Ever since the advent of smartphones, the iPod touch's existence has been kind of wobbly. Why get a glorified music player when a smartphone, some of which cost less, can do all an iPod can do?
Still, Apple has kept it in its product lineup even after axing the entire iPod portfolio. It's remained stagnant in several years past, what with Apple solely focused on making the iPhone, Macs, iPads, and MacBooks — everything except the iPod touch, basically — fresh every year.
New iPod Touch Coming
However, new rumors say Apple is going to announce a new iPod touch model very, very soon. March 20, actually, according to MacRumors. The seventh-generation iPod touch model may be announced via a press release, as Apple did with the announcements of the new iPad Air, iPad mini, and new Macs.
A new iPod touch seems plausible, if only for the fact Apple hasn't upgraded for quite a while. Trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also name-dropped the device, which, going by his excellent track record, seems confirmation already. Also, developer Steve Troughton-Smith in January discovered references to what might be a new iPad touch in iOS 12.2 code.
Seventh-Generation iPod Touch
If there's indeed a new model coming, what could change? Well, the processor for one — the current iPod touch is still chugging along with an Apple A8 processor that's also found in the iPhone 6. Expect a boost in processing power, at least. It's too optimistic to hope for a notch design with Face ID, but it's not impossible. After all, Apple put those in its latest iPad Pro. Whether Apple will welcome the iPod touch to the notch family or stick with the old thick-bezeled design is anyone's guess, but it sure would be great if the former happens.
In any case, if there's a new iPod coming, that means Apple still cares about its less-appreciated media player and gaming machine. The Cupertino brand will inevitably let it go at some point, and if that day comes, it surely would mark the end of an era.
