New iPod touch to have horizontal dock?

There are rumours circulating that Apple’s got a revised iPod touch with GPS in the works, and that it’ll unveil it at a special event next month, but now patents from Apple itself point to a radical redesign, complete with horizontal docking mechanism.

The patent, one of six awarded to the Mac-maker yesterday, shows a new iPod touch stand, with the familiar USB connector as well as horizontal mount.

It’s not clear from Apple’s diagrams whether the iPod would connect to the dock using a standard plug, or through a cleverer system, possibly using induction or magnets to keep it in place and transfer data.

What is clear, is that a horizontal dock or stand would be perfect for watching movies, as well as charging the iPod at the same time.

Whatever’s inside Apple’s designers’ noggins, it’s common for the company to patent designs it has no intention of using, so we’re trying not to get our hopes up, as difficult as that is.

TBC | £TBC | Apple (via MacNN)

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