Apple Rumors: New iPods, iTunes 8, and a Price Drop?

Digg.com’s founder Kevin Rose: is either - quite well connected, lucky enough to get random emails by Apple insiders, or is just looking for blog traffic. Really, it’s probably all three. A self-made gentleman of the blog-o-sphere, Rose is taken quite seriously by most bloggers and podcasters, as his information is the stuff of dream posts. Hard hitting, late breaking, unconfirmed tech rumors… revealed.

We bloggers crave this type of inside track so badly that we’ll believe most anything. Rose revealed on Sunday’s “This Week in Tech” that he has received unsolicited anonymous emails, which included...

PDF files of reference photos and technical specs for the new nano. The photos released, show a rounder, thinner, and longer body design, in addition to a wider screen. Who knows if the emails are from people working for or with Apple on the latest iPod nano design, but the information is thought to be creditable.

Rose also wrangled up some insider info on the iTunes 8 release, however remained tight lipped about the purported new features, in hopes of avoiding ridicule if his information is found to be false. Of course, that’s silly because people are going to ridicule and discredit him, either way. He also won’t release the full photos of the nano with the technical specifications attached to protect the sources anonymity. OK, then. So we should just take his word for it? Seems as if.

Rose also added what seemed to be his speculation of an impeding price drop. Making the assertion that the current iPhone price, of $199 w/ two-year contract, has been taking sales away from regular iPods.

I personally never really considered buying an iPhone, the service contract always seemed like a rip off, so I bought the iPod Touch, no contest, no debate, no wavering. It seems counter-intuitive that Apple would readjust their entire iPod line's price point to match a discount that is given when a two-year contract is signed. I don’t see it happening… good thing we’ll only have to wait a few weeks for all to be announced (Sept. 9). I hate not knowing whether I'm right.