In a marketing effort similar to that of the flat-panel iMac appearing on the cover of Time magazine in January of 2002, Apple Computer has previewed a new model of its popular iPod music player on the cover of the July 26th issue of Newsweek magazine to be released Sunday. The story quotes Apple executives as saying the new iPod model will be officially announced Monday.
The cover story, written by Steven Levy and obtained Saturday by The Mac Observer before it is released Sunday at noon, describes the new white iPod as a thinner version of its predecessor. The article primarily features the iPod as a cultural phenomenon in American cultural and talks with Apple CEO Steve Jobs about how the iPod as impacted the music industry.
The magazine cover shows a close up photo of Mr. Jobs holding the new iPod model, with the headline, "Steve Jobs and The Must-Have Music Player Everyone Is Talking About. iPod, Therefore i Am."
One photo inside the magazine clearly shows the iPod as being thinner and smaller, minus the present four control buttons. The controls are now part of an opaque-like scroll wheel, identical to that of the scroll wheel on the current iPod mini models.
The Mac Observer will report further details on this story Sunday.