Kevin Rose foretells iPod Nano redesign

Expectations are running high that Apple next month will bring out new iPod models.

Certainly, September has a solid track record as the month that Apple favors for its iPod launches. And as my colleague Tom Krazit pointed out the other day, drawing on a report on AppleInsider, some inventory management changes at retailer Target lend credence to the notion of old iPods giving way to new iPods next month. Tom has also pointed to reports of a potential redesign of the iPod Nano.

Blogger Kevin Rose offers this photo of what he says is the redesigned iPod Nano.

(Credit: Kevin Rose)

Against that backdrop, we bring you to today's tip sheet, the blog of Digg founder Kevin Rose. His take: "Sometime between now and the end of next month, Apple's going to be refreshing quite a bit of their iPod line."

Rose offers some details on what he says will be coming, though he doesn't provide any info on his sources. The Nano, he says, will see a significant redesign, with a shift to a longer, skinnier case. As it happens, that matches up with design murmurings from earlier in the summer. The iPod Touch, meanwhile, will see just cosmetic changes, Rose reports.

The Touch will be the first, he says, to have the 2.1 software, after which Apple will bring that software to the iPhone. The world will also see the arrival of iTunes 8.0--"a true point upgrade," according to Rose.

Price cuts are on the way for the iPod line, too, to avoid cannibalization from sales of the $199 iPhone 3G, Rose says.

And will OS X 10.5.6 include Blu-ray support? Could well be, Rose reports.

[Mr. Dee]

Kevin Rose doesn't know anything. If I were him, I would stick to digg, because the only thing he is digging up with that prediction is wishful thinking. I am more likely to believe 7.8 for iTunes than a whole number, there is nothing significantly needed to move to a whole number.

[mcavjame]

Probably true, but there is a rumor on the macrumors.com site that rentals are coming to itunes. That would warrant a full point upgrade to the software.

[CBSTV]

I wonder whether this new iPod Nano will redraw the screen in "widescreen" mode when it is titled sideways?

[n3td3v]

@Mr. Dee

And even Digg is falling apart because it has too many users and too much data being submitted, and the recommendation engine was the last ditch hope to make the data more manageable, and it turned out to be a complete disaster. The popularity of Digg killed it off in the end....

[bobmarleypeople]

umm Mr. Krazit? Last month called. They want their news back. There's been plenty of rumours, obviously dodgy pictures and so called "insider scoop" about a new widescreen nano for a while now. To be honest, the only ipod I actually like is the touch because of the big screen. Unfortunately, they're insanely expensive for what they are and have unfortunately small storage capacity. Also, it doesn't have that bloody click wheel which really gets on my nerves.

[alphapolitan]

Kevin Rose has no idea what he's talking about. First of all, if that image was real, Apple's lawyers would have already ordered websites to take it down. Second of all, if iPod prices are dramatically lowered, iPod sales will begin to cannibalize IPHONE sales. Finally, Steve Jobs has no reason to support Blu-Ray because he needs to promote renting and purchasing HD movies from iTunes instead of buying movies on disc.

[eye4bear]

Is it just me, or does this "redesign" look alot like the older nanos?

[camp88]

It's just you. The new design has a much larger screen compared to older nanos and it has a better aspect ratio compared to the most recent nano models. Finally, compared to the older nanos this version has better software and greater memory.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Kevin Rose is an ALKY and everyone knows it. And BTW...his "predictions" for the iPhone were all wrong. He should become a beer taster , along with that little German Munchkin with the irritating voice.

[jscott418]

I second everything said about Kevin Rose. Digg has become not about really good hidden stories. But about redundant stories nobody cares about. You can go to the site almost everyday and find a story on Linux and how great it is. Or how somebody did something stupid. Its not news, its not even good conversation. This comes from a guy who sits around drinks beer and talks about these stupid stories on a podcasts! He's old enough to get away from the fraternity lifestyle and start acting like something better.
I have rarely read about any predictions that were really close to what Apple does in new products. They do a very good job at keeping the lid on those things. Yes, almost anyone can predict a product line change. Even someone who sits around and drinks in front of a camera.

[n3td3v]

@jscott418

Yip, he's about 30 years old acting like a teen, bout time he grew up a bit stopped drinking and became a serious businessman if he wants to be taken seriously by anyone.

Even this Youtube video about the iPod is *immature*.

[bhushan bhaagii]

Kevin Rose foretells iPod Nano redesign and News.Cnet readers foretell Digg's Demise!

.

[terminalblue]

doesn't that look conspicuously like a zune?

[The1egend]

Do I see a curved screen? Apple would never let that happen. We've all seen curved screens on CRT TV's and what happens? Glare. No matter how you hold it, you get glare. I mean look at the picture! The lighting in the room is glaring off the screen. This has to be a fake.

[canberra_photographer]

The product shown is a plastic tester I would think to just show the shape. The final one would likely have anti-glare glass.

[andrew-lo]

I like the sleek design.