By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 08:00 AM EST

Apple will announce later today an entire refresh to its iPod family of digital media players, including an iPod nano with some form of motion sensor, AppleInsider has been told.

Longstanding sources report that a new version of the iPod shuffle will be made available in 5 colors, while an update to the iPod classic will arrive in just two colors -- black and silver as the options exist today. The iPod touch will not be offered with a color choice and look very similar to today's model.

More significantly, however, those same sources report that Apple will offer its new elongated iPod nano in 9 colors. The player will reportedly be the first non-Multi-Touch iPod to sport a motion or orientation sensor, according to two people familiar with the matter.

One of those people described a function by which the iPod's 'shuffle' function is invoked when a user physically shakes the player. Another person said the new nano would be capable of determining its orientation and provide a more natural Cover Flow view in landscape mode.

While AppleInsider's sources did not comment on specific colors or capacity, similar information passed on to MacRumors earlier this morning indicates the three new colors for the nano will include Purple, Yellow, and Orange. The nano is expected to be available in 8GB and 16GB models, while the iPod touch remains 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities. CrunchGear claims the new iPod classic will be offered in a 120GB model.

People familiar with Apple's plans for the new players say they'll be made available for sale at Apple Retail stores immediately following their introduction today.

Apple's "Let's Rock" event kicks off 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Stay tuned to AppleInsider for coverage throughout the day.