BANGALORE: Apple today introduced the new iPod®, featuring a gorgeous 2.5-inch color screen which can display album artwork and photos, and play stunning video including video Podcasts and home movies. The new iPod holds up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos or over 150 hours of video and is available in a 30GB model for Rs.22,100 and a 60GB model for Rs.29,400 with both models available in stunning white or black designs.

The new iPods will begin shipping next week for a suggested retail price of Rs.22,100 for the 30GB model and Rs.29,400 for the 60GB model through Apple Authorized Resellers. All iPod models include earbud headphones, USB 2.0 cable, case, dock insert and a CD with iTunes for Mac and Windows computers.

Optional accessories designed for the new iPod include: Universal Dock for Rs.2700, giving users easy access to a USB port for syncing, IR support to work with the Apple Remote and a variable line out and S-video connections for integration within the living room; Apple Remote for Rs.1600, providing wireless integration to the Universal Dock and quick and easy access to controls from across the room; Apple iPod AV cable for Rs.1300, enabling television viewing of video content in full-screen; the iPod Camera Connector for Rs.2000; and Apple Socks for Rs.2000 providing six vibrant color socks to dress up and protect your iPod.

iPod requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 and Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.

“The new iPod is the best music player ever—it‘s 30 percent thinner and has 50 percent more storage than its predecessor—yet it sells for the same price and plays stunning video on its 2.5-inch color screen,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “Because millions of people around the world will buy this new iPod to play music, it will quickly become the most popular portable video player in history.”