Claims of a tall iPod nano are accurate, Digg founder Kevin Rose says as part of a detailed rumor report. Providing what appears to be photographic evidence, Rose says the portable music player will switch to a tall screen ratio but also a heavily redesigned shell that returns to wrap-around aluminum in a tapered, curved design. The click wheel will remain and switch to dark gray on the silver model, though it's what treatment would apply to different-colored models.
This change, while significant, is just part of a complete revamp of the entire line within two to three weeks, the company head argues. He doesn't detail changes to the iPod classic or shuffle but notes the iPod touch will see smaller cosmetic touches along with the version 2.1 software that adds push notification and additional features. The touchscreen iPod would in this view be the first to receive the update while the iPhone gets the upgrade shortly afterwards.
The most significant move outside of the iPod nano update is allegedly a series of major price cuts to help the iPod "get away" from the $199 iPhone as much as is possible, Rose says. While unverified, the assertion would support Apple's references to a product transition coming before the end of the summer quarter that would lower Apple's gross profit margins on its products.
Rose further says the release will be accompanied by iTunes 8, which is perceived as a major upgrade that "deserves the 8.0 name" rather than the minor updates that have sometimes trigged full version numbers in the past. Details of the software changes themselves are unavailable at this stage.
Separately from the music-driven efforts, the co-founder also hears that Mac OS X will allegedly gain full Blu-ray support as of Mac OS X 10.5.6, though this is less certain and would would likely hinge on the availability of suitably thin, slot-load Blu-ray drives.
The site developer has a mixed track record for predictions and was incorrect in predicting a front camera for what became the iPhone 3G, but accurately called out the details of the original iPod nano just before its release; Rose has also never included an image to support his claims.
Source: electronista
