Wednesday iPod event could be vaporware launch, say sources

Although the general specifications and features have been known for months, with plenty of third-party add-ons confirming this information, it seems last minute technical difficulties could hobble the retail roll out of new camera-equipped iPods, leaving questions about when product will hit store shelves.

AppleInsider and HardMac are both reporting that Apple’s Wednesday, Sept. 9 — a magic date, 09-09-09, according to some — could come and go without real shipping product. Specifically, both publications quote reliable sources in stating that the camera module used in the camera-equipped iPod touches and perhaps iPod nanos are defective.

The twist here is that it’s believed that the 3.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor to be used in the iPod touch is the same as that currently residing in the iPhone 3GS. Obviously, there’s a disconnect and tomorrow’s triple-nine announcements may not make the issue any clearer.

That said, no new reports or rumors have surfaced suggesting that the Beatles will or won’t become available on iTunes tomorrow.

New iPods? What new iPods?

Moreover, AppleInsider calls into question whether or not the mothership will announce products targeted at reviving the iPod franchise and boosting the company’s holiday quarter without a firm launch date in hand.

Of course, we won’t know anything for certain until the skinny guy sings (we hope) on stage at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater.

Is this just so much last-minute link baiting or is there an actual issue threatening to derail Apple’s holiday quarter? I don’t see any reason to start gnash, gnash, gnashing my teeth just yet…

What’s your take?

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