Next-gen iPod Nano to Also be a Tiny Camera?

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The little watch-sized iPod nano could turn into the ultimate video device at the gym.

The previous generation of iPod nano had more features than the current one. The older model packed a bigger display as well as a video camera to capture 720p video. While the quality wasn't great, it gave a very popular music player a camera that worked for casual capture uses.

The current iPod nano dropped all of the video camera features in favor of a smaller form factor with a multi-touch screen. For many, it was a step backwards. Now, there are signs that point towards there being a camera being shoehorned into the little new nano's body.

A picture obtained by the Taiwanese Apple.pro site show a metal casing that's purportedly for the next iPod nano. On it is camera hole that could mean that the next iPod nano will be a tiny, little spy cam.

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Marcus Yam

Marcus Yam is a technology evangelist for Intel Corporation, the latest in a long line of tech-focused roles spanning a more than 20-year career in the industry. As Executive Editor, News on Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, Marcus was responsible for shaping the sites' news output, and he also spent a period as Editor of Outdoors & Sports at Digital Trends.

22 Comments Comment from the forums
  • joytech22
    There's virtually no room in a device that small for any kind of decent camera, Putting one in would be more of an insult.

    It would probably be a 2mp with the quality of a vga camera.
    Reply
  • ProDigit10
    I guess there'll be more bathroom peeks on youtube then!
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    Apple, friend of up-skirt perverts everywhere
    Reply
  • chefboyeb
    I hate interpolated cameras that most of these manufacturers and cell-phone companies put on their gadgets, but then claim otherwise when it comes time for documentation and labelling. Why put one in this puiny thing? Nokia's high end phones are the only ones with cameras worth talking about really...
    Reply
  • ricardok
    That camera seems to be backwards.. Why it's on the back? Since we will be using a wristband or anything like that than that camera seems to be misplaced. Put it on the front, add wifi and than we can have facetime "Dick Tracy Style".. THAN we will have some great videos showing up on the web. :)
    Reply
  • tipoo
    Remove camera and many other features. Call it a new generation. Add camera, another new generation. Great, just great.

    I guess this also would mean a return to video playback capability. Knowing Apple, the sixth gen won't get an update to add that support despite probably having a capable processor. Look at the Classics, the old ones never got the new functionality despite having nearly identical hardware.

    The Nano has gone far too long without a capacity doubling IMO, I'd be happy forgoing the camera if it came in 32GB.
    Reply
  • Vampyrbyte
    I recently lost my iPod Nano, it was the 2nd Gen, the one that the 8Gigs only came in black for some reason.

    Anyhow. This iPod was, apparently, as good as it gets. I don't want to carry around a whacking great hard drive and I already have a phone. So the classics and touch/iphone are out of the question. And now the Nano's are tiny touch screen affairs. You cant tell me this is easier to use than the wheel that came hand in hand with the iPod for so many years.

    Why can't it just play music and be easy to use while walking out and about with one hand?
    Why does it have to take pictures and play video? I already have a phone for this shit!
    Reply
  • remyj123
    I have to agree with Vampyrbyte. I too have an old second gen iPod Nano with 8GB and I much prefer the size of that versus the new square Nano. The touch wheel works well in my pocket without having to look at it where as these new touch screen jobs need to be seen to work the controls. On a cold 20 degree day while walking, I like to control my Nano without taking my hand out of the pocket.
    Reply
  • alexcheng
    lol this is wrong.
    Reply
  • cmashwin
    yep.. not on a nano.. a mic, radio n great batt life is enough.. Maybe a speaker..
    Reply