Apple did nothing towards changing the design of the iPod nano last September, but it could have something special up its sleeve for this year’s refresh. A series of images that have surfaced in Taiwan revived rumors the next device will feature a 1.3-megapixel camera, allowing you to snap impromptu photos while you’re on your morning run.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an iPod nano with what appears to be a camera. Back in April 2010, the same Taiwanese site, Apple.pro, posted the first images of the device with a cutout in its casing to allow for a camera. Though at the time, many dismissed the possibility of Apple introducing this feature to the tiny device.
A second image surfaced a month later, showing the iPod nano from a different angle, alongside claims that the cutout in its casing would accommodate a 1.3-megapixel camera. Today, the site has provided even more images, this time of the casing in more detail, and from a number of angles.
As you can clearly see, the iPod nano’s casing has been modified to feature a camera in the top corner, while maintaining the same clip-on design it currently sports. The camera lens appears to protrude from the casing, but it fits flush against the device’s clip. This design is likely necessary to fit a camera inside the device, without modifying its current form.
It’s unclear whether Apple will actually release this device, or whether it is simply a prototype that never made it to market. After all, it has been floating around for some time without an official unveiling from the Cupertino company. But it’s certainly a possibility.
The previous iPod nano, which featured a much larger form factor, boasted a low-resolution video camera that many users miss in the latest iteration.
[via MacRumors]
