Apple has surprised industry watchers and fans by announcing new versions of its iPod Nano, not a new Video iPod as widely expected. 

It had been rumoured to be launching an upgraded iPod with a larger widescreen display, to make it easier to watch video downloaded via its new movie download service.

But at Apple’s ‘Showtime’ briefing last night, the Video iPod didn’t appear – much to the disappointment of many who attended the event. There was no sign of the much-rumoured iPod Phone either.

The current iPod did get a price cut, to £189 for the 30Gb model and £259 for the new 80Gb model, but there was no major redesign of Apple’s flagship music player.

It did receive a few new features, though, in the form of improved battery life, a brighter screen and the ability to play games such as Tetris and Pac-Man (available from the iTunes Store for £3.99 a pop).

However, other members of the iPod family got more impressive upgrades.

The slimline iPod Nano has been completely redesigned. It is now even slimmer, and its aluminium casing – available in lurid shades of pink, green and blue, as well as more sedate silver and black – is clearly modelled on the earlier iPod Mini (perhaps acknowledging that the Nano hasn’t enjoyed the same success as the enormously popular Mini).

There are now three versions of the Nano available – 1Gb for £99, 4Gb for £129 and a new 8Gb model for £169.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the warmest reception was given to the new version of the iPod Shuffle.

In place of the bland white stick of plastic used for the original version, the new Shuffle is a tiny sliver of silvery-grey aluminium, measuring just 4.1cm high, 2.7cm wide and 1cm thick. A single model is available with 1Gb storage capacity for just £55.

Apple hopes the all-round price-cuts will ensure the various iPod models sell well in the run-up to Christmas, but the non-appearance of a new Video iPod leaves Apple vulnerable to rival video-players such as the new widescreen Generation 4 device from Archos.

See also:
Apple launches movie download service
Apple revamps iMac and Mac Mini