Apple iPod rumours point to Wi-Fi, larger screens, and new nanos

As the days count down to the Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on 7 August, the rumours about what new iPods Steve Jobs will pull out of his hat are heating up.

While some pundits expected a new video iPod with a larger, 3.5-inch touchscreen, insiders suggest this is highly unlikely.

Instead, they're expecting the introduction of a second-generation, larger-capacity iPod nano.

Apple-watching website Think Secret has heard that the new nanos will feature 6GB or perhaps 8GB drives.

They are expected in multiple colours, rather than just black and white, and will feature a metal alloy enclosure to resist scratching.

So perhaps the new nanos will resemble nothing more than slimmer, flatter, sleeker iPod minis.

The other big rumour making the rounds is news of an iPod with wireless functionality so that you can download songs whenever you reach a Wi-Fi hotspot.

But the question is, will Apple manage to make a Wi-Fi iPod before Microsoft launches its rumoured Zune Wi-Fi player?

Some are also suggesting that the release that incorporates Wi-Fi into the iPod may also see the inauguration of a true iPod phone.

Insiders and analysts are also speculating that Apple may put larger hard drives into the new iPod, up to 80GB perhaps. Improvements in manufacturing these large-capacity hard drives may translate into lower prices for the consumer.

The speculation doesn’t end there. An article in the Scotsman puts forth the rumour that Apple has registered a patent that indicates the next generation of iPods will have text-to-speech capabilities.

This would mean that the iPod could read song titles and information out loud so that users don't have to be distracted by trying to read the screen while driving or working out.

Can Apple really incorporate a large screen for watching videos, wireless functionality, and mobile phone service into one device?

How soon we'll see these new functions, if at all, is not known. Perhaps Apple sees more profitability in stringing them out in different models and generations rather than releasing one supersized iPod.