iPhone 5, iPod touch 5 releases finally align post white iPhone 4

Of all the ramifications of the recent white iPhone 4 release and the iPhone 5 delay it almost certainly signals, one of the most overlooked is that for the first time, new generations of the iPhone and iPod touch will apparently debut alongside each other. And that'll leave the iPad 3 as the only iOS device to debut on its own – unless Apple has more up its sleeve come 2012. But in the mean time, what's the significance of the two pocket sized iOS devices being revamped at the same time? Perhaps more than meets the eye.

While the iPod touch has always been positioned by Apple as a stopgap substitute for those who weren't in a position to get a real iPhone (Steve Jobs once infamously referred to the device as "training wheels"), some users have seen the touch as an excuse to stick with some competing phone while lugging the touch in their other pocket. Apple, for its part would rather see you with an iPhone. It's the more capable device, the more integrated experience, and offers a greater opportunity for recurring revenue for the company. But those who've grown accustomed to considering a new iPod touch each September could be in for a surprise this year if the iPhone 5 appears at the same press event as the iPod touch 5. Suddenly the passive choice to go with the newly unveiled iPod touch instead of the months-old iPhone becomes a more in-your-face decision instead, with Apple clearly positioning the iPod touch 5 as mere sidekick to the iPhone 5. This will be driven home even further if the two end up sharing more stylistic elements than in generations past, which has been suggested in some circles.

It's almost certainly not the reason Apple is pushing the iPhone 5 back. But it's an interesting side effect nonetheless. Here's more on the iPhone5.