Apple just launched a new back-to-school special. Like last year’s program, it’s a Mac+iPod special for a mail-in rebate. But unlike last year’s special, it can be used to get an iPod touch.

AppleInsider | Apple’s free 8GB iPod touch Back-to-School Promo now official

One reason I find this interesting is that I think that Touch devices make a lot of sense in educational contexts. Especially if educational institutions take advantage of them. And it would be even more interesting if, as I keep dreaming about, the device category for Touch devices is to expand.

But this Back-to-School special seems to imply that Apple will not release a new iPod touch model as it unveils the new 3G-capable iPhone, next Monday. Which is not to say that they won’t release anything else, besides the “iPhone 3G” (with rumoured features such as videoconferencing and GPS). But it does make the likeliness of a complete revamp of the Touch line less likely.

In fact, if last year’s pattern is to be repeated (like it seems to be, with the iPhone), it’s possible that Apple will refresh the iPod line (including the iPod touch) in September. In other words, just at the end of the back-to-school special…

Of course, the touch devices to use in educational contexts don’t have to be manufactured by Apple. Given the OLPC project’s official sanction of competing devices to its XOXO (a device I’ve been dreaming about), it’d be fun to see Asus or Toshiba release some kind of touch device before long. And, maybe, the Open Handset Alliance will release something in the meantime. The recent demo was intriguing.

Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.