This week has already seen the spectacular rise and flameout of one Apple rumor -- JP Morgan Taiwan analyst Kevin Chang's idea that Apple would soon release a smaller, cheaper iPhone based on the iPod Nano. Though Chang's sources were anonymous and vague, Wall Street sent Apple's shares soaring on the analyst's news -- and all seemed merry until Chang's own colleagues at Morgan issued a note calling his idea pretty much bogus.
At the same time, another more plausible rumor has also been shimmering in the tech-Web hall of mirrors. This one says that Apple will soon release an iPod that looks substantially like the iPhone -- i.e., it'll feature a touch screen and run a version of Mac OS. The supporting data points, as compiled by Apple Insider, are these:
I'll say it's a better case than Chang's Nano Phone supposition. Plus, the device sounds nifty. A touch-screen iPod that runs Mac OS -- if they throw in Wi-Fi and price it under $400, could be killer. Come August, we'll see.
