Apple's September 1st event and iPod Touch rumours
Friday, August 27, 2010 at 2:18PM | Glyn Evans 
Well Apple have finally announced their annual iPod refresh event, which will take place on September 1st at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
There are a whole host of expected/rumoured announcements at the event, but the one announcement that I am looking forward to, is, the new iPod Touch.
Now there have been lots of rumours over the past few months, and even as far back as pre last years iPod refresh event, but this year the signs are good, and we should see a camera enabled iPod Touch. The only question is, whether this 4th generation will have the same camera system as the iPhone 4, with both rear and forward facing cameras, or just a facing camera for Facetime.
Jeremy Horwitz, Editor-in-Chief over at iLounge has just posted some new details from his source, and the signs are good, in fact very good. Jeremy quotes his source as saying "The rear camera is there, but there is still some question as to whether what’s next to it will be a LED flash like the one in the iPhone 4, or a microphone like the one next to the video camera of the iPod nano. We’ve been told to expect a microphone rather than a flash, with a continuation of the bottom-mounted headphone port and Dock Connector port". [Link to the original iLounge article]
Now obviously this as with all the other rumours bouncing around this internet, are just that, rumours, but I have a good feeling that this time we will see the iPod Touch get the full camera treatment; and why do I think this? Well up until the release of the iPhone 4, the camera to me had always taken a back seat, with past events of both the iPhone and iPod Touch being aimed more at gamers, but the release of the iPhone 4 changed that. First Steve Jobs referred to the new iPhone 4 as "Like a beautiful old Leica camera", and then he went on to sing the praises of the camera features, like the 5-megapixel still camera with backside illuminated sensor, an LED flash for those party photos and 720p HD video recording.
Now if Apple does put all this in to their next generation iPod Touch, then they will attract a whole new audience to their products, with the App Store and developers all gaining to benefit. And who is this rumoured new iPod Touch likely to attract? Well anyone wanting a pocketable video camera will just love this new (rumoured) iPod, with its ability to capture at 720P HD, and then edit and share videos over WiFi without the need to touch a computer. Also anyone thinking about buying a point and shoot digital camera will also love this (rumoured) iPod, because again, how many cameras are there that will let you shoot, edit and share; and of course there are those of you who are still tied to lengthy contracts on your existing iPhones, but want the improved camera features found on the iPhone 4, well you will have the option of waiting and buying a new iPhone when your contract time permits, or buy the new (rumoured) camera enabled iPod Touch. The only shortfall I can possibly see with this new (rumoured) iPod Touch, and that is, if as Jeremy's contact suggests, the new iPod Touch does not have a built in flash, then this will limit its appeal to those looking to buy a compact digital camera.
Anyway, that's enough of my thoughts and the rumors, and with just a few days to go, it wont be long before we all find out what the real 4th generation iPod Touch will look like, and its features, and who knows, we could all be wrong and disappointed!!
iPod Touch 4G in Rumours
Reader Comments (3)
I will buy the touch if it has the 5 megapix camera of iPhone 4. With or without a flash!
Hopefully rumours come true.
For a telefon and 3G access my 3GS is still good enough.
Or what would you think of an iPad with the iPhone 4 cam. That would be a monster and a must buy for me. Little strange for most people who would see me shooting but who cares :)
By the way where are good pics of iPhone 4 done with the flash? Have I missed them?
Just to keep things in perspective. 5MP on a cell phone camera is not the equivalent of 5MP on a point and shoot or DSLR. It's still a low pixel quality camera.
Having said that, I like the idea of an image and video camera on the iPod Touch. My kids are always "borrowing" my iPod Touch to play games and I would to see what they do with a camera. I won't let them near my iPhone.