Something based on the iPhone 4 Tech.

What do you think, is it likely?

Yes

Should be announced in September at the annual iPod event. I'd expect the new screen and processor to make the cut, along with a single camera and the applicable software features of iOS 4. I'd love to see GPS on it as well, but I don't think that's in the cards. They may even leave off the camera, as it's something they also definitely developed and tested for the last revision, but never released.

You don't think that face talk would be in the touch? I mean that is a wifi only app anyway. They need a mic anyway just to deal with all the voice command stuff.

Only if it has a front facing camera, which doesn't seem very likely.

Seems a bit much to add a front camera just so you can play with FaceTime but Apple have done stranger things before so *shrug*

I think they'd leave off the camera and mic simply to help differentiate it from the iPhone, just like they have in the past. Apple make a *lot* more money off the iPhone than they do the Touch.

Incidentally, I just installed iOS 4 on my iPOd Touch and so far I'll say it's a total waste of time. The "100 new features" boils down to maybe 2 or 3 you'll actually see or use on this device. And VERY minor ones at that. Under the hood for developers, the SDK adds a bunch of new stuff. But from an end-user perspective this is more of a .1 version update - if that. Apple's built-in software still pretty much all sucks. The iPod App is still a huge piece of crap - looking for alternatives as I write this.

For all of Apple's good design sense, their software designers just don't get the iPhone and iPod form factor. I mean, it's still the best mobile OS out there, but that's simply just not good enough, IMO.

I hadn't made up my mind about putting the new os on my touch. Likely I won't, unless I find that must have app.

Frankly the lack of multitasking hasn't been that much of a problem for me.

There must be something about the new OS that provides more value to Apple than the fee they might have charged. The paranoid part of me is apprehensive about that.

iBooks for one. There are a few other things I had in mind as well earlier today. But right now I'm at my parent's and with enough wine in me that I can't recall.

I think that's more along the lines of they figured out a better way to do the accounting.

Just recently the guidelines changed which meant that Apple didn't need to account for all revenue from iPhone over 2 years (service period) due to there being value in the software updates that would be delivered during that time; that resulted in restatement of income and presumably eased the issue with delivering updates for non-subscription devices free of charge.

Hugo, I believe that changed prior to the last time they charged for an iPod software update.

And accounting rules inclusive, there have always been ways to get around that requirement. The bottom line is that those $10 updates brought in quite a few million dollars, so why not?

My only complaint is that the net benefit to consumers other than the new apps taking advantage of new APIs, has generally been extremely underwhelming. I would have felt completely ripped off having paid even $5 for OS 4 for the second gen iPod Touch. IMO, every built-in app needs to be reworked from the ground up.

The change in rules was approved on sep 23 2009 (see http://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN2341502020090923?rpc=44 ); companies then have until 2011 to implement it. I believe Apple implemented it in the reporting of CQ4 2009 results (ie January 2010).

Don't think there have been any major updates since then.



I think you're underestimating the cost of supporting multiple versions in the field (vs telling people to update to the latest free one), plus the general hassle and support questions about this.