Nah, I don’t believe Apple would update an already-hot product in the middle of the largest buying season of the year. How many people do you think would have bought the September Touch as a gift, and simply return it to get the latest and greatest? As retail goes, that’s a suicidal move.

They would be much better off waiting until at least a few weeks after the new year - long after packages have been opened and new toys played with - to introduced iPod touch 3.5. They’ve done this before a couple of times with iPods, anyway.

The only reason I could see for a December release of a new touch is to include the camera they had wanted to include in the last update. Maybe the tech problems are sorted.

But still… to do it in December would be very unusual for apple and any personal electronics maker.

Since the iTouch did get a bit of an update with the other iPods, I think it would be odd to refresh the line again so quickly.  If Apple were intending on releasing a touch with, say a camera, but couldn’t get it done by the september even, why would they have done the half-assed refresh?  Presumably some effort would go into the design specific for that product, which would be a lot for only a few months of sales.

I agree with Xmattingly - many retailers offers goods with extended return periods in the Xmas period (often allowing you to return in early January).

They pretty much depend on manufacturers not updating things during the Xmas period.

Since the iTouch did get a bit of an update with the other iPods, I think it would be odd to refresh the line again so quickly.

Practically everyone under the sun - especially product reviewers - poo-poo’d on the latest simply because they were expecting it to come with a camera. Doubled stoage capacity, noticably faster processor, iPhone 3.0 and headphones w/ a mic were nothing to sneeze at IMO - it stood at least one sale for those reasons.

If Apple were to put out an iPod touch 3.5, I could care less about whether or not it has a camera than if they bring back audio transmission (and realistically charging) through the serial port. Apple, for no apparent reason, stripped out audio through serial port on the 3rd gen and every review I have seen has completely failed to address that shortcoming.

Sounds more like a rumor spread by a competitor waging a dirty tricks campaign on the iPod touch.

I could care less about whether or not it has a camera . . .

If you could still “care less”, that means you still care a little bit.  But if you don’t care at all about something, then that means you “couldn’t care less”.

Sorry for the nitpicking.  Pet peeve that would not allow me to sleep at night.

I was going to upgrade from my ipod classic to an ipod touch, but held off simply because it didn’t come with the expected camera in the latest update. I have read extensively on forums and found that many, many others were of the same mind. My guess is that the latest update to the ipod touch received lower sales than expected for that reason alone. I’m not about to purchase an ipod touch now knowing that another version is just around the corner offering significantly better hardware, ie a camera. So, that was to be my gift for Christmas, and still will be if they do release it in December; it would be a genius move in my opinion. Do it, Apple!

If you could still “care less”, that means you still care a little bit.  But if you don’t care at all about something, then that means you “couldn’t care less”.

Right you are. I could care less about whether a device includes a half-assed camera than how well it works as a portable music player, which is supposed to be its core function. The latter is lacking as of late… sleep well.

Right you are. I could care less about whether a device includes a half-assed camera than how well it works as a portable music player, which is supposed to be its core function. The latter is lacking as of late… sleep well.

Dude Apple sells the iPod Touch as a pocket computer. The iPod Classic is for the music.

how well it works as a portable music player, which is supposed to be its core function.

I second Dennus’s comment.
There are over 100,000 apps that do things other than play music. And I doubt Apple refreshed the current lineup with a faster processor (besides the 8GB) so it can play music better.

iTouch

The what? There’s no such thing. Apple makes the iPod touch.

On the topic, didn’t Apple recently say that their holiday lineup is set? Ah, yes, here it is on TMO, on October 27th.

Dude Apple sells the iPod Touch as a pocket computer. The iPod Classic is for the music.

What, you can’t play music on an iPod Touch?

And I doubt Apple refreshed the current lineup with a faster processor (besides the 8GB) so it can play music better.

I stand partly corrected, but you’re both partially wrong. No doubt the Touch is an evolution of what started as a simple music player, and be that as it may I think it’d be more accurate to describe it as a portable digital lifestyle device. Not merely an MP3, or simply a pocket computer either. You only have to look at how Apple markets the thing to see the sense in that.

As far as the current/future revisions go, I think Apple is slipping a bit on their focus. The reason why they succeed in the market place is because they have typically focused on making best-in-class devices for a product segment.

Word has it that they had to scrap the camera at the last minute, because they had trouble producing it with the tiny lens that would have to fit in its casing… a tiny lens that is no doubt a highly compromised camera. For a device that can only connect to the ‘net via wi-fi. So if you, as the consumer, wanted to share your photos the best you can do is show people what you just captured on your iPod - Flickr or emailing would have to wait until you’re in range of an open network. So… crappy camera, minimal photo sharing ability: Will a camera addition really make the iPod Touch a better device? Think about it.

As a gaming/video playing device, it’s ok for that, but overall for either use I only find it good for a minor distraction. In either case, you can really have enough juice for about a couple hours viewing/gaming… plus, the 3.5” screen is hard on my eyes for extended periods. It’s nice that you can use it for those things, but overall it’s not that functional for video use.

With years of development behind the MP3 jukebox function - and hours worth of audio play you can get out of the thing - I still think the iPod Touch is best used as an MP3 player. So why not focus further development on the iPod’s best features, rather than half-assed tacked on features? There is still room for improvement with audio quality, and as I’ve mentioned before from 1st to 3rd generation, the Touch has mysteriously gone from FireWire/USB charging/audio playback through the dock connector to USB charge/audio to currently, just USB charging. Same connector, stripped away functionality for no apparent reason. Taking away something that customers used to be able to use? Not exactly what I would consider best in class.