With the introduction of its new iPod line, announced at the Let's Rock event in San Francisco, Apple immediately started advertising the two newest iPod models on its website. The 4G nano and the 2G touch
have their own private galleries up on Apple's servers, with stunning imagery, special viewers, and TV commercials to show off the new media playing portables.

But why don't we offer you some information about the two devices while you scroll down through the beautiful renderings.iPod touch 2G

The new iPod touch 2G sports additional functionality, such as build-in volume control buttons (previously available only with Apple's iPhone) and an integrated speaker, for “casual listening.” Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, stated on stage that it was pretty difficult to add a speaker to the iPod touch, the device being so thin and all. This is all because, “for the holiday season,” Apple wanted to make the touch “even better." There's more!

Users can place the Nike + iPod sensor (sold separately for $19 US) in their Nike + shoe to seamlessly connect with the new iPod touch, and track workout sessions, since the new touch has built-in Nike + iPod support.
A 360-degree viewer lets you see the new iPod touch from any angle, with the option to zoom-in and out, to be able to distinguish its thinness, shiny new steel casing, and other new elements (pictures #5 and #6)
Image Credits: Apple

The new iPod touch comes in 32GB, 16GB and 8GB versions. The model with the highest storage capacity can hold up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video.

Since the 360-degree viewer advertises a 2G iPod touch playing "Iron Man," Apple notes (just under the gallery) that the movie will be available on the iTunes Store starting September 30, 2008, in the U.S. and Canada.iPod nano 4G

Although Apple added some pretty cool new functionality to the 4G iPod as well, the new nano is all about design. Dubbing its line “nano-chromatic,” Apple made the new iPod fit “even more comfortably in your hand,” while a two-inch display, with a curved aluminum and glass enclosure, were only logical steps for Apple to take with such an ambitious device. The new iPod nano works seamlessly with iTunes importing, managing syncing content, but also the new Genius feature, recently included by Apple in the latest version of iTunes.

An accelerometer is also built inside the device, allowing users to shake-to-shuffle their music, and watch video in landscape view, by turning the device side-ways.

The 4G nano can go up to 24 hours of constant music playing, and four hours of video playback. It can hold up to 4,000 songs, 14,000 photos and 16 hours of video – for the 16GB model, and 2,000 songs, 7,000 photos and 8 hours of video – for the 8GB model.source : softpedia.com

It was recently reported that the Wireless planning Commission (WPC) has cleared the allotment of blocks of spectrum for state-owned telecom operators, MTNL and BSNL -- which gives them the capacity to start offering 3G services by year end, ahead of private operators; which is great!

However, now a recent report by IANS suggests that BSNL will only launch its 3G services in June 2009. So if you thought you could start browsing the Internet over your 3G-device of choice, like the much-awaited iPhone 3G (unlocked, of course), you'd have to hang around for another year.With BSNL's 3G offering looking like a June 2009 launch, that leaves MTNL as a possible saviour to all those awaiting 3G anytime soon. Unfortunately there's no news from MTNL on the same. Right now, we can't be certain if MTNL launches in the next few months, or is delayed until next year as well. Even though the government has cleared the route for the two PSUs to start offering 3G services, we were unable to confirm with our sources just how prepared MTNL is (read: how soon) to offer 3G services.

So the worst-case scenario for potential iPhone 3G owners: if you unlock your device when it launches August 22nd, you will be able to use 3G come June 2009. Hopefully, MTNL will launch its 3G service later this year, or better yet -- the process for spectrum bidding and allocation will be done within this year, allowing even private operators to launch their 3G services late this year, or early next.

Bharti Airtel has issued an official statement on the launch of the iPhone 3G.The iPhone 3G will be launched in India on August 22, by Airtel. The price though still seems to elude us as they haven't mentioned anything on that front.

Vodafone, the other service provider to bring the iPhone 3G to India, hasn't issued any such statements yet. But our source tells us that Vodafone too will be launching the iPhone 3G on the same date as Airtel. There were reports earlier that Vodafone would launch the iPhone 3G 15 days before Airtel."iPhone has been the iconic technology revelation of this year, "said Sanjay Kapoor, president of Mobile Services at Bharti Airtel. "Airtel has been at the forefront of innovation and customer delight in the Indian telecom sector. Introducing iPhone 3G to India further underscores our commitment to enrich the communication experience of all Airtel users."

Customers will be able to purchase the iPhone 3G at Airtel Relationship Centers.

Airtel customers can get more information on the iPhone 3G here.

Here we have it folks, an exclusive on the iPhone's availability in India. When, how much, what features, software -- everything you ever wanted to know about the iPhone 3G in India! We know you want to get to the meat of the matter, so without further ado, here's what you need to know:

> iPhone 3G Availability: Vodafone to have a 15 day launch advantage (available August '08 through Vodafone, and late Aug/September '08 through Airtel)
> Model: Initially, the 8GB version only

> Price: Rs. 11,500 to Rs. 12,000 (note: U.S. price of the 8GB iPhone 3G is $199)

> Applications: App Store will be available

> App prices: Application prices may see a revision to suit Indian market

> 3G: No fixed date for 3G availability; expected sometime later this year

> GPS: Present on the Indian version as well

> Grey-market availability: Almost nowhere to be seen. One store expects to sell it next week at Rs. 50,000

Scroll down for the rest of the story.While we all await the release of the iPhone 3G in India, some questions are pressing. In many ways, the iPhone is a platform - a means and a tool to unlock far greater features through new and sundry software. Until recently, the only means of installing software not produced by Apple was through illegal avenues. Now though, with the launch of the App Store, Apple has brought third-party software under a legal umbrella. Thus, the first question is this: will we, in India, get access to the same App Store that the people in the U.S. and other western countries enjoy? Further, would pricing be in Rupees or would we need to pay in Dollars? What about 3G - a feature so central to the iPhone that it's part of its name, its identity - will the iPhone be released along with 3G coverage?

To put it simply, will the iPhone offer the same value proposition in India, as it does abroad? We try and answer some of these burning questions here in this TechTree exclusive.

We contacted the necessary parties at Apple, Vodafone and Airtel - the latter being iPhone's official carriers in India - to get the required answers. While Apple and Vodafone were tight-lipped about release details, we struck gold with Airtel. Our source at Airtel, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave us valuable insight. Most of it, good news.

According to our source, the iPhone 3G will bring along most of the software goodies that are available in the West. In fact, the source went on to add, some of the features will be customized to suit the Indian tariff. The source confirmed that we would also be able to purchase software from the App Store with a possibly of a revised price for the Indian consumer, quickly adding that the price revision is not set in stone.There has been a lot of speculation over the price of the iPhone. Initially, only the 8 GB version of the iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India. The handset is expected to cost between Rs. 11,500 and Rs. 12,000, says our source. Compare this to the $199 price tag of the 8GB version in the U.S, and it's obvious that India is once again going to feel the import-duty pinch. Moreover, this price does not include the data plan costs that a user will have to bear every month, the details of which will only be out by the 15th of August, our source indicated. There are still deliberations being made on the specifics of the plan, we were told.

If you want the iPhone 3G right away, you need to look to the grey market. The scene there isn't all rosy though, with rumors flying of Airtel and Vodafone clamping down on parallel imports. The market-reality seemed to lend credence to these rumors as most vendors we contacted told us that the iPhone (old model or new) was unavailable for purchase. One Mr. Munshi Adnan, owner of a shop called "Gadgets" at Heera Panna, in Mumbai, promises to offer the iPhone 3G next week. He claimed to have it around July 28th, and quoted a princely sum of Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000!

Just over a year after the launch of the original iPhone, Apple has released the iPhone 3G in the United States and 20 other countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Finland. Apple later plans to unleash the iPhone 3G into another 49 countries.

In the U.S., the iPhone 3G is coming out in two flavors: an 8GB model priced at $199, and a 16GB flavor that costs $299. The former is available only in black, while Apple has released the latter with both black and white shells. Buyer beware, though: AT&T's cheapest iPhone 3G plan costs $69.99 a month with a two-year contract, and you'll want to cough up at least another $5 a month for a text plan. Those rates should make the iPhone 3G more expensive in the long run than its predecessor.Apple has opened its App Store to let iPhone 3G, iPhone, and iPod touch users download third-party software for the devices. The MobileMe synchronization service was also supposed to launch yesterday, but Apple says that's taking longer than expected.

Finally, Engadget reports that Apple has released 2.0 firmware for the original iPhone and iPod touch. The company charges iPod touch users $9.95 for the upgrade, but iPhone users should be able to grab the update through iTunes without paying anything.