At the tail end of a lengthy press event that heralded a return to the stage for Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the Cupertino, California-based manufacturer finally revealed its often rumoured iPod refresh.
Despite rumours of numerous changes, Apple's announcements were somewhat simple, with little in terms of big surprises. But then, with over 220m units sold and a market share of over 70 per cent, perhaps major changes aren't deemed necessary.
Apple's first announcement included changes to its range-topping line, the iPod touch. Pricing has been adjusted to £149 for the 8GB model, £229 for the 32GB model and £299 for a new 64GB model. To the surprise of many, the iPod touch hardware remains unchanged - with no addition of camera functionality.
Also seeing a bump in capacity, Apple's iPod classic - once rumoured to be on the verge of discontinuation - has been upgraded from 120GB to 160GB at the same £189 price point.
The minuscule iPod shuffle, too, has been given a makeover and is now available in five new colours - including a special edition polished stainless steel.
Pricing has been lowered to £45 for the 2GB shuffle and £59 for the 4GB model. The polished stainless steel version, available in 4GB capacities only, fetches a premium of £75. In addition to the visual overhaul, Apple announced that third party manufacturers will launch supporting headphones with built-in controls.
Nothing jumping out at you just yet? Perhaps Apple saved the best for last with its revamped iPod nano.
With over 100 million units sold, Apple calls it the world's most popular music player and has today launched a fifth-generation version equipped with a larger 2.2in display and an integrated camera, complete with microphone and speaker.
The iPod nano's camera will record video at up to 30 frames per second in a 640x480 resolution. Marketed as an alternative to the increasingly-popular pocket camcorders, the nano interface allows users to "easily transfer their videos to YouTube". Rounding off the fifth-gen nano's feature list is an FM radio, a built-in pedometer and Genius mixes.
The all-new model is available in silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, (PRODUCT) RED and pink colours, with pricing at £115 for an 8GB model and £135 for a 16GB model.
