Tech —

6G iPod announcement coming tomorrow? Not so fast

One site has contradicted commonly-accepted "knowledge" and suggested that …

Loose Lips Sink ShipsJust when  you thought you knew everything about the rumored 6G iPod and possible release dates, an anonymous Think Secret source starts messing with your head. Specifically, they're saying that an iPod update is coming—wait for it—tomorrow. And we're not just talking about a storage bump, either. Apparently, this update will be the wide one, namely the 6G iPod.

According to the "unproven source," the announcement of widescreen, touchscreen iPods is coming tomorrow, but the new iPods wouldn't ship until after the iPhone launches in June/July. It's a cool, and very titillating rumor, but I suspect that this particular source is about as reliable as the guy who sold me a Ziploc bag full of what turned out to be flour cut with Comet and mothballs. In particular, three things stick out about this latest rumor:

First, there's the claim itself: the launch is coming tomorrow because the touchscreen technology "has been finalized" for the iPhone, but they won't ship until after the iPhone so as not to lure buyers away. It's just different enough from what's been said to already be working, but I don't think it's very plausible. First of all, if users are already waiting for the iPhone in order to get their hands on widescreen/touchscreen technologies, so what's going to stop them from waiting another month to get the 6G iPod that they might really want? Entry into the mobile phone market is going to be a bit of a gamble for Apple, and it'll certainly be a determinant of future product directions, so I really can't see them doing anything to hurt the iPhone's chances of success by introducing another product so close to the iPhone. Waiting until the iPhone launches before announcing something new gives them time to see how the market reacts and refine the features of the iPod, a device they know will sell well.

Market dilution aside, there are the questions of timing and technology. I mean, what's so special about Tuesday, May 8? Sure, it's VE Day, but I doubt Apple would choose to celebrate that with an iPod launch. Even if the 6G iPod were to come out tomorrow, could Apple really pass up an opportunity for a special event? I doubt it. But even if they were having a surprise special event tomorrow, what would they announce along with the iPod? Contract negotiations are still underway, so there's probably not anything new related to the iTunes Store. Beyond that, there's not a whole lot going on (that we know of) as Apple gears up for the iPhone and Leopard launches.

In the end, there's no solid reason for revolutionary new iPods to launch tomorrow. Sure, the Zune might be getting upgraded, but I doubt Steve Jobs is losing sleep over Zune sales. Even if the touchscreen technology is perfected and finalized (which remains to be seen), releasing it "because it's done" isn't really something that typically comes out of Apple's playbook, especially if it would interfere with flagship products. The 5.5G iPods are getting a bit long in the tooth, but without any significant iPod competition, the iPhone will probably tide users over until 6G iPods are released.

I need a new iPod, so part of me is hoping Think Secret is right. But the skeptic in me just can't see 6G iPods coming tomorrow. Most other sources suggest that we'll see the 6G in late 2007, and so far, no one has seen anything credible to contradict them. What I'm personally predicting are some storage or firmware bumps for tomorrow. Those are hardly as revolutionary as the 6G iPod will be, though, and certainly won't receive the same fanfare that I think the 6G iPod will when it launches... in the second half of 2007.

You must to comment.

Channel Ars Technica