Fans of Apple's iPod Touch are anxiously awaiting news of the sixth generation of the popular portable media player, but Apple's eerie silence has some believing that the device's time has come and gone to instead focus on the Apple Watch.
Thanks to a fresh rumor over at Pakistan's CustomsToday tech site, the sixth generation iPod Touch will launch along with the iOS 8.2 operating system software and the wearable iWatch (also called the Apple Watch) in Spring of 2015 to make room for more production of the successful iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
"For the holiday season now it will be too late for Apple to launch its iPod 6th generation," the site says. "It is expected to by Spring 2015. Then, in a press conference, the company may come up with iOS 8.2 software update and its much awaited iWatch."
Of course, this would make sense considering that production focus should concentrate on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus while it's still the company's hot item, but the iPod Touch has never launched outside of the month of September since it was first introduced in 2007. We saw launches for each generation in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, but nothing for 2014. Does this mean that the delay between models will stretch to three years -- the longest we've waited for an iPod Touch so far?
"Some critics even believe the iPod 6th generation may not arrive for another one year," the site continues. This seems like a likely scenario as the functionality of what boils down to an iPhone without the "phone" is in question. Customers are moving toward a more all-in-one device, and every feature found on the iPod Touch is found on the iPhone already. With the added popularity of larger screens, many believe that Apple will cease production of the iPod Touch altogether to focus, instead, on growing the iPad line. Or, the focus could most likely be turned toward the new trend of wearable devices.
The Apple Watch was first announced on September 9, 2014, and is said to focus mostly on fitness tracking and health-oriented activities. It was already rumored to have a Spring 2015 release, although no official word from Apple has been made.
But when Chinese minister of the Cyberspace Administration Lu Wei sat down with Apple CEO Tim Cook during a visit to the U.S., many took note that Cook showed off the Apple Watch to the Chinese government official.
The meeting was said to be set up to help alleviate any concerns that China had over the security of information with the upcoming wearable device. A translation of an original report from the meeting has Cook telling Lu that he is the first person outside of the U.S. to see the watch in person. Although not technically true (the watch has been shown to Vogue China and French fashion boutique Colette), Lu Wei is certainly the first foreign government official to handle the device.
As reported by MacRumors, Lu stated that China is willing to open its markets to new technology, but "each device must pass an official network security assessment that ensures national security is not being compromised, and the user's information is being accessed properly."
While the sixth generation iPod Touch's future is uncertain, you can almost bet that the Apple Watch will at least be released in the spring.
