iPhone 2.1 beta firmware hints at new iPod touch?

Who knows how much this is worth, but there's a lot of chatter flying around today about some text strings in the beta release of iPhone OS 2.1 that make reference to an "iPod2,1." Seeing as the current iPod touch is designated "iPod1,1," that's a pretty strong hint that a new model is coming -- but hey, guess what? Of course a new model is eventually coming. What's more, we'd bet it's going to be almost exactly the same as the current iPod touch, with maybe the addition of GPS -- it's not like Apple is going to position this thing above the iPhone. Wake us up when tapping in Steve's birthday backwards spits out a ship date, pricing, and specs, and maybe then we'll be more excited.

[mojohat @ Jul 30th 2008 12:03AM]

ZZZZzzzz....

[nerdtalker @ Jul 30th 2008 12:03AM]

"Of course a new model is eventually coming."

Well, of course. Is this seriously news to anyone?

[Juaquin @ Jul 30th 2008 12:21AM]

Of course a new model is coming. Last time the firmware was updated they immediately shipped new stock and put any remaining stock (old firmware) on a $10 discount to compensate for it. Since this hasn't happened, it's obvious they were just waiting for a new model. Also, I think they were waiting to sell a bunch of Touches with the back to school promotion (full rebate for the Touch with purchase of a computer) to clear out their old stock before unleashing the new ones. They did the same with the nanos and shuffles over the last few years. Hardly surprising at all.

[FreeRange @ Jul 30th 2008 10:04AM]

In addition to the units they were giving away as part of their back-to-school promotion, the refirb units have reduced, special pricing. 8 gig touch is $199, 16 gig is $299. The 32 gig is $429 but that price is normal for the refirb. I think this went into effect maybe a week ago. I was considering getting one until I realized it could suggest a refresh (I bought a Macbook Pro about 40 days before the multi-touch refresh so I feel like not getting burnt again just yet with a poorly timed purchase). Never thought to submit it to Engadget though... Really now, just another mac rumor.

[Giroro @ Jul 30th 2008 12:03AM]

Yay?

Personally, I don't like iPods.

[Adam @ Jul 30th 2008 12:06AM]

Yep why bother with them.

I have one and well Itunes blows and can't wait to switch.

If you like to pay for a music player that is over priced and looks a little cool then the Ipod is for you.

For those who don't we have many more options :)

All this Apple news is really getting tired some...

[JerkfacedFed @ Jul 30th 2008 12:54AM]

agreed. dumbest obv news ever for an overrated product

[Michael Scrip @ Jul 30th 2008 1:05AM]

> "overrated product"

Sales figures aren't overrated. Doesn't Apple have 75% of the music player market? They must be doing something right.

[Indefinite Implosion @ Jul 30th 2008 3:19AM]

@Adam

your kidding with the whole "over priced media player bit"

maybe not ipod touch's entirely but ipod classic's are, as far as i know the only pmp with that kind of capacity you can get...

and ipod touch's still arent that bad value for money really...
then again i live in Aus and things seem more expensive... but ahh well thats life...

[Kizorblade @ Jul 30th 2008 3:32AM]

Idiots, if you don't like the Apple news you can do two things:

1) Do NOT comment or click on the story. This increases page views and tells Engadget that they want their stuff being read about whatever, so they put more of that stuff on.

2) Go get yourself the non Apple Engadget feed.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/20/tired-of-iphone-and-or-apple-news-on-engadget/

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 30th 2008 8:38AM]

But Kizor...

If they do that they won't be able to pretend to be annoyed by Apple stores... yet read and every one and comment on them about how annoyed they are while slowly passing a blade up and down their arm while asphyxiating themselves until they ejaculate

It's not hard to simply ignore the stories. I ignore about 2/3 of the stories on this site.... all it takes is a scroll on your sexy mouse wheel and the story is gone and forgotten.

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 30th 2008 8:39AM]

Apple stories... but hey, Apple stores probably annoy them too

[John @ Jul 30th 2008 10:35AM]

The iPod touch is overpriced for a PMP because you pay for more functionality than a PMP. The classics are a little overpriced, but I like my 5.5g and my only complaint is iTunes. It's a nice little device, and it does what it needs to do.

[Kevin @ Jul 31st 2008 6:11PM]

@ Indefinite Implosion
There are plenty of pmps with 160gb of storage other than the iPod Classic.

[nicksa7xx @ Jul 30th 2008 12:05AM]

if they put a camera on the new one, id sell my current ipod touch and buy a new one.
but until then ill stick with mine.

[Juaquin @ Jul 30th 2008 12:22AM]

Nearly $300 for a mediocre camera and a slight update?

[pyrobob2345 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:12AM]

loliPod.

Is it really considered news that there's gonna be a new one?

[Kyanges @ Jul 30th 2008 2:28PM]

Loli Pod?

[Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:10AM]

Damn, I just bought a 32GB iPod Touch in January. I love this device since I'm not a fan of AT&T, but would like to have the iPhone.

I can live with a 64GB version, but if they add more than just memory to it, then I'll be pretty bummed.

[fusen @ Jul 30th 2008 12:53AM]

you bought it in January? so you'll have at least 8 months of solid use out of it before ANY upgrade whether minor or major...that seems like a pretty decent result tbh :P

You know full well what Apple are like with spitting out new iPods.

[Matthew @ Jul 30th 2008 6:48AM]

Maybe it's just me but 32GB is the perfect amount of space.

[Lane @ Jul 30th 2008 4:06PM]

Except for the fact that the 32gb came out in February....

[socritic @ Jul 30th 2008 12:13AM]

i have a macbook pro, i have an ipod touch, i love apple and look forward to see some new things come our way, but i don't understand whats up with the lack of imagination. i mean, come on, you couldn't even redesign the GUI a little bit? snazz it up? make it more exciting? it's been a snooze fest for apple. and if you think i'm renewing my dot mac AKA mobileme you're sorely mistaken. for $99 a year i expect more, because the alternative is very cheap and readily available, so why should i? one last thing. plz deliver upon us a eee pc sized mac lappy. it would be my perfect gift to myself this christmas.

[Michael Scrip @ Jul 30th 2008 12:24AM]

> "redesign the GUI a little bit? snazz it up? make it more exciting?"

The iPod Touch GUI? What more can they do? It's already got one click to all your favorite apps and music and video. And coverflow. How much better can they make it? There's not much to it... it's a bunch of icons and a list of songs.

Oh, and it's only a year old...relax.

Lack of imagination? Apple? Are you kidding?

[waiownsyou @ Jul 30th 2008 12:29AM]

Who the hell gives themselves gifts for Christmas?

lern2friend, guy

[cesium @ Jul 30th 2008 2:02AM]

Don't call me your guy! I'm not your guy, friend!

[roen @ Jul 30th 2008 10:53AM]

@cesium
FAIL

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jul 30th 2008 2:30AM]

I think they can probably afford to last more than 12 months without a huge GUI redesign...

[socritic @ Jul 30th 2008 12:14AM]

i have a macbook pro, i have an ipod touch, i love apple and look forward to see some new things come our way, but i don't understand whats up with the lack of imagination. i mean, come on, you couldn't even redesign the GUI a little bit? snazz it up? make it more exciting? it's been a snooze fest for apple. and if you think i'm renewing my dot mac AKA mobileme you're sorely mistaken. for $99 a year i expect more, because the alternative is very cheap and readily available, so why should i? one last thing. plz deliver upon us a eee pc sized mac lappy. it would be my perfect gift to myself this christmas.

[gaz @ Jul 30th 2008 1:50AM]

mobile me is a hunk of junk and a complete waste of money

im in the same boat as u, wont be renewing come next year unless some cool functionality gets added, but my 10 bucks is on nothing significant.

hell it doesnt even work with exchange but i can manually cable sync

like wtf

[reuvypoo @ Jul 30th 2008 12:17AM]

This is what I am waiting for since mine when "mysteriously" missing at work. Not going to leave it alone for a minute when I get a new one. Hopefully the new one will have even larger capacities at lower price. How about, "Twice the storage, half the price?" Playing off on the silly iPhone slogan. 64 GB for $250 certainly wouldn't hurt anyone.

[Radzinsky @ Jul 30th 2008 5:36AM]

"Wake us up when tapping in Steve's birthday backwards spits out a ship date, pricing, and specs, and maybe then we'll be more excited."

No engadget, you wake US up when that happens. What a worthless article.

[Mark @ Jul 30th 2008 1:28AM]

Uh, no, it just means 2.1 firmware.

[Chris @ Jul 30th 2008 12:28AM]

Next thing you know they'll announce a new iphone......oh wait

[caniac_01 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:31AM]

GPS, external speaker, and possibly a camera and 64GB pleeasse! Those things would sell me to buy a new iPod touch, and it would make sense for apple in a way.. since it would make the iPod touch compatible with more apps in the store.

[speakafreaka @ Jul 30th 2008 12:45AM]

Why do you want GPS? so you've got something else sucking battery while you still cant see where you are because youre not in a wifi hotspot area?

Why aren't the maps saved on the drive? its the one thing that sh*ts me about my touch

[caniac_01 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:55AM]

battery life isn't really an issue.. turn it off when you're not in a hotspot, and take a laptop with you to charge it if you're going to be gone for a long time, or buy a car charger.. the only reason I want GPS is for some possible apps that can come out.

And wait.. maybe I'm wrong, I'm no expert, but wouldnt GPS be a dedicated chip, and not require wifi?

[speakafreaka @ Jul 30th 2008 1:10AM]

The maps arent on there, so even if it knew your location you couldnt see where that was.

its only really usefull for geotagging or some apps.

But im bitter because including maps on the device itself is a fairly simple thing to do, and it prevents the device being useless when offline (in the touches case) or data charges (iphones case)

[John @ Jul 30th 2008 1:16AM]

ya need google maps to access map data over the internet unfortunately...

[cesium @ Jul 30th 2008 2:04AM]

Why do you need a camera on an MP3 player??

[Shahryar @ Jul 30th 2008 9:15AM]

Doesn't Nokia's N810 do the GPS thing? If that internet device can do that, why couldn't/wouldn't the iPod Touch?

I'm also hoping for WiMAX too since it's finally starting to become a reality here in the US (at least now or in the upcoming months in Baltimore, DC, and Chicago. The N810 has its WiMAX version out now too I believe.

[caniac_01 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:08PM]

A camera for a couple of reasons. The iPod touch is the ideal device for uploading pictures to facebook and if they ever put a video camera in it (which they wont) it'd be great for uploading youtube videos to. Apple has an opportunity here to really sperate this thing from the rest of the PMP's available today. Plus, why not make it completely compatible with ALL the apps in the itunes store.

PS. Anyone notice that the comments are broken? My cursor keeps skipping around..

[polvadis @ Jul 30th 2008 12:41AM]

I'm hoping for a price cut. Why is the 8gig still $299? I'm assuming the new Touch will look more like the new iPhone 3G...

I want it just to stream music in my apartment thru WiFi without turning on my desktop. But not at $299.

[Artie Lange @ Jul 30th 2008 12:45AM]

"Wake us up when tapping in Steve's birthday backwards spits out a ship date"

I had to read that 4 times before it made sense to me.

[Tombio @ Jul 30th 2008 2:09AM]

It never made sense to me, not even after reading it 10 times. Too bad my native language isn't English, I'd really love to know what that means :D

[Hamidxa @ Jul 30th 2008 12:46AM]

Wow, another iPod coming out.

Nothing gets by you does it Engadget.
(Nothing apple related that is...what a bunch of tools...)

[Irwin @ Jul 30th 2008 2:31AM]

I use a Zune (best shit ever) : | omgwtfbbqh4x

[Hamidxa @ Jul 30th 2008 4:00AM]

Actually I use my PPC, and soon to be released HTC Raphael.

Also, buy music?
What is this, 1998?

You Apple users are a riot, you say the darndest things sometimes...how quaint.

[Shaun @ Jul 30th 2008 6:14AM]

@ SuperSexyErik

I believe he would be having the last laugh if he was buying from Amazon:
DRM Free...something that the Apple store will never fully remove for a long time because major labels will be scared.
Cheaper
Better quality
hehehehehe

And waiiittt hasent the zune sold like 2 million? Maybe you should give a try before you bash the shit out of it. Maybe one day you will get through your thick head that the iPod is not always the best.

[Elijah @ Jul 30th 2008 12:51AM]

Tired some.... what?