iPod gets little brother

Apple has expanded its popular iPod range with the addition of what it claims is the smallest device ever to hold 1,000 CD-quality songs.

Mirroring the metal-clad style of its bigger brothers, the iPod mini is encased in a lightweight anodised aluminium body, and is available in silver, gold, pink, blue or green.

The device ships with the same user interface as its larger siblings, and is designed to integrate with Apple's iTunes digital music jukebox software for managing and listening to digital music collections on both Mac and Windows PCs.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said in a statement: "iPod mini joins the iPod family ... offering customers the same 1,000 songs in your pocket as the original iPod in an innovative design that's half the size.

"We think it's going to be pretty popular, especially with younger music lovers."

The device weighs 3.6 ounces (102 mg) and can transfer one song per second from a Mac or Windows computer using either FireWire or USB 2.0 cables.

It also features Apple's Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads an entire digital music library onto the iPod mini and keeps it up to date whenever the device is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer.

The iPod mini will be available worldwide in April with a suggested retail price in the UK of £199.