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Apple Is Making a 7th-Gen iPod Touch and New iPads, Says Report (macrumors.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the new-and-shiny dept.

Four new iPad models and a 7th-generation iPod Touch have been found in upcoming iOS 12.2, and seven new iPad models were discovered in the Eurasian Economic Commission Database, reports MacRumors. From the report: Developer Steven Troughton-Smith speculates that the iPad model numbers could be new iPad mini devices, which would be in line with rumors suggesting a new iPad mini 5 is in the works. According to Troughton-Smith, none of the iPads have Face ID, which is what we would expect as a new iPad mini is likely to be positioned as an affordable, lower-end device. There's also a reference to "iPod 9,1," which does not match up with any known iPod touch devices, suggesting it is a new next-generation model. The current sixth-generation iPod touch is "iPod 7,1," for reference. The iPod listed in iOS 12.2 does not appear to have Face ID or Touch ID, which is in line with the current iPod touch.

Previous rumors have indeed suggested Apple is working on a 7th-generation iPod touch, an iPad mini 5, and a new version of the lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad, which may actually be upgraded to 10 inches in its next iteration. There's been mixed information about what to expect from an iPad mini update. A case leak suggested a vertical camera and quad speakers, but a photo of an unreleased iPad mini, which could be the new iPad mini, featured an older A9 processor and a design that's similar to the fourth-generation iPad mini.

72 comments

  1. Oh wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Seriously. I thought Apple was going to completely drop out of the market. But colour me surprised when I saw this this PR release (oops.. I mean rumour).

    Out of curiosity, how many editors at Slashdot now own Apple shares?

    1. Re:Oh wow by phayes · · Score: 1

      All wishful thinking by an ignorant hater. You are perhaps confused by Microsoft serially abandoning the MP3 player and telephone markets with Zune and Windows mobile? Or is it the almost inexistent profits from Android tablets and generic MP3 players?

      Apple continues to make money off of both the iPod and the tablet markets and will, as is their custom, update these markets so that they do not have to keep producing the older AXX CPUs in these devices and so they stay a generation or three behind the most recent iPhone CPUs. Ipod numbers are unknown but until 2017, Apple made more profit off of their iPads each year than Microsoft has ever made off of their surface tablet line.

      --
      Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
    2. Re:Oh wow by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      The worlds biggest company, makes all its money from selling less products, Even ones like the iPod Touch and iPads which are in general iPhones without the phone or iPhones in a bigger case.

      Sure Apple drops product lines in the past, but that is only after they have a replacement that they want to sell.

      iPod touches are popular with kids, where their parents won't buy them wicked expensive iPhones, but they want access to the Apple App store where still they have a selection of better quality apps.

      iPads are actually popular in businesses outside of IT and Engineering circles. Marketing and Sales people love them, also executives who primary spend most of their jobs reading documents and emails.

      They still have their place in the "Apple Ecosystem" so I don't expect to see them gone any time soon. Even just because you may personally hate Apple, their business model is strong. And their looser products are few compared to their winner products. Apples problem now is their growth isn't as fast as it use to be, this isn't a decline in sales, just less growth.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  2. All I ask for is a headphone jack by ReneR · · Score: 2

    they can sell me a next gen SE, if that is the only phone where they decide to keep Jack alive, :-/

    1. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Time to let the Jack die.It's outdated technology and there are better, wireless ways to do things.

      Yeah, because recompressing (bluetooth intrinsic compression) an already compressed audio signal (99% of the music out there) is somehow better. Except it isn't, but don't let that get in the way of the marketing hype and fanboys talk.

    2. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not often you see such displays of courage online. And not even behind anonymity. You have my respect!
      Apple must never bend to these people that wrongly hold to outdated standards. It would be almost as big a sin.

    3. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      You can take my floppy when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!
      My floppy was 8" once, now it's 3.5". It's harder now, and how you use it is what counts.

    4. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Someone's still bitter their PlaysForSure files didn't work on their Zune.

    5. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by mentil · · Score: 3, Interesting

      What I really want to know is if the USB-C port is coming to the mainline iPad and iPad mini. If so, that'd suggest they're generally transitioning away from Lightning, not just on their high-end products.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    6. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Freischutz · · Score: 1, Informative

      Time to let the Jack die.It's outdated technology and there are better, wireless ways to do things.

      Yeah, because recompressing (bluetooth intrinsic compression) an already compressed audio signal (99% of the music out there) is somehow better. Except it isn't, but don't let that get in the way of the marketing hype and fanboys talk.

      ... and let's not forget that corded cheap ass headphones and earbuds deliver such fantastic, near concert quality, audio.

    7. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Like the ones included with every iPhone?

    8. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Time to let the Jack die.It's outdated technology and there are better, wireless ways to do things.

      That's Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, sir ... and as for dying, I've been there, done that, and quite frankly I did not care for the experience.

    9. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by sheramil · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I would tentatively suggest that a 3.5mm jack that does not need to be charged is always going to be superior to a bluetooth dongle that does.

    10. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      Like the ones included with every iPhone?

      ... and every Android phone, every Windows phone, every other 'smart phone' out there. I don't have a dog in your asinine Apple vs Android pissing contest, they are both good systems and making a religion out of either one is idiotic. My point was that the sound of most of these lower end headphones and earbuds is dreadful anyway so complaining about Bluetooth compression ruining your 'listening experience' is kind of stupid. The real question is not sound quality, it is whether or not you are willing to trade awful sound for a little bit more awful sound and the occasional charging and instead get the convenience of not having a chord (which is my preference, your mileage may vary).

    11. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      What I really want to know is if the USB-C port is coming to the mainline iPad and iPad mini. If so, that'd suggest they're generally transitioning away from Lightning, not just on their high-end products.

      I hope so, having one charger for the laptop, phone and tablet would be nice.

    12. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Informative

      My point was that the sound of most of these lower end headphones and earbuds is dreadful anyway so complaining about Bluetooth compression ruining your 'listening experience' is kind of stupid.

      And your point was wrong. First, you're not forced to continue to use the convenience earbuds included with the device. The whole point of using a stereo miniplug is compatibility. You don't even understand the argument. Second, you're wrong anyway. The recompression is bad enough that you can hear the difference even on crappy headphones. Third, you can use either a wire or bluetooth to connect to a stereo system as well, where headphones don't come into play. The headphones are actually irrelevant to the argument! You are literally wrong in every way in which it is possible to be wrong.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    13. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Time to let the Jack die.It's outdated technology and there are better, wireless ways to do things.

      We could describe you the same way, but it would be unfair to assume that nobody is using you. For example, Apple is using you as a useful idiot.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    14. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      I will suggest you learn the difference between a chord and a cord.

    15. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My point was that the sound of most of these lower end headphones and earbuds is dreadful anyway so complaining about Bluetooth compression ruining your 'listening experience' is kind of stupid.

      Your point is valid as long someone isn't using a decent quality headphone, which is not as far fetched idea as you make it. People may also want to plug the damn phone on a relatively old system (no internet) which outputs to room speakers. Only a deaf mofo won't hear the difference.

      By offering only BT connectivity phone makers do limit what you can do, for no good reason. That's a fact... there's no amount of "Meh, but sound quality doesn't matter, it's an stupid argument" that will change that.

    16. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by DarkOx · · Score: 2

      Yes but there is no rule that says you have to use cheap ass earbuds. I take a lot of flights and I don't mind dragging along my expensive ass noise canceling super oral head set..

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    17. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I will suggest you learn the difference between a chord and a cord.

      I am suggesting that you learn about tenses. You will not suggest learning about something you are currently suggesting one learn about.

    18. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What phone has BT connectivity only?

      iPhones have WiFi (Airplay) and Lightning.

      Google Pixels have WiFi (cast) and USB C, as do many other Androids.

    19. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple must never bend

      lol

    20. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      ... and let's not forget that corded cheap ass headphones and earbuds deliver such fantastic, near concert quality, audio.

      Let's also not forget that there are a plethora of very good high end headphones out there available for purchase for those that prize better fidelity listening....many of them still corded.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    21. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > The recompression is bad enough that you can hear the difference even on crappy headphones.

      If you're using proper Bluetooth Headphones and sources there is no recompression, it's just AAC all the way down.

    22. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      Wired and wireless are NOT interchangeable things.

      --
      Good-bye
    23. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      If you're using proper Bluetooth Headphones and sources there is no recompression, it's just AAC all the way down.

      A "proper" source is the one I find. Most of my media doesn't have AAC audio, that won't help you play a MP3 for example. I'm not going to re-buy all my music in another format, and I don't have CDs for all of it so I can't re-encode even if I want to. A lot of my CDs were scratched and I had to use nose grease to even get them to rip cleanly, because I've been collecting CDs since before mp3 existed.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    24. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One day when you are grown up, you will be unable to hear the difference. Now get off my lawn!

    25. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please post your home address, I am sure many people would love to know where to send the bill. Y'know, since you are obviously volunteering to buy everyone new headphones.

    26. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So many options! Good look connecting Lightning, AirPlay, WIFi, USB C to existing headphones or sound systems that only have legacy audio conectors.

    27. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      This! I don't agree with you often, but a lot of people utterly fail to realise that the audio signatures introduced by compression are completely different than those introduced by cheap drivers and that you can hear the results regardless of what you have on your head.

      Furthermore the inability to create perfectly clean bass (for example) is far less offensive than a compression artifact garbling up voice and transients.

    28. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All the anti-jack arguments view the smartphone in isolation. If the only audio source you use is the smartphone, then maybe a Bluetooth headphone/ear plugs works just fine.

      I use headphones with my smartphone (new iPhone SE I got last week). I also use the same headphones with my Macbook, the Win7 box I have, my PS4 console, the radio, and I even pull out the ol' iPod occasionally. I'm not going to resync a Bluetooth headphone each time I want to switch audio source -- heck, some of them don't even have Bluetooth as an option. I'm also not going to have a separate pair of headphones for each one.

      With a jack, I unplug from one, plug into the other. Two, maybe three seconds. It works fine, and any pair of headphones I get works with all of them.

      Any smartphone I buy has to fit into this system, or I don't buy it. I'll go back to a feature phone and use the iPod for music/podcasts first.

    29. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lightning to audio jack adapter, 9 bucks
      USB C to audio jack adapter, 9 bucks from Apple and cheaper elsewhere

    30. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also : but you can eat your soup with a fork!
      It's only a 9 bucks adapter, fork to spoon adapter from Apple and cheaper elsewhere.

    31. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God, you have posting shitty comments on Slashdot for 20+ years. I can't even remember my old account from back then where I made you a foe.

      I have a music degree from the Eastman School of Music. I have performed in Carnegie Hall and with the Metropolitan Opera in many venues.

      Bluetooth sounds perfectly fine. I will take my $350 Bose headphones over $10 plugin types.

    32. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      Wireless is not automatically better. Many problems with Bluetooth. While I agree that theoretically one can do a lot better than Bluetooth most companies won't bother and will stick to what everyone else uses.

      Batteries are the biggest problem for me, and the fact that most of the stuff I use a headphone for also has a jack. Jumping to Bluetooth is not about being better but is about forcing customers to buy new products and peripherals and charging pads and whatnot. We still don't have a functional way to recycle all the batteries we use today, so why accelerate and try to use even more?

    33. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I like the cord. I hate the batteries. The headphone with a plug fits into every device I own, ipod, ipad, phone (android and iphone), desktop computer, laptop computer, thunderbolt breakout box, automobile stereo, television, and Roku remote control. Also some older stuff I don't use anymore.

    34. Re:All I ask for is a headphone jack by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I suspect that the smartphone wears out most of it's parts and gets shoved into a landfill long before the headphone jack wears out.

    35. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So weâ(TM)re agreed that "offering only BT connectivity" is a straw man. Good.

    36. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This stupid floppy joke is not funny. Dude, think of something else, like square wheel instead of round - more to the point argument.

    37. Re: All I ask for is a headphone jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bose headphones? Costing $350. Seriously? And you wanna pose as some "sound quality specialist" with that?

      Are you one of these fools who thinks Bose makes the best speakers in the world?

  3. Apple is making new products by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I thought they were just going to hang up the towel and call it quits.

    I'm not an analyst making the big $$$ so what do I know????

  4. Re: Oh wow... Mediapad M5 Lite by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can even make phone calls on my Huawei M5 Pro 4G LTE tablet. Apple mandates that we buy iPhones whether we want them or not.

  5. Re:Steven Troughton-Smith by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The more money your parents have the more hyphens you get as their child. Its another BS. status thing

  6. Quad Records by mentil · · Score: 1

    A case leak suggested a vertical camera and quad speakers

    Apple is bringing back quadraphonic sound?! Guess they figured out how to get us to buy the White Album again...

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    1. Re:Quad Records by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Apple is bringing back quadraphonic sound?! Guess they figured out how to get us to buy the White Album again...

      The hell with that....

      Dark Side of the Moon baby!!!

      Yep..the original Alan Parsons quad mix of DSOTM!!!

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    2. Re:Quad Records by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I always liked Alan Parsons' work. Especially the Alan Parsons Project. I wanted to see them in concert, but they never seemed to come to my town...

  7. In John Travolta's Voice by mentil · · Score: 0

    I want to take the Jack... off...

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  8. bushel league by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fake news. They're going back to basket weaving.

  9. Re:Steven Troughton-Smith by Freischutz · · Score: 0

    Can someone explain males with hyphenated names for me please?

    I thought this was a feminist thing, but now guys are doing this too?

    No, it's a snobby 19th century upper class thing.

  10. If you want an iPod... by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

    ... then you go on eBay and buy a used iPhone. If you really don't want to be able to make phone calls, you put in a Sim card once to set it up, then you remove the SIM card.

    1. Re:If you want an iPod... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Expensive yet unsupported. How can you go wrong?

    2. Re:If you want an iPod... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      iPod touch was always much thinner and lighter than iPhones... plus about half the price.

    3. Re:If you want an iPod... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The emergency calls that your child can make won't be too much of an issue. That is, until you get the police knock at your front door.

  11. I Am Jack's Raging Headphone Jack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You should start a club

  12. It better have a good camera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I didn't buy the last iPod Touch because the camera was lacking. If this has a good one I'll buy it.

  13. Metal Fatigue? by dfm3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anecdotal, I know, but I can say that in the decades I've been using electronics with 3.5mm headphone jacks, I've never had a single connector fail due to metal fatigue or failure of a weld between the connector and the board. Now, I've certainly had my share of wires become frayed or wear out, both cheap and supposedly high end ones, but I've never seen a failure of the actual connector.

    Now if only I could say the same about USB micro B connectors; those seem to be designed to fail after a few hundred uses...

    1. Re:Metal Fatigue? by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      I have. Had one snap off in the damn socket. Made for a fun time trying to get that out.

      --
      I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    2. Re:Metal Fatigue? by CDS · · Score: 1

      I've had several where the connector itself broke. But I have 3 kids who seem to not be able to master the process of "gently pull straight out to remove the headphones" and instead yank the cord at about a 30 degree angle -- or put on headphones (attached to the computer) then spin their chair - wrapping the cord around the chair and again yanking the plug out at a weird angle. My oldest daughter (she's 15) seems to constantly break JUST the left earbud - the right one works and the left fails. Over and over.

      I just don't get it. I really don't.... <sigh> never underestimate the destructive power of children.

  14. iPods are good game machines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I bought a few of the current version iPods and used one as a game machine -- I would play processor intensive games on that machine instead of my phone which caused the phone to retain its charge for many days

  15. Get your red hot news right here! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, plans are what we talk about on Slashdot now?

    I'm planning to not care about Apple products. As I have carefully not care about them for over 30 years now.

  16. Re: Steven Troughton-Smith by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or a cultural thing that doesn't have anything to do with feminism or snobbery.

    https://news.wisc.edu/curiosities-why-are-so-many-hispanic-names-hyphenated/