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.
Credit: Giulio Zompetti
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.