Apple 'to launch £51 iPod'

APPLE Computer will launch a stripped-down version of its popular iPod music player for just $99 (£51) next year, according to an industry report.

Themacmind.com website reported that the virtually indestructible iPod Flash will use an energy-efficient flash memory to hold up to 250 songs.

The iPod and the iPod Mini both use disk drives, which have moving parts and use more battery power than a flash memory, to store the music. Such was the interest in Themacmind. com's apparent details of Apple's hottest new offering that its website crashed.

Apple is expected to announce the flash-based iPod at its Macworld conference on 11 January.

Themacmind.com said the new device will have no screen, and is intended to be worn around the neck.

It will be smaller than a business card and about the same size as an iPod Mini, it said.