Although Apple usually holds an iPod-specific launch event to introduce new models ahead of the Christmas buying season, this year it chose to lump the iPod refresh in with the iPhone 4S launch.

Yep, as expected, there’s an iPhone 4-esque new iPod Touch with Facetime and Retina Display, there’s a snazzy new iPod Nano with a multi-touch screen (leading me to wonder when new Nano apps might come), a less exciting new iPod Shuffle and a new version of iTunes that refuses to introduce tabbed browsing.

Apple has never been scared to kill off products - even when they seem to be successful. When the iPod nano was introduced it resulted in Apple killing off its highest selling line - the iPod Mini. So, with iPod sales in decline, will Apple put the axe to the goose that has laid so many golden eggs?

Not only has Apple set a new record for shipping Macs and iPhones, it also achieved record profitability in its September 2009 quarter.

FM radio is one feature of the current iPod nano that's missing from Apple's more expensive handheld devices. But there's a suggestion that it will soon arrive for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Accessory manufacturer Kensington is pushing a raft of iPod and iPhone add-ons under the Play It banner.

Mark Twain said "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." If iPods could talk for themselves, they'd probably be saying much the same thing.

Although the new iPod Touch was touted to come with a camera, Apple surprised us all by including a video-only camera (and a host of other cool features) in its new iPod nano instead, pointing towards yet another very iPod-y Christmas and holiday shopping season for Apple and millions of existing and new customers.

iTWire reported Apple's iPod announcements earlier today. Now here is the Australian pricing and availability for the complete iPod range.

At its widely anticipated "It’s only rock and roll, but we like it" event in San Francisco today, Apple disappointed those who were hoping for news of a tablet Mac or supersized iPod Touch. But the company did add a video camera to one iPod line, as rumored, cut the price and increased the capacity of another, and introduced a new version of iTunes.