Report hints that Apple is booting iPod Classic, Shuffle

Here are your Apple rumors and news items for Wednesday:

Apple Discontinuing iPod Classic, Shuffle: A Wednesday report at TUAW added fuel to the ever-growing rumor fire that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is finally going to discontinue the product that fueled its massive rise during the past decade. During Apple’s second-quarter earnings call in July, the company mentioned it planned a major “product transition” for the fall. TUAW‘s sources claim this transition will be the phasing out of Apple’s original hard drive-based iPod model, the iPod Classic, and its offshoot, the iPod Shuffle. The report emphasizes that its source is not a market analyst, indicating that someone within Apple is hinting that the iPod Touch finally will be the only iPod product on shelves by the end of the year.

T-Mobile Consoles iPhone-less Customers: Sprint (NYSE:S), AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) will have the iPhone 5 on their networks when the phone releases in October. T-Mobile USA will not. According to a report at MacRumors, Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman confirmed on Sept. 20 that his company will not be offering the iPhone 5. Sensing dissention amongst its subscriber ranks, T-Mobile issued a letter on Tuesday to mollify customers hungry for Apple goods. Penned by Brodman, the note thanks T-Mobile’s customers for their business, reiterates that the company loves both Apple and the iPhone, and says the telecom is “interested in offering all of our customers a no-compromises iPhone experience.” The shorter version: “It’s not out fault, please keep giving us money.”

Ap ple Not Too Happy With Verizon About Samsung: Verizon filed an amicus brief last week to back up Samsung (PINK:SSNLF) in its ongoing legal battles with Apple over patent infringing smartphones and tablets. The brief argued that Apple’s attempts to block the sale of Galaxy Tab tablets and Galaxy smartphones is not in the public’s interest. Unsurprisingly, Apple isn’t thrilled with Verizon. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company asked the court to dismiss Verizon’s filing on Wednesday according to a report at FOSS Patents (via Apple Insider). If the court doesn’t agree to throw out Verizon’s brief, Apple has requested to submit a response to its claims by Oct. 6.

Anthony John Agnello does not own any of the aforementioned stocks. Follow him on Twitter at?@ajohnagnello?and?become a fan of?InvestorPlace on Facebook.