Apple in a rare move this morning dropped the prices of most iPods at the online Apple Store ahead of today's special music event. The iPod touch has received the largest drop and now costs just $279 for a 32GB model, $249 for a 16GB model and $189 for an 8GB version. The iPod nano has received more modest drops from $199 to $149 for a 16GB edition and from $149 to $129 for 8GB versions. The iPod classic has also received a mild price cut to $229 from $249.

None of the iPods has received a feature update and thus make it unclear as to whether the price drop is only effective until new iPod introductions expected today or else a longer-term measure in reaction to rumored iPod delays that might prevent Apple from selling new players immediately, similar to how Apple dropped the price immediately not only on the 8GB iPhone 3G it expected to keep after the iPhone 3GS debut but also the 16GB model until it ran out of stock.

Most expect Apple's event to give all iPods but the iPod shuffle (which remains unchanged in price) cameras for at least photography, while the iPod touch may use the iPhone 3GS' processor and gain support for video recording.