'Biggest Upgrade Ever' for iPod Touch to Bring New Colors, GPS, Camera Improvements?

ipod touch 2011KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a last-minute research report outlining his expectations for the updated iPod touch said to be being introduced today alongside the iPhone 5. Calling the 2012 version of the iPod touch the "biggest upgrade ever" for the device, Kuo outlines a number of features he expects the new model to offer.

- New colors: Beyond the traditional black model and the white model added last year, Kuo expects new colors for the iPod touch in order to attract younger customers. Speculation based on part numbers has already suggested that new colors could be in the mix.

- 4-inch display and thinner body: Apple is expected to adopt the same 4-inch display panel with in-cell touch technology that is making its way into the iPhone 5, enabling Apple to shave the iPod touch's thickness down to 6.0-6.5 mm and weight down to under 100 grams.

- GPS: While the current iPod touch can in some cases determine fairly accurate location information based off of Wi-Fi access points, Kuo expects that the new iPod touch will incorporate built-in GPS in order to better capitalize on Apple's new Maps app.

- Camera improvements: Kuo expects the iPod touch to adopt a FaceTime HD camera on the front, as well as a significantly upgraded 5-megapixel rear camera.

- Cross-device compatibility: The new iPod touch may be able to easily connect with iPad and Mac hardware to serve as a game controller or other accessory. iLounge had previously reported that Apple was working on an unannounced iOS 6 feature that would increase cross-device integration using Bluetooth 4.0.

- A5 chip: In line with a report from yesterday, Kuo claims that the new iPod touch will use the A5 system-on-a-chip, presumably the die-shrunk 32-nanometer version that debuted earlier this year in the tweaked iPad 2 and third-generation Apple TV. The iPhone 5 is expected to adopt a more powerful A6 chip.

- Smaller dock connector: Apple's entire iOS device lineup has been rumored to be moving to a new dock connector containing just nine pins rather than the 30 pins found in the current connector. The iPod touch will of course be part of that transition.

Kuo also believes that the current-generation iPod touch will be discontinued as Apple focuses on the significant improvements available in the new model. This conflicts with recent claims that the entry-level iPod touch will essentially be a minor tweak to the existing model.

Related Forum: iPod touch and iPod

Top Rated Comments

jasonxneo Avatar
151 months ago
Man I want this media event to come already! :D

Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joskewarez Avatar
151 months ago
Apple store down

Apple store down
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
makingdots Avatar
151 months ago
wat***** macrumors, how's somebody's EXPECTATION becomes a news?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FrizzleFryBen Avatar
151 months ago
So he released his 'research' 5 hours before Apple will release the real thing. Kinda seems like he's wasting his life.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
151 months ago
I doubt they can make it even thinner and then add a 5 megapixel camera. I defiantly think this is fake.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pikapiedra Avatar
151 months ago
Press release iphone 5 already on apple.com :D
Search for "iphone-5" on apple.com and see the results...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
iphone 16 dummies

iPhone 16 Dummy Models Showcase Design Changes, New Buttons

Tuesday March 26, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Images comparing purportedly accurate dummy models of the iPhone 16 series have been shared online, providing a closer look at the rumored design of the upcoming devices. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to get larger display sizes this year, according to multiple sources, while the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. ...