Taiwan suppliers predict iPhone-like iPods

Apple's "Beat Goes On" event should mark a radical departure from the company's traditional line, claim multiple sources inside Taiwan electronics suppliers. The contacts allege that a premium iPod to be announced on September 5th will include a large touchscreen similar to that of the iPhone and will also include Wi-Fi for networking features while swapping the hard disk for "high storage capacity" NAND flash memory, the sources said.

Significantly, Taiwan's Inventec has now reportedly won the contract for the new full-size iPod, having successfully negotiated a switch away from Quanta, which currently manufactures the fifth-generation iPod. No mention was made of whether the touchscreen model would be available immediately after the event, though the estimates would have bulk shipments begin by late September or early October.

Changes will also be made to lower iPod models in time for the event, the Taiwanese tips claim. The iPod nano replacement would also receive an iPhone-like interface and extra flash memory but would retain the same prices as today's models, which range between $150 and $250; the iPod shuffle would also maintain the same $80 price with a storage boost but no change in design, say the informants. The nano and shuffle sequels would be manufactured by Foxconn and Asustek respectively.

While these sources have not been verified, they appear to reiterate claims from August that a 16GB iPod with video would be in development for the end of September, though whether this previous assertion applies to the larger iPod or the iPod nano replacement is unknown.