Apple Inc. (AAPL) recently updated their investor relations page to mention that they are going to announce their Q4 quarter earnings. This is the third calendar quarter of the year and is scheduled for Thursday, October 25th. AAPL will live stream an audio webcast 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific which is generally the time that the Cupertino company scheduled other earnings calls in the past. The company will release details about sales of the iPhone 5.

Apple is expected to post a revenue of $34 billion and earnings per diluted share of $7.65. According to MacRumors, Apple is looking at $150 billion in sales, roughly $40 billion higher than 2011. This shows Apple’s exceptional growth over the past several years, topping iPad and iPhone sales each year and experiencing massive increases in revenue each quarter. Apple is expected to have also sold 27 million iPhones, fueled by the surge in sales from the iPhone 5. This quarter is slated for more success with revenues for Q3 of 2012 amounting to a total of $35 billion, with only $8.8 billion in quarterly net profit.

This is roughly $9.32 earnings per diluted share for Q3 of 2012. With the iPhone 5, the all new fifth gen iPod touch 5G with an all new metal design, and iPod nano with a larger screen and home button, Apple is also expected to have a breakthrough holiday quarter. The holiday quarter will most likely top 2011, because the iPod touch and nano did not receive updates last year and pent up demand from users waiting for product refreshes will naturally boost sales.

{Via MacRumors}

On Tuesday, Apple confirmed a media event for September 12th where the next generation iPhone 5 is expected to make an appearance. Now, 9to5Mac reports that the Cupertino company may also be introducing updated fifth gen iPod touch and other iPod models alongside the new iPhone.

Apple has not added any major changes to the iPod lineup in over a year, adding a white version of the fourth gen iPod touch, which is still technically on the its fourth generation and has not updated the design of the iPod nano. According to the report, Apple will be introducing multiple lines of iPods, in a variety of colors.

All these new lines will come in multiple colors, one of the lines will come in two size capacities, and the other two lines will come in a single storage capacity.

With the current iPod nanos and iPod shuffles both available in multiple colors (and with the nano currently available in two capacities and the shuffle in one), we think it is likely that new iPod nanos and iPod shuffles are launching next week.

However, it is possible that there is a third line as well (that, too, comes in multiple colors). With the iPod touch currently available in two colors and three capacities (black/white, 8GB, 32GB, 64GB) we don’t believe that the iPod touch is third line that comes in multiple colors.

While two of the updated lines will most likely be the iPod nano and the fifth gen iPod touch, it is unclear what the third will be. The iPod nano, in accordance with rumors over the past several months is expected to receive a taller screen, and even a home button. Rumors even suggest that this could end up being a whole new line of iPods.

The iPod touch, which has yet to be updated will likely match up with the next generation iPhone, as it has done in the past. This means that the fifth gen iPod touch could gain the same taller 4 inch screen, an A5X chip, a redesigned outer shell, and updated dock connector. Apple’s media event is scheduled for September 12th at the Yerba Buena Arts Center and coincides with the usual iPod/Music event, suggesting that iPods may very well be a part of this event.

{via MacRumors}

In the month July, photos of what appeared to be white front panel of 5th Gen iPod touch (5G) appeared online, leading speculators to believe that Apple is looking to release a white version of its popular music player this September.

Recently new photos of a white headphone jack piece were published online that seem to confirm speculations about a white fifth gen iPod touch. Japanese site Macotakara, who discovered these photos, says that these new parts are currently being sold on Chinese repair site Luna Commerce.

The headphone jack has the same slanted design as the current iPod touch shell and could possibly also mean that Apple is retaining the current form factor for the new device. Headphone jack parts for the iPhone 5 or 4S appeared in both black and white back in mid-August, sporting the same flat design as the potential phone.

Apple could be planning the new white 5th gen iPod touch in order follow in the line of the current iPad 2 and iPhone 4 which are both available in White. Both the iPad 2, and iPhone 4 have received the white makeover, except for the iPod touch, which will likely be released sometime this Fall.

The 5th Gen iPod touch is expected to retain its current design as well as recieve a minor upgrade, possibly an A5 chip and an upgraded RAM. However, these specific parts of the headphone jack could also be knock-offs, as seen in the past with parts of the iPhone 4. Apple has not yet announced any event for an iPod refresh, an event that is usually held as early as the 1st of September.

Do you think a white 5th Gen iPod Touch would be worth upgrading to?

{Image Credit: Luna Commerce and 9to5 Mac}

iPod touch is Apple’s best selling iPod and is due for a refresh during the annual music event held in September. iPod touch often features technical specifications similar to the iPhone. For instance, when A4 chip was introduced in iPhone 4 it made it to the fourth gen iPod touch too.

If Apple were to announce iPhone 5 in September with dual-core A5 chip it’s certainly possible that the fifth gen iPod touch would also features the same SoC. It’s important to note that references to “iPod 4,2″ have been found in previous versions of iOS 4 so it’s not very clear if this could be the next iPod touch.

Another interesting observation is that the code does not mention “iPod 5,1″ which would have been a solid indicator for the next gen iPod touch however, it’s possible that Apple is planning a modest update as opposed to a major re-design.

References to third gen iPads (iPad 3,1 and iPad 3,2) have also been found in iOS 5.0 which strongly suggests that the Cupertino based company is looking at introducing two versions of the hugely popular tablet – WiFi and world 3G models.

Do you think  Apple will introduce an all-new design for the next gen iPod touch? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The next gen iPod touch as some rumors suggest could feature a slightly different design when compared with fourth gen device. We’ve already reported on leaked photos of a prototype 5th gen iPod touch which has a touch-sensitive capacitative home button. 9to5 Mac recently published some high resolution concept photos of the rumored device and it actually looks really nice.

The next gen iPod touch is also expected to feature Apple’s dual-core A5 processor. With 3.5 inch screen, multi-touch display and an App Store overflowing with games the Cupertino based company would be more than happy to give handheld gaming devices in the market a run for their money. Apple claims that A5 processor gives upto 9 times better performance in graphics section so that could really help Apple keep the sales figures going upwards.

In 2009 during the iPod event Steve Jobs said that they view portable solid state video camera market exploding and then introduced iPod nano with video camera. In 2010 iPod nano gained touch-screen but lost the video camera to 4th gen iPod touch. It records video in 720p HD but takes below average stills. And this is probably one of the most important hardware feature which Apple needs to fix.

Do you think the new iPod touch will feature touch-sensitive capacitive home button and better camera for stills? Let us know what you think.