to consumer, small and mid-sized business (SMB), education, enterprise, government and creative customers. In December 2009, the Company acquired digital music service Lala.
Shares of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) traded up 0.44% hitting $243.86 during mid-day trading on Thursday.
