Apple's Sept 5th event

Apple has confirmed that it will hold a special event on September 5, where it is expected to introduce new versions of its iPods. While many of the rumors continue circulate, Apple last week threatened several sites with legal action after images of an updated iPod nano line surfaced. Industry watchers said that the threats were an implicit validation of the images and products. In an invite sent to select media outlets, the company used the tagline 'The beat goes on' and touted its familiar silhouetted iTunes dancer on its Coverflow.

The event is scheduled at the Moscone West venue in San Francisco on September 5, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.

Apple's use of the "The beat goes on" tagline has brought speculation that the company may be ready to make announcement about Beatles music on iTunes. AppleInsider says the line may be borrowed from the trailing line of The Beatles' final press release, which was issued by Apple Records on April 10, 1970, following the band's split.

"Spring is here and Leeds play Chelsea tomorrow and Ringo and John and George and Paul are alive and well and full of hope. The world is still spinning and so are we and so are you," the Beatles announced in their release. "When the spinning stops -- that'll be the time to worry, not before. Until then, the Beatles are alive and well and the beat goes on, the beat goes on."

In the past few months, three of the four members of the Beatles have reached agreements to put their music on iTunes--with the most recent digital distribution agreement announced on Tuesday for Ringo Starr's music.

Apple's iPhone, featuring integrated iPod functions, was the first iPod device to feature Coverflow--which the company brought to iTunes 7 earlier in the year.

The special event, just in time for the busy holiday shopping season, coincides with the nearing end of its back-to-school promo that offers students (and other education customers) a free iPod with purchase of any Mac through September 16th. Many believe Apple has used this promotion--this year and in the past--to help clear inventory of the current-generation iPods at the end of their product cycles.

by MacNN Staff