Industry analysts are predicting that Apple will ship a staggering 37 million iPods by the end of this year.

Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray told leading US finance magazine Forbes: “We expect the iPod to continue to be a foundation for growth in other parts of Apple’s business, and we expect that by the end of calendar 2005 more than 37 million iPods will have shipped, providing Apple with a greater scope of awareness for various products (’halo’ effect).”

He added: “Indirectly, we expect the iPod to continue to be a foundation for growth in other parts of Apple’s business.”

Mr Munster cited the record sale of 1.23 Apple Macs in the September quarter as evidence of this trend.

(C) Adfero Ltd, 1998-2005.