Safari on Next-Gen iPod?

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Next Wednesday’s Apple event will likely see the announcement of the next evolution of iPod, dubbed the iPod Touch. Which is a little bit weird, because the iPhone is obviously the next evolution, what with its revolutionary multitouch interface and the widescreen and the like. So this week, we’re all sort of praying for an iPod with a big hard drive, multitouch, and maybe iTunes purchasing via WiFi. A hard-working country mouse to iPhone’s city slicker.

But in really thinking about where Apple might go (and in the spirit of free-wheeling rumor-mongering), I must admit that a possibility I haven’t seen much of anywhere is that the new iPod would carry over the breakthrough Internet browsing device piece of the iPhone puzzle. As much as I would love an iPhone, its storage capacity is far too small for my iTunes library, and my phone is fine as a phone. I just want awesome multitouch web-browsing and e-mail. If Apple is going to the trouble of building WiFi into the next iPod, it would be a complete waste not to put in real Internet capabilities — even if it steals some iPhone thunder.

All of which leads me to think that the new iPods will remain free of wireless connectivity. Apple isn’t one to give away the farm, and the iPhone is clearly designed to one day completely replace the iPod line. They cannibalize up, not down.

What do you think the next iPod will be (let’s leave the hideous iPod nano phat out of the conversation for the time being)? Widescreen evolution or iPhone web browsing revolution without all those pesky phone calls?

Image via Gizmodo

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10 responses to “Safari on Next-Gen iPod?”

  1. Darren says:

    I’m just basically against having a media player that doubles as a phone, and I would hate having something that is a phone as the only option. What happens when you’ve watched movies, listened to music and blown your battery… and then need to make a crucial phone call?

  2. Matt says:

    I would just expect a bigger hard drive and possibly multi touch. Nothing too groundbreaking or too much of a change from the already sucessful ipod

  3. Bob R. says:

    I expect iPods to wirelessly control itunes like a remote control or better yet like the Sonos gadget does. Using Airport Express and powered speakers to fill any room at any time with tunes. Imagine a set of outdoor Bose speakers near the pool and with your iPod your able to fire off some music with your entire library at your fingertips!

  4. Marc says:

    Agreed. The new iPod will not be an iPhone minus the phone. It will be less than that.

    Personally I would LOVE an iPhone minus the phone. (My cell phone provider, US Cellular, is superb. I don’t want to give them up. The national carriers are all nightmares.)

  5. Destroyer says:

    I hope it includes a shaver, so I can shave my beard listening to music. Actually, I hope the next iPhone to have a shaver, so whenever I answer a phone call, it shaves my face automatically.