Apple have announced that they are to delay launch of the mini iPod in Europe and Asia until July.
The mini iPod was originally to be launched next month (April) but Apple say that there's been a higher than expected demand for the product in the US, outstripping supply from the manufacturers and leaving no mini iPods available for the international market. The player was launched in the US in February and at launch 100,000 pre-orders had already been placed. Until the manufacturers of the mini iPod's 4GB hard drive, reported to be Hitachi, can ramp up production of the drives, Apple aren't in a position to open up sales of the player beyond the US.
“The iPod mini is a huge hit with customers in the US and we're sure it will be the same worldwide once we can ramp up our supply in the July quarter”, said Tim Cook, Apple's executive vice president of Worldwide Sales and Operations.
News of the release of the iPod mini caused quite a splash a few months ago: It's currently the world's smallest portable music player to hold up to 1,000 songs and weighs just 102g. The interest and attention may well have had as much to do with its natty styling and colour choices though, with its anodised aluminium body available in silver, gold, pink, blue and green. The player is on sale in the US for $249 but as yet it's unclear what the UK retail price will be.
