iPhone 3.0 Beta OS Points to New iPhone, iPod Touch Models

Because Apple puts model information in files in its firmware, every release will be poked over with a fine-toothed comb looking for info. And a look at the iPhone OS 3.0 files shows there may be at least one, maybe two new iPhones as well as new iPod Touches coming.

The file, /System/Library/AppleUSBDevice/USBDeviceConfiguration.plist, lists details about the USB configuration of the device models, as well as the device ID and names. In iPhone OS 3.0, the following are listed:

The original iPhone (iPhone1,1), iPhone 3G (iPhone1,2), and first- and second-gen iPod touches (iPod1,1 and iPod2,1 respectively). It also lists an unknown iPhone model, iPhone2,1, which we noted in the 2.2.1 version of the OS.

New to version 3.0 beta are iPhone3,1; iPod3,1; iFPGA; and iProd0,1. Why an iPhone 3,1 and an iPhone 2,1? Perhaps the 2,1 model is simply a revamped iPhone 3G with the same form factor but upgraded CPU, video, camera, RAM, while the 3,1 model is the nano we keep hearing about? Or perhaps there will be two models, one with premium features (sigh: video recording?) and one similar to what we currently have.

I mean, I would expect at some time Apple to move to more than one iPhone model.

And what the heck is iProd0,1? Perhaps the rumored tablet, while iFPGA could mean ... just about anything, though FPGA is a chip-industry term for a "field-programmable gate array" chip.

I'm waiting for the summer release of the iPhone OS 3.0 software (and new iPhones?) with bated breath.