Signs strengthen that iPod is becoming shutterbug

For the past several years, Apple has gathered in September to launch its newest iPod products for the holiday-shopping season.

(Credit: Apple)

Rumors have been circling for some time that Apple would refresh its iPod lineup this fall--and that cameras would be coming to the iPod Nano and iPod Touch models. And a September 9 event is all but confirmed. A Wednesday report by AppleInsider "can independently confirm" from "people familiar with the matter" the date and the expected iPod updates.

AppleInsider didn't cite sources for the rumor confirmations but said it "has it on authority." Along with Boy Genius Report and other rumor sites, AppleInsider has also speculated that iTunes 9 will debut in September and add social networking to the music organizer, among other changes.

A new digital-album format is also expected to debut in September. Code-named Cocktail, Apple's new album format is rumored to include photos, lyric sheets, liner notes, and clips from music videos.

It also seems clear at this point is that an Apple tablet will not make its debut during the September event.

[fcz1]

I figured they were running the "Buy a Mac for college and get a free iPod" promo as a means to move out the old iPod stock. Plus the iPod touch has a black, plastic area on the back where a camera would be on a cell. Or does that have a function?

[AWeber3030]

That little black plastic area on the back is the antenna for the Wi-Fi.

[Ben342]

Are people STILL being conned into buying these useless defunct "products" from crApple?

[ckh1272]

"by Ben342 August 27, 2009 4:33 PM PDT
Are people STILL being conned into buying these useless defunct "products" from crApple?"

I see after reviewing your 11 posts, that you are going to be easily dismissed as just another shill. Good bye. Thanks for playing.

[cjschrissouth]

Somebody already said that!
I guess they were right.:

http://cjs.au.com/gadgetbag/?p=6866

[funkyboot]

My question would be: is it going to be a better camera than on the iPhone?

[Get_a_life_Leo]

The 3GS camera is pretty good - better than its 3MP spec might lead you to expect (probably due to software). It's inconceivable that an iPod would be blessed with a better camera. Remember, Steve Jobs initially called the iPod Touch an iPhone with training wheels (albeit a stupid thing for anyone to say).

[cvaldes1831]

It is unlikely that Apple would include a much higher quality part on the iPod touch than the iPhone, but there is a slight chance.

By higher quality, I am thinking better low-light performance since video recording would benefit enormously from sensors with superior low-light performance.

More megapixels is not particularly useful in this case, especially because cameraphone optics limits the useful resolving power. If you get additional pixels of noise-speckled, camera-shaked induced blurriness, there is no benefit. Low-light performance is key because on-camera lighting for these tiny devices is ineffective as the primary source of illumination.

[zimmz22]

my question is why the F do you need a camera on the ipoop??? if they add cameras why don't you just go out and drop that kind of cash on an iPhone? This is just getting dumb, next update it'll be able to scratch your a$$ for you too!! Steveo will love that one...the only reason they update every single year is because they're scared. Because they can't make a product to last longer than a year competitively. Because they are dumb.

[sartor1]

Blorg! Need to sell my current 2g iPod Touch!
ARGH!

[lancewhitney]

More important to me than a camera, I'd like to see a built-in mic on the new iPod Touch. I use mine for Skype calls, audio recordings, etc., and the third-party external mics aren't that great..

[hafenbrack]

NEVER GONNA HAPPEN...

[cvaldes1831]

If they put in a camera that is capable of recording video, the chances are high that they will include a built-in microphone.

[JazMac2]

If true, the addition of a camera has to be the dumbest idea ever. Let it go Apple. What happens with the low grade pictures anyway? Set them as wall paper? Come on, you've squeezed as much out of the ipod you can. Time to build something new. Camera, useless. Mic? Useless. Time to do something else guys. The ipod with super powers is done. How about teaching users to create their own apps. LIttle pictures can go only so far. Let them use their brains for a change.

[Grifter02]

"Mic? Useless"

Ummmm.... I'm pretty sure a mic would be the greatest thing they could add to the iPod Touch, since it would essentially make it a VOIP Phone that you can use anywhere with a Wi-Fi signal.

[Get_a_life_Leo]

Odd that the iPhone is now the source of the greatest volume of pictures on Flickr and is accounting for disproportionate amount of uploaded video on YouTube. I'd say there's a willing market there for these features for kids who's parent refuse to pay $80 a month for an iPhone contract.

[SergeM256]

I don't understand this obsession with putting low-grade cameras everywhere. I don't remember ever using camera on a cell phone.

[artistjoh]

@SergeM256
Thats because camera phones in the pre iphone era weren't very good generally with the exception of top line Sony Ericson and Nokia phones. The iPhone camera when used with various photography apps is a great camera easily better than my 5 MP prosumer digitals Low light performance is the one aspect of it that is only "fair". For a small MP camera it tends to punch above its weight.

If you tried it you would discover why so much of flickr and YouTube is now done on an iPhone now.

[ipodtouchfan]

If they include all these fetures into an ipod it would make the best thing since sliced bread. And by the way i use my camera phone all the time and why would apple be so stupid to use a low grade camera in the ipod it probably will be the same camera as in your precious iphone. Don't hate just becasue you know that the ipod touch kicks ass!!!!

[Chrisobed2]

Not in touch with social networking and current trends, these photos will land on Facebook, My Space, and Flickr. Welcome to 2009!

[The_happy_switcher]

This has to be the worst kept secret in Tech news today.

[ddhboy]

No the worst kept secrets in the tech world is always Microsoft involving anything to do with the XBOX platform.

[sdipaola]

why does the media freak out on silly incrementation updates ( a slightly faster processor for the 3gs, a who knows if it even better one piece construction for the laptops) - a camera is nice but a mic and apple inspired ease of use for voip would be really innovative and of course fixing the most obvious issues with the "too closed' touch to get it to catch up with the competition like oh you know a damn file system and usb storage and flash - so it can actually be useful as a smart phone internet netbook.

[epross]

I use my camera on my cellphone all the time and its merely ok. I'm planning on getting a Touch soon, now if it had a better camera, even better to steer me in that direction. You can't expect me to lug my SLR everywhere I go. As for iPhone - I'm not the rich (and I live in Canada so Rogers rips you off even more!)

[SactoGuy018]

It was obvious that the 3G iPod touch and 5G nano were going to get still camera capability when pictures of the new iPod cases leaked onto several Mac news sites just a few months ago....

[cshin9]

iPod classic's not getting a camera? Apple's making more updates to the nano, though.