Thanks to MacRumors for the news on the iPhone’s newest update.

The first update is mostly only useful to our friends over in Japan. In an effort to boost popularity in Japan, Apple will be including emoji icons in this Firmware update.

For those in the US, the major upgrade will be adding Google Street View. So after the update, when you open up Google Maps, there will be an option for Google Street View.

One of the minor changes, or major depending on how much it annoys you is the Auto-correction change. It will now be optional, so you will be able to turn it off if it annoys you.

Later today Apple will be conducting their media event at 1pm eastern. Most of those who are in the loop are 99.9% sure that it will simply be Apple’s unveiling of the new line of iPods.

The iPod Nanos, if the rumors are true will be receiving a size bump from 4GB-8GB, to 8GB-16GB. There is also said to be nine different colors, giving the mp3 players more variety.

Of course anything could happen, and Apple could be dropping a huge news bomb on us all. I will post the news as soon as it drops later today.

What’s your impressions? Do you like, has it not changed enough for your tastes? Is it even real? If it is real, do you even care?

I personally can’t wait for the 4th gen iPod Nano. I definitely like the curved look to the body. Here’s hoping this picture is real, and isn’t some insane photoshop job.

Going into the Labor Day weekend I got some juicy rumors to report on. According to a Gizmodo reader, he has proof that Apple is looking to find a way to bring a tethering feature to the iPhone. The Gizmodo reader claims to have received an email from Steve Jobs himself and provided them with said email.

This news comes off the banning of Netshare from the App Store. This handy little app (when it was in existence), allowed iPhone users to use their handset as a portable modem for their laptops. The Netshare app had a short lived stay on the App store. Due to its convienent function, the question was “Why Take It Off?”

In the email the reader complains about how Apple should be finding a way to allow tethering, and he wouldn’t mind paying for it. Much to the reader’s surprise, Steve Jobs actually returned his email with this simple statement:

“We agree, and are discussing it with ATT.”

At this point, this could be totally false and nothing but a prank from some idiot. Of course with the banning of Netshare, and the fact AT&T allows tethering on some of their other phones, it’s definitely not too big of a stretch.

Kevin Rose is famous/infamous among the Apple community. He seems to get information before anyone, and is a pretty big thorn in Steve Jobs’ side. He now has new information released about the new up and coming iPod Nano.

- Revamp of entire iPod line.
- Small cosmetic changes to Touch, Nano to see significant redesign (see pic below).
- iPods to see fairly large price drops to distance itself from the $199 iPhone.
- iPod touch 2.1 software, iPhone to get update very soon after.
- iTunes 8.0 (“it’s a big update w/new features”).
- All of this coming in the next 2-3 weeks.

Here is a video of Kevin Rose explaining some of these new updates.

[via: Kevin Rose]

The rumors of iPods being discontinued have been started by AppleInsider. It looks as though Target has changed its status on current iPods from ‘available’ to ‘discontinued’. As someone who has worked in retail before, this generally means that (if the product is selling well), that new models are on the way. Depending on how many units are reported to have left, the closer the date for the new model is. If the old model is selling like crazy, they’re going to want to wait aslong as possible before discontinuing the new model.

The biggest rumor to come out of all of this is from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. He believes that Apple will be lowering the price of the iPod Touch to $199. The analyst also mentioned that there would be new iPod Shuffles, Nanos being released with more memory with the same price as the current models.

At this point though, it is all just speculation. But educated speculation.