View this article at: http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/06/15/next.generation.ipod.near/ Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 5:55pm Next-generation iPod is near The CEO of Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) Terry Gou today said Apple is close to unveiling the next generation of iPod which makes use of a "none-touch" concept. Gou did not elaborate further, but said he expects Hon Hai's revenue to grow at least an average of 30 percent in the next five years due to rising orders for components from customers such as Apple and Sony. Apple recently punished Samsung for revealing details about its forthcoming iPod before the Cupertino-based company authorized such disclosure, choosing to give more of its business to SigmaTel rather than Samsung following the information leak. Another report recently surfaced claiming that employees working in some Foxconn's iPod manufacturing plants endure grueling conditions for little pay, to which Apple quickly responded, saying that it is investigating allegations of working conditions in the Chinese iPod manufacturing plant.