Next Generation iPod 'Soon'? [Updated]

During Hon Hai's annual meeting, Chairman Terry Gou made a startling, albeit brief revelation about Apple's iPod plans.

Apple is about to unveil the next generation of iPod, the best-selling music player in the U.S., using a "none-touch" concept, Gou said without elaborating. --ChinaPost.com.tw

Hon Hai manufacturers Apple's iPods among other things. It is unclear what exactly "about to unveil" means, as the rest of the ChinaPost article discusses financial issues up to 5 years out. Also unclear is what exactly Gou meant by a "none-touch" concept, and whether his "next generation iPod" comments were in reference to a 6G iPod (a supposed incremental upgrade of the 5G) or to the rumored 'true' video iPod, or to another iPod model (Nano, Shuffle).

Hon Hai has recently received negative press regarding its iPod factory conditions, and it too soon to know how Apple's investigation into the matter will affect Hon Hai's contract to produce Apple's hardware.

Update: A recent Apple patent describing an audio interface for the iPod could be related to the "none-touch" concept. Patent described at Macsimum.

Related Forum: iPod touch and iPod