The recent cross-pollination of the iPod nano with iOS features including touchscreen and widget based UI has me believe we are seeing the end of the traditional iPod line.

Exclusive digital media players seem nascent by today’s smartphone standards. Already an easy stepping stone, no less, from iPod nano’s 16 gig $179 price tag is the $229 8 gig iPod touch. $50 is all it takes to add WiFi, Bluetooth and the App Store. More ridiculous is seeing the iPod classic at $20 more than the current 8 gig iPod touch.

Witnessing the iPod nano iterations over time has been like watching Apple utilize its iPod market share as R&D, from the multiple form factors, previous video camera support, to today’s touch sensitive body; seemingly testing our ability to adjust to an even smaller touch peripheral, just as competitors are expanding on theirs.

And extending the iOS brand to include an even smaller version of the iPhone, no doubt will yield a smaller, lower priced iPod touch. So while the iPod moniker may continue, it no longer can be solely defined as just music in your pocket.