[Paul Acciavatti]

Images of an iPod Touch leaked to the blog of XM talk show hosts Covino and Rich and MacRumors last month showed a camera near the top of the device, in exactly the location of the 6x6x3mm cavity on the released Touch.

A comparison of the leaked images of the device's internals with the iFixit teardown, meanwhile, shows that the leak was genuine. So it seems clear that Apple had intended to put a camera in the 3rd generation iPod Touch. The question is - given the hoopla surrounding the "It's Only Rock'N'Roll" event, and the release of a video camera on the 5th generation nano - why didn't they?

Steve Jobs, in an interview with the New York Times, asserts that the decision was driven by economics. AppleInsider, among others, finds this explanation unconvincing, noting that problems had been reported in the sensor hardware Apple had purchased for the new product.

So if the quality issues can be overcome, one shouldn't be surprised if Touches suddenly start shipping with cameras, and at the same price point. And within weeks, not months: as everyone from Jobs to MacWorld.com's Jason Snell continues to remind us, Christmas is when iPods fly off the shelves. If Apple wants another high-visibility news story to grab holiday dollars, a hardware upgrade that they're already tooled for could be it.

[fubit86]

I highly doubt they release is before new year's september event. They will just piss off the people that bought the new ipod touch if they release a NEWER one within weeks

[rwin84]

They wouldnt play a strategy that clandestine. It wouldnt produce the fanfare that apple loves and thrives on.

[babyblue_pimp]

Yeah its not gonna happen in weeks. But Jobs is right it does have to do with economics. Next year when the touch needs a redo, it'll be the "same" thing, but with a camera. Those sneaky bastards are thinking in advance. Makes me wonder if they were planning the 3gs, the same time they were announcing the 3g.

[nikhilr51]

It aint gonna happen. Maybe a firmare update to activate FM radio? They might do an ipod shuffle and release a new touch in march (or somewhere around there) next year.

Ghey.

[sayam]

I believe they just decided to pose it as a gaming device at the last moment though there is a great possibility of some defect that caused this last minute drop-out..

[PhrequenC]

fake pic ftl

[RonHC]

hasnt this been posted before

if they didnt release it this 9th why would they release this Holiday

that would be a low blow to customers who bought the new ipod touch

[Stefanradev2v]

Originally Posted by babyblue_pimp

Yeah its not gonna happen in weeks. But Jobs is right it does have to do with economics. Next year when the touch needs a redo, it'll be the "same" thing, but with a camera. Those sneaky bastards are thinking in advance. Makes me wonder if they were planning the 3gs, the same time they were announcing the 3g.

Well they did have the iPhone2,1 (3Gs) string in the /System/Library/AppleUSBDevice/USBDeviceConfiguration.plistof the final 2.0 (5A347) build. This file did also tell us in advance about the iPod3,1 (iPod 3G) as well as some iPod2,2 which we never saw.

[awesomeSlayer]

Never...EVER going happen. If it is going to be release, it is very unlikely.

[plcrules]

am i the only 1 that noticed the small hole next 2 the camera on the touch and the new nano
is that a light?

[awesomeSlayer]

^I don't think you're the only one who notice the small hole and I doubt it is the light.

[Periodic]

Originally Posted by fubit86

I highly doubt they release is before new year's september event. They will just piss off the people that bought the new ipod touch if they release a NEWER one within weeks

Ya but they could allow peolpe to send in there ones they bought that are 3rd gen. the stuff is already there they can just take off the backplate and place it back in the production line for a minimal fee

[gothgothpunk]

Originally Posted by plcrules

am i the only 1 that noticed the small hole next 2 the camera on the touch and the new nano
is that a light?

Its called a Microphone...

[staterunner180]

Originally Posted by plcrules

am i the only 1 that noticed the small hole next 2 the camera on the touch and the new nano
is that a light?

That, my friend, is a microphone for recording video .