May carry camera, flash, rounded back

A mockup image said to come from a case manufacturer hints at the dimensions -- if not necessarily all the features -- of the next iPod touch, according to MacBidouille. The only immediately noticeable difference is the presence of a camera and flash on the back, supporting long-standing rumors that the device will gain closer parity with the iPhone. Yet to be settled is whether the camera will be rated at 5 megapixels, as with the iPhone 4, or a diminished 3.2 megapixels.

The overall shape of the mockup's back is still rounded, essentially unchanged from earlier Touches. If accurate, it suggests that the back will continue to use metal, rather than the flat, reinforced glass used on the iPhone 4. The mockup also depicts anodized aluminum as on the iPad, but since the image is simply meant to convey dimensions, any materials could be pure speculation.

The source for the mockup is described as "ultra trustworthy," as she helped leak the existence of a camera in the most recent iPod nano. The current, third-generation Touch was also initially expected to get a camera, but may have had the component pulled last year due to production problems. A fourth-generation device may gain several upgrades simultaneously, including an A4 processor.

by MacNN Staff