Mini-iPod UK launch takes a tumble

Demand for the MP3 player in the US has been so high that there aren't enough hard drives to keep up and Apple says it has been forced to delay launches outside the US

Apple has pushed back the international debut of its iPod Mini from April to July, citing stronger than expected demand in the US and a limited supply of hard drives.

The iPod Mini, a 3.6-ounce portable music player, is based around a tiny 4GB hard drive. The diminutive music machine, which costs $249, began shipping in February in the US.

Since that date, Apple has received more orders than it had planned for, said Greg Joswiak, vice president of hardware product marketing at Apple. The number of orders - which included more than 100,000 pre-orders, according to Apple - was high enough to outstrip the availability of the 4GB drive from its manufacturer.

Apple says it was forced to concentrate on filling orders from the US market and to wait for greater availability of the drive in order to enter the international space, he said.

"We expected it to be a hit, but [demand] is turning out to be stronger than expected," Joswiak said. "US demand is going to consume all the supply we had planned through June."

The 4GB hard drive at the centre of the iPod mini came out in January, around the same time Apple announced the device. Its manufacturer, reported to be Hitachi, is still ramping up its manufacturing, so the supply of the drives has been limited, Joswiak explained.

Right now, "The [iPod Mini] demand is consuming just about all the 4GB 1-inch drives being made, he said.

Once the manufacturer increases the numbers of drives it produces, Apple will be able to expand the sales of the iPod Mini. Apple plans to begin that process in July. The company has yet to announce which countries the player will be offered in.

The iPod Mini's 4GB capacity allows it to store up to 1,000 songs, Apple said. It also comes in five colours, including silver, gold, pink, blue and green, and works with Apple's iTunes online music store.

John G. Spooner writes for CNET News.com