According to an article on Digitimes, the Taiwan-based panel maker Wintek will be the supplier of capacitive touch screen panels for the next-generation iPod video. Sources claim that the new iPod video could be launched as early as August this year, but other sources say it could be October/November or early next year.
This news is rather interesting because speculation about a new iPod having a touch screen interface has been going on for years, but now with the iPhone, having such an interface, this time the possibility is very real. I myself do think the next iPod video will have a touch screen.
More screen estate
First of all, currently the iPod video and nano have a touch wheel to control the iPod. Although it works really well, the wheel takes up space which could be used for a larger screen.
Take for example the iPhone. It has no keyboard (not even a numeric one) which to many people is a necessity for any phone. Still, Apple went ahead and made the iPhone interface touch screen based. I don’t see why Apple wouldn’t apply the same design philosophy for a device like the iPod video which, being a media player, would greatly benefit from a larger screen.
I do however don’t see any need for the iPod nano to have a touch screen. First of all it’s size would make any touch screen interface hard to use. Second, the nano is just a mp3 player. It can’t play videos and therefore doesn’t need a larger screen.
It’s easy and cheap
Secondly, creating a touch screen based iPod video is relatively easy now since all it has to be is a stripped iPhone with a larger storage capacity. This will also enable Apple to cut costs because both the iPod video and Iphone could share the same code-base ([Mac OS X]).
More possibilities
Also, if the iPod video would have a touch-screen interface, it would open up new possibilities. For example, the search option in the latest iPods would be much more useful. Just type in what you’re searching for. Secondly it would allow iPod users to enter calendar items, contacts etc. which would give the iPod PIM functionality.
This all would bring the iPod video and iPhone closer together, but enough for Apple to differentiate both products on the market. It remains to be seen that when this happens, what features the iPod video will lack. For example, I’m not sure whether it will have WiFi like the iPhone. The iPod video is positioned on the market as a media player and giving it web browsing or messaging functionality would turn it into a communications device, and that’s what the iPhone is all about. Perhaps it will have limited bluetooth support for wireless head phones.
Conclusion
In the end it’s all speculations. An iPod is a music or media player and it needs to be simple and intuitive to use. The past has learned us that Apple while innovative, made each new iPod generation more like the next evolutionary step, rather than a completely revolutionary leap. Just how big that step will be? Who knows.
