A graphic that’s hidden away in the resources of the latest version of iTunes shows new colors for the iPod nano, touch, and shuffle. There are suggestions that the iPod line, and the iPhone 5c or its successor, will sport the colors of the Apple Watch’s sport bands.
This, of course, leads one to believe that the iPod nano and shuffle will not be discontinued. (I have no doubt that the iPod touch will not be axed.) If Apple updates this device for more than new colors, I wonder if it will be able to use Apple Music. It would need Wi-Fi, both for streaming, and for subscription verification to authorize downloaded tracks. But it’s certainly possible to pack those features in the existing iPod nano form factor.
Apple has traditionally updated iPods in the fall, but as updates have become more irregular, they could update the nano at any time. We’ll have to see if the nano becomes the smallest device that can play Apple Music.
And who knows? Maybe we’ll see the iPod classic come back, with flash storage, and with Wi-Fi, so it, too, can use Apple Music.