• The Wall Street Journal , Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:15 AM

Apple has issued an invitation to an event next Tuesday that shows a silhouette of a dancing man with an iPod and bears the title "Let's Rock." Apple typically stages an event in late September or early October to introduce new iPods and other consumer products in time for the holiday shopping season. Apple would not comment.

Of its many offerings, Apple's iPod line is the most in need of a refresh. Growth in the business has slowed in recent years as the digital music-player category it dominates has matured. Growth in two other major Apple businesses -- the iPhone handset and Macintosh computers -- is far faster.

Separately, the company is working with music-industry partners to develop "interactive albums" for Apple devices such as the iPhone and the iPod touch that will provide liner notes, lyrics, photographs and other extra material to supplement music available on the iTunes Store, a source says. An interactive album from the band Snow Patrol, to be released soon, might be the first such effort.

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