Even Apple’s Making The iPod Refresh Obvious Now

It doesn’t take a Genius (even an Apple-branded one) to work out what Apple’s releasing on Thursday. Even Apple itself is giving the game away, and the real benefit lies in scoring a cheaper-than-normal iPod.

OK, so the rumour mill has a new iPod or iPod nano pegged for the mysterious September 1 media event Apple’s holding early Thursday (Australian time). The latest rumours suggest square iPod nano models, but whether or not they’re right or wrong in their specific rumour conclusions – and there have been some clangers over the years – it’s clear that something is afoot in the iPod world, and even Apple are (albeit covertly) making this quite clear.

Looking over at the Apple AU refurb store -where all the ex-demo, ex-review and early returned iPods go to die generate cash for Apple – there’s an astonishing number of iPod nano and iPod touch units. Some are listed as “current generation”, some as “previous generation” and some aren’t labelled at all. I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite so many on sale at the same time, however.

The smart money naturally says that you should wait until Thursday to see how good the bargains actually are and whether the new features are worth getting all frothed up about.

It’s also well worth pointing out that Apple’s not the only place that’ll be selling cheap last-generation iPods pretty soon. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to work out that next week’s major electronics store catalogues will have a cheap iPod offering or two to boot. All those iPods already out on store shelves don’t just vanish in a puff of smoke just because Steve Jobs clicks his fingers… at least not yet.