Touchscreen Ipod on the way?

According to a patent filed by Apple, it appears that the company may be working on a new version of its market share leading Ipod music player that will incorporate touch-sensitive controls. Specifically, the patent is for an "electronic device having a display and a surrounding touch sensitive bezel for user interface and control."

Also included in the patent seem to be the specs to provide a digital camera on the MP3 players. according to this patent, this indicates that Apple wants an iPodcam with touch-screen capability to switch back and forth between music-player and camera modes.

While the patent doesn't specifically say the application is targeted for use in a media player, it does include various potential diagrams of portable devices that could use the technology, and buried in there is a portable media player.

Of course if you have a touch screen, it is less likely that you would need that wheel on the front, unless you would use it to get to more touch screens. However the diagrams in the patent suggest that the wheel is unnecessary.