New iPod Coming?

Apple has an announcement set, and the speculation is that it’s’ going to announce a new iPod.

There’s plenty of secrecy surrounding the major announcement Apple is due to make on September 5, and the speculation is that the company is set to announce the launch of a new iPod.

At least, that’s the betting among observers who have specialist knowledge, and the general consensus is that it will be a high-end model with an interface very similar to Apple’s new iPhone.

It would certainly make sense, with the announcement coming in perfect time for the company to roll out the product in time for the holidays.

“It’s time for the Christmas refresh,” Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst with Enderle Group, noted. “Apple needs a set of hot new products to try to drive fourth-quarter sales.”

Certainly it would make sense to have a full-screen iPod, allowing the iPod to join the world of the company’s devices that run the OSX operating system. Additionally, it would bring a whole new audience to the MultiTouch system, paving the way for the company to build it into Macs.

Finally, as some have noted, it would keep up the press about Apple and its image as an agent of change. That’s perhaps very important as its iTunes dominance comes under fire with the launch of new music download services, such as the one just announced by Nokia.

Some speculate that the new iPod will essentially operate like the iPod part of the iPhone. But, of course, for now it’s all guesswork. Still, it’s created expectations and helped thecompany – Apple’s stock rose US$7.36, or 5.8%, in Wednesday’s trading.