With the constant speculation surrounding the next generations of the iPad and iPhone, the iPod range of devices sometimes get overlooked. The iPod touch specification generally follows along the approximate lines of the newest generation iPhone when it comes to display and internal camera but the iPod nano is entirely different.
In April of 2011, the Taiwanese based Apple.pro website published a photograph of a supposed iPod nano case, which although looked similar to the current one at the time, contained a hole on the rear side which was speculated to house a 1.3 megapixel camera. When the time came around for the iPod nano to be refreshed, consumers were a little bit disappointed that Apple ultimately made no changes at all to the aesthetics of the nano and made technical changes to the software and the internal storage of the devices.
As is generally the way when it comes to Apple products, rumors re-emerged during the latter part of 2011 thanks to patents which were filed by the Cupertino company. The same Taiwanese website has managed to publish a new set of photographs, which they are once again reporting points to the next generation iPod nano having an embedded camera. The new images are a lot more in depth and show the alleged new nano case in a lot more detail, it even still has the clip on functionality that we have come to expect from the small nano device. Around the top corner of the cases rear is a very prominent metal housing which looks perfectly placed to house a camera.
It isn’t beyond the realms of possibility for Apple to squeeze a camera of decent quality into such a small form factor, and with the rumors circulating for approximately a year now; the next revamp of the iPod nano range could prove the perfect time for the camera to make an appearance.
With Apple previously removing a camera for an older version of the iPod nano, it remains to be seen whether or not they would want to go down that route again and if they see any real value in a device so small containing a camera. A patent application which was filed by the company in 2009 could shed some light on the thought process however, should a camera be included in a future model. The information likened it to an environmental sensor that could be used to display a screen saver on the device which shows information about the current environmental state of the nano, and show the current weather on screen for example.
There is no denying that the images do look extremely authentic, but in situations such as this only; time will tell.
(via MacRumors)
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