According to Forbes, Toshiba's senior executive vice-president, Yasuo Morimoto, said that the company will provide flash memory chips to Apple by "early next year". 'The article also mentions some interesting data about the iPod market.

It's now clear that Apple is in preparation to release a flash based iPod. Lately, SigmaTel had be mentioned as Apple's flash controller chips supplier for a flash based iPod and some sites have even started to reveal what they claim to be inside information about its design and size.

This last piece of information from Forbes implies Apple should at least be able to announce a flash based iPod in January and release it sometime later.