The new iPod Shuffle is apparently selling out in stores in many parts of the world. The latest addition to the Apple iPod line has been flying off store shelves, with estimates for the first quarter sales falling in at around the 5 Million mark, which is hugely impressive and further indication if any were needed that the iPod brand is as strong as ever.

It doesnt take a genius to work out that Xmas is going to be a major peak in Shuffle sales. The Shuffle is really a perfect stocking filler, smaller and cuter than the previous incarnation and priced to compete very agressively with the budget Taiwanese no-name players.

The Shuffle is another example of how Apple can identify markets that other players either don’t believe are viable or didn’t even notice. Lots of the early reviews of the first gen Shuffle discounted it completely claiming that no one would buy an MP3 player without a screen. How wrong they were.

Personally though I am loving my Generation 2 Nano so probably won’t be getting a Shuffle ( unless I find one at the bottom of my Xmas stocking ! ).