Cowon iAudio X7 Player in the Wild

Reports have circulated that Cowon's iAudio X5 MP3 player will soon be discontinued. However, all is not lost since reports have been released that a new Cowon MP3 player is in the works. Early reports states that Cowon will release an iAudio X7 model sometime this summer during the IFA 2007 Electronics Expo.

Rumors have led us to this picture (shown here) claiming to be the prototype design submitted back in March, so it's possible the final product won't be identical. However, judging from this, the X7 will be completely different from the X5. Instead of a vertical orientation with a 4:3 screen, it appears the X7 will have a 7-inch widescreen and likely feature touchscreen controls, similar to the Q5 media player.

Whatever it looks like, hopefully Cowon will keep with its tradition of creating MP3 players with outstanding sound quality and give the X5 fans something to cheer about. The X5 has enjoyed a loyal following since it debuted in 2005, due partly to its excellent sound quality. There's no word on exactly what the X7 has in store - all we can do is wait.