Rumorville: New Zunes and iPods Arriving this Year

We haven't heard any good rumors for a while here at DAPreview, but there's a few out there that deserve our attention. First up is Microsoft's debut DAP, the Zune. Here's some of the latest information to supposedly leak out of Microsoft's runny faucet:

Zune Rumors

• "Watermelon Red" Zune arriving soon (to go with that Pink one) - It is said to come with sports content customized for your favorite team (podcasts, etc...)
• Zune 2.0 will be released later this year and will be slimmer than the original, and with a larger hard drive
• A Flash Zune Player is also in the works and will be approximately "3 x 1.25 x 0.25 inches" and have a screen that encompasses 75% of the front.

I'm more confident about the red zune than by the new players coming out. That information was incidentally given to a Zune Scene editor by an unknowing Microsoft worker who happens to be working in their Zune department. Rumors often have some far-fetched story to go with them, and this is no different.

A new iPod or two every year is nothing surprising. Neither are the rumors and/or predictions on what they might be. I'm reporting on these few today because they come from a Citigroup analyst (Richard Gardner), and not some "anonymous" person. Here's what Gardner says is coming:

Apple Rumors

• 12 or 16GB iPod Nano's priced at $249
• A 6th Gen iPod that uses the same touch-screen interface as the iPhone(also at $249)

I think a higher capacity Nano, and a large screen iPod are inevitable. Since that analyst doesn't really say anything we haven't heard before, here's my predictions: 4GB Shuffle in Black, 120GB Touch Screen iPod with a virtual click wheel, A Limited Edition Beatles iPod with their entire library included. Now it's your turn; let's make this a rumorpalooza!