World of Apple

Engadget notes that this weeks Circuit City advert shows a purple iPod nano.

The error may simply be some form of error but both the online and print versions of the advert are displaying the purple iPod nano, and the colour is very close to that of the purple iPod shuffle.

Currently the iPod nano is available in silver, green, blue, black, red, and pink.

Think Secret has updated a previously written article with more information about the third-generation iPod nano which is expected to be released later on today.

The rumour site claims that the nano will feature a high resolution screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 and will be contain flash-based storage that will top out at either 12GB or 16GB.

iPhoto events, this screen pans from left to right showing a selection of pictures from the event

Think Secret also provides some screenshots that appear to be taken from videos we saw in July.

As with tradition, we will offer a roundup of the rumours before tomorrow’s Special Event.

Take a look at some past roundups, it’s always fun to see how horrible inaccurate some rumours are;

• Special Event: Tuesday August 7th 2007
• WWDC 2007
• NAB Special Event
• Macworld 2007
• WWC 2006
• February 28th 2006 Special Event
• Macworld 2006

Join World of Apple tomorrow for live coverage of Apple’s Special Event which will be start at:

• 7:00AM - Hawaii
• 10:00AM - Pacific
• 11:00AM - Mountain
• 12:00PM - Central
• 1:00PM - Eastern
• 5:00PM - GMT
• 6:00PM - BST
• 6:00PM - London
• 7:00PM - Paris
• 2:00AM - Tokyo (September 6th)

Let’s get going with the rumour roundup…

(more…)

3.5-inch touch-screen iPod debuts tomorrow

Think Secret notes that Apple will finally debut a 3.5-inch touch-screen tomorrow, 20 months after the site broke the news.

The rumour site writes that the new iPod will have similar dimensions to the iPhone with which it will share the same display. Sources note to Think Secret that the iPod line will continue to sport hard-drives as opposed to flash-based memory.

Think Secret also mentions that the rumour of digital radio inclusion should be taken with a grain of salt but does not discount rumours of wireless capabilities.

Madonna: “The Beat Goes On.”

MacDailyNews writes on another possible tangent that Apple could address in tomorrows Special Event. When Apple sent out invitations the invite read “The beat goes on”.

This has caused many people to speculate on the meaning, first of all it was noted that The Beatles’ final press released ended with the line, it was a very famous song by Sonny and Cher and the phrase appears on Sonny Bono’s gravestone.

MacDailyNews now points towards to the upcoming album by Madonna titled “The Beat Goes On.”

The far eastern rumour publication cites Taiwan-based contract manufacturers stating that the “new iPod video will also come with a wide-screen panel, high storage capacity and Wi-Fi connectivity.”

Inline with earlier rumours the publication notes that Apple is likely to drop hard drive based iPods in favour or NAND flash.

Apple is reportedly outsourcing the production of the new iPod video to Taiwan-based Inventec Appliances, which is expected to start volume shipments by the end of this month or in early October.

DigiTimes also mentions that we will see new iPod nano’s and shuffle’s at Wednesdays Special Event.

Digital radio functions?

On another note Vnunet writes that a “reliable industry insider” claims that Apple’s new iPods will feature the ability to receive digital radio and will include a “buy now” function, allowing the user to buy and download the current playing track.

iTunes Kiosks

Albotas claims to have heard the word on the street that Apple will unveil iTunes Store kiosks at this coming Wednesday’s special event. The kiosks will reportedly be setup thorough various retailers in North America, no word on which stores or how many.

Users will reportedly be able to dock their iPod/iPhone into the kiosk and purchase music directly onto your device, no word on TV shows or movies.

The kiosks will accept credit cards as well as iTunes gift cards and feature a touch-screen interface and a built-in Apple keyboard to help browse and search the store.

iPod nano 3G

brokenflicker has posted what appears to be an excellent mockup of the rumoured upcoming iPod nano third generation.

The site doesn’t claim it is real but it is a very good mockup.

iLounge notes that Uniea is beginning to promote a new iPod case for a model that doesn’t appear to exist. The case features a soft leather interior, hard plastic shell and scratch resistant interior is described as the U-Suit Hard Protective Leather Case for New iPod.

The front hole is roughly 2.3-inches in width and is very similar to the shape of the purported nano shots we saw late last month.

Apple is expected to release this new iPod on September 5th.

Product (RED) shuffle?

AppleInsider writes that all the hype surrounding next weeks Special Event is focused on the iPod nano and its bigger brother the video. But the rumour site states that reliable sources point towards the release of a Product (RED) iPod shuffle.

Although the addition wouldn’t be an update the site does note that the iPod shuffle is the newest of all the iPods and doesn’t necessarily require any update.

(PRODUCT) RED products such as the (RED) nano help benefit the (RED) charity created by Bobby Shriver and U2 front-man Bono, which encourages big businesses to help fight against AIDS in Africa through donations. In addition to Apple, (RED) has so far gained the support of several other big names that include the Gap, Motorola, American Express, and Converse.

Steve Jobs presents the iPhone at Macworld 2007, his iTunes featured a Ringtones tab

Custom iPhone Ringtones

A relative newcomer to the rumour scene, AlleyInsider states that “a well informed” source has disclosed to them that we will not see any form of Beatles announcement at next weeks event.

The source does on the other hand confirm the existence of a new iPod but also mentions ringtones for iPhone users. The source states that users will be able to make songs they have purchased from the iTunes Store into ringtones, bizarrely Universal songs are reported not to work.

Apple has pointed towards the existence of Ringtones in iTunes before.

HD Content for iTunes Store?

Carl Howe of Blackfriars’ Marketing notes that Akamai, Apple’s long standing internet content partner has announced that it has added high-defintion content to its distribution options.

Howe points towards Apple possibly announcing the content at next weeks Special Event, and uses the Apple TV with high-defintion outputs has his reasoning.

Arstechnica and AppleInsider both claim that Apple will hold a major event on September 5th.

Our sources are slim on details for exactly what will be announced, but said that at least one of the things that will come out of September 5th will be a new iPod.

Many sites are reporting that stocks of iPods are dwindling with some sources confirming that stock will be replenished in around 2 weeks time.

AppleInsider notes that although many details are unknown it could be possible to see four new iPod models in the coming weeks.

Recently images purporting to be of the new iPod nano were leaked onto the internet, with the Apple legal team working quickly to remove them.

AppleInsider states that Apple will use a media event next month to unveil a new line of iPods based on OS X.

The rumour site claims that the “new platform of digital devices” has been a “multi-year” effort.

The idea appears to be that every device Apple sells will incorporate OS X in some way or form.

Looking into the new iPods in more detail, AppleInsider reports that the majority if not all the iPods will be based on NAND flash.

Sources state that they have spotted a “full-screen” iPod, literally an iPhone minus the phone and internet segments.

The rumour site also notes that the iPod nano GUI videos posted last month are indeed genuine and will be incorporated on the 3rd generation iPod nano. The videos were posted and subsequently pulled from a majority of sites.

The videos illustrated intentions on the part of the gadget maker to carry over software design aspects from the iPhone, in addition to tying in features of its just-released iLife ‘08 digital lifestyle suite. In particular, they demonstrated widespread use of vibrant album art, Leopard-style interface overlays, a world clock widget similar to the iPhone’s, and a new photo feature that would allow iPod nano users to browse their iLife ‘08 photo “Events” via a CoverFlow interface controlled by a physical click-wheel.

AppleInsider also teasingly hints at another Apple product coming sometime in 2008 which is meant to be another business segment.