iPod Shuffle Goes (RED), New Nano Appears

At an event for press and analysts on Wednesday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Shuffle would be joining the Product (RED) movement, while introducing a completely new iPod nano.

The Shuffle will now include a Product (RED) model, as well as silver, light blue, teal, and green models. However the bigger changes came to the iPod nano, and will mark the biggest advancement for the line since its debut in September 2005.

For the first time, the nano will support video through a new 2-inch QVGA screen. The screen has the highest pixel density that Apple has ever shipped, Jobs said. In addition, the nano will now have games capability and would be enclosed in a metal case.

Leaked photos of the device seem to not have been far off. Instead of the rectangular candy bar shape that consumers have been accustomed to, the new iPod nano is more squared shaped in order to accommodate the larger screen.

Even with the additional functionality, the nano still sports a lengthy battery life: some 24 hours for music and five hours for videos.

Apple will include three games with every iPod nano, and has also brought the Cover Flow feature first introduced in iTunes and later to the iPhone to help users in browsing their music libraries. Four colors will be provided, including silver, blue, green, and a Product (RED) model.

The 4GB iPod nano will sell for $149 USD, while an 8GB model will retail for $199 USD.