Does iOS 5 reveal a new iPod touch? (Updated)

UPDATE: It would appear in our haste to check this, and with Erica's technical difficulties with her primary Mac, the 5.0 file was opened twice. A cross check with the 4.3.3 file indicates no such model (iPod4,2). Of course, this still doesn't mean there's a new iPod touch coming, but the evidence we thought we had to show that the supposed 'new' model was actually old is no longer valid. We regret the error. - Ed.

Early this AM, our beloved leader Victor Agreda summoned me to the bat phone -- or at least the bat virtual office -- to confirm whether or not today's iFans spotting of "iPod4,2" in 5.0 firmware points to a new device.

So, I did what any other exhausted mother-of-three would do while making breakfast for the crew and getting them ready for camp. I cracked open an iPod touch 4.3 firmware to see if this reference predates the 5.0 firmware.

It does. Here's the 4.3 version of that file with the same iPod4,2 reference.

So, what does this mean? Sorry, but not much. Apple has had unreleased alternative models mentioned in its firmware for a while now. There was an iPod2,2 model for example that never saw the light of day.

Will there be an iPod 5 this fall? I haven't a clue. I think Chris and Rich hashed out the question quite thoroughly a short while back, and I leave that discussion to them.

As for me? I need to go back and take a nap -- and I would if my hard drive didn't seem to be failing. Oh well, off to try to get that fixed.