BusinessWeek's Peter Burrows has posted a column in which he posits the idea that Apple will likely add video capabilities to the iPod, but he doesn't think the computer company will introduce such functionality as a wholly separate device. While he cites Steve Jobs' early 2004 quote in which the Apple CEO said "We have to stay focused on the fact that people are buying these devices because they want to listen to music," Mr. Burrows points to recent reports of Apple looking to sell music videos as evidence that the company will indeed head in that direction.

However, Mr. Burrows thinks Apple will "simply fold some video capabilities into all future iPods. That means no separate product name -- and no big advertising blitz." Reviewing Apple's iPod photo, which was introduced as a separate device at a high price point and then eliminated when such functionality was made standard across the iPod line, Mr. Burrows observes: "If consumers had been willing to pay a premium for this capability, I'm sure Apple would have gladly maintained iPod photo as a separate, higher-priced model.

"I'm betting Apple learned from that experience and will use video to fortify its current iPod empire -- not build a new one," he continues. "That mans no bigger, business-card-size color screen or the clunky battery that would be necessary to drive one, and no reworked interface." Rather than adding the video capability as a way to watch feature films, Mr. Burrows sees Apple going in that direction so it can sell music videos as well as possibly a subscription service for news clips and other TV content.

In the long run, though, Mr. Burrows thinks Apple is looking beyond simply adding video playback to the iPod. "Maybe Jobs just wants to control the flow of media so that he can build new kinds of profitable hardware to bring some of Apple's trademark simplicity to tomorrow's digital homes," he writes. He quotes technology analyst Mark Anderson, who asks: "What if you could walk into your local Apple store and come home with a 60-inch TV that's ready with 10,000 movies for you to choose from?"