The mini, reborn: Apple intros 7th-gen iPod nano with 2.5-inch touchscreen

Apple has announced the 7th-generation iPod nano todayat its special event in San Francisco. Unlike its predecessor, this player comes in an all-new design that’s radically different from the previous square shape. Apple’s new player offers a little more screen real estate on this one, with a rectangular shape that’s similar to the 2005 iPod mini.

The most obvious changes can be seen up front. The new iPod nano now rocks a 2.5-inch multitouch screen up front, along with a tiny home button below it that makes it look like a mini-fied iOS device. A volume rocker on the side also acts as a way to control playback or scroll through music, while a power button up top turns off the screen.

The new iPod nano hooks up using Apple's new Lighning port and comes bundled with EarPod earbuds

About the size of a credit card, the new nano features a frame that’s even slimmer than its predecessor. Now measuring 5.4mm thick, it’s about 40 percent thinner than the 6th-gen player. While the new shape no longer makes it practical to slap on the wrist (or at least we’re assuming that no one’s going to, anyway), it at least offers a little more multimedia functionality.

The 2.5-inch screen packs in a 240 x 432 resolution (for a fairly decent pixel density of 202ppi). While photo or video playback on a tiny 2.5-inch screen isn’t really ideal for mobile entertainment, that screen offers a16:9 aspect ratio, so at least you won’t have to deal with black bars on widescreen videos.

Like the rest of Apple’s announced products for today, this new player will also support the new 8-pin Lightning connector at the bottom, opposite the headphone port. While it doesn’t come with Wi-fi connectivity (despite the design, it’s not an iOS device after all), it does offer Bluetooth for wireless hookups and media streaming. It also keeps a number of features from the previous player, including an FM radio, pedometer, and support for Nike+. Battery life is listed to last for up to 30 hours on playback on a full charge.

The 7th-gen iPod nano will be available in a single 16GB variant across seven different colors (slate, pink, silver, purple, citrus, blue, and green) for $149 in October. Like the new iPhone and iPod  touch, the iPod nano will come bundled with Apple’s new EarPod earbuds that promise a better fit and improved sound quality.