New, Slimmer iPod Introduced by Apple

The chief executive officer of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs, introduced thinner iPod media players that can hold twice as many songs, showing off new designs to entice consumers during the holiday shopping season.

Customers can buy a Nano with 8 gigabytes of storage for $149 or a 16-gigabyte model for $199, Mr. Jobs said at an event yesterday in San Francisco. He also introduced a slimmer version of the iPod Touch, which uses the same color touch-screen as the iPhone.

Mr. Jobs has relied on the players to spur holiday demand in what is typically Apple's biggest period for sales. Offering more features at current prices may help win over American consumers, who have cut budgets to cope with rising oil and food prices. Consumer spending rose at the lowest pace since 1991 in the year ended in June.

The new Nanos are made from highly recyclable materials, making them Apple's cleanest models yet, Mr. Jobs said. Apple also plans to sell an iPod Classic with 120 gigabytes of storage for $249.