It’s pretty much expected that Apple will be refreshing the iPod touch around September. The real question is which features from iPhone 4 will make it to the next iPod touch. Various sources point towards an update that will not only shoot HD video, but support FaceTime as well.
You could probably guess that Apple will be adding their gyroscope to the iPod touch. That’s also part of this rumor, but I think it’s fair to say the next iPad will be getting a gyroscope, too; this would make compatibility for future games much better. What’s more interesting is that this rumor suggests Apple will add two cameras to the next iPod touch. The iPod touch has yet to have any camera at all, so the addition of two (front and back) will be quite welcomed.
The rumor is backed up by some listings for a “lcd with digitizer for ipod touch 4gen” from Jack Telecom. As you can see in the image above, the front facing camera is centered, which makes sense since there is no earpiece to get in the way like on the iPhone 4. This placement could affect previous iPod touch design rumors of the back facing camera. Various cases were produced in the past with centered back facing cameras, but the front facing camera will likely force the back facing camera to the side for internal spacing reasons. That’s just my guess, though.
Currently, FaceTime only works between iPhone 4s over WiFi. If a future iPod touch were to come with FaceTime support, there would likely be some changes to the way the service works since you wouldn’t necessarily have a phone number associated with a FaceTime video call. That’s fine, because it’s only a matter of time before FaceTime finds its way into iChat on Mac. Now, if only they could lift that WiFi requirement from iPhone 4 for FaceTime, we’d all be set.
As far as the HD video goes, John Lewis doesn’t make any specific predictions as to the quality, but it would be strange for Apple to be use another camera sensor inside of the iPod touch. Almost for simplicity’s sake, I’d assume it would be the same sensor from the iPhone 4, along with a flash. If so, it would be able to take 720p video and 5MP images. But there’s still no idication that the next iPod touch would have the retina display. Apple has to give you reasons to choose the iPhone 4 over an iPod touch, after all. I wouldn’t mind if it had the retina display though. Heck, I want that quality of display in everything I use now.
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A camera would be great. I whined quite a bit when Apple failed to offer one last year. But I'd not sure a full, iPhone 4-like, FaceTime camera system would be worth the added cost. Those on the go who are calling home are likely to get an iPhone instead.
A GPS, at least in the high-end touches, would be more useful, especially for those traveling or vacationing. iPod touches now have enough storage to store large map databases so a cellular link for data isn't needed. My touch has the Navigon database for the entire Western US, but without a GPS, it's of limited value. If Apple can add cellular plus GPS to the iPad for an unsubsidized $130, they should be able to add just GPS for $30.