Mike Peterson
Photos of a prototype third-generation iPod touch in a private collection surfaced on Twitter Wednesday, showing off a design with a centered rear camera that never made it to production.
Giulio Zompetti, a developer who collects Apple prototypes, shared new images of a device in his collection: a prototype iPod touch with a rear-facing camera. The images give us a clear view of Apple's ultimately scrapped design. It's worth noting that no Apple device has had a centered rear camera.
The "iPod touch 3" did not come equipped with a rear-facing camera, but leaked images of apparent prototype devices illustrate that Apple was exploring the possibility.
Best unit of my whole collection.#prototype #iPod touch 3 with rear camera, a feature that wasn't present on the related production device.#AppleInternal #Apple #AppleCollection pic.twitter.com/SeVxBvTL8w
— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) May 27, 2020
In 2009, images showing the prototype third-generation iPod touch design were leaked to the public. Around the same time, AppleInsider reported that technical issues would likely derail plans to include a camera on the iPod.
Later teardowns found that the third-generation iPod touch actually had internal space for a camera.
Apple eventually added two cameras — and a microphone — to the fourth-generation iPod touch in September 2010.
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2 Comments
I'd still be happy to buy an iPod Mini-sized device exclusively for music and podcasts.
Phones are too big these days and sometimes you just want a simplified experience.
But no, I don't need or want a camera and microphone in every single device I own.
[P.S. Why isn't this in the iPod section?]
Apple needs to decide what to do about the iPod Touch, up to and including just dropping the whole damn thing. If it’s primary function is music playback, it’s too damn big but still manages to have crappy battery life and would be better served by a Nano sized device. If it is a gaming device it’s too damn small and needs a bigger screen, better controls, and bigger battery that doesn’t drain so fast. The past 3 iterations of the iPod Touch have been horrible when it comes to battery life and battery longevity.
Every single iPod Touch I’ve had since the 5th Generation has popped its screen due to battery bloat. It’s just like cooking popcorn, swells up and pops, effectively destroying itself in the process because the whole damn thing is glued together and non-repairable. In its current form factor and with its current propensity for self destruction the iPod Touch is a product that succeeds at doing nothing particularly well, other than lining Apple’s pockets and reliably generating e-waste.