Apple is expected to unveil a revamp of its iPod line on Wednesday with the launch of a long-anticipated full or wide-screen, with touch control, version of the digital music player that is designed to bolster the group’s reach in video.

European journalists have been summoned by the California-based company to attend a briefing at the BBC’s headquarters in London. The assembled reporters are to view a live broadcast of a presentation given by Steve Jobs, the Apple chief executive.

David C. Bailey, an analyst with Goldman Sachs analyst, said: “The product announcement is likely to include a full lineup of revamped iPods, with significantly greater functionality at current price points, including the much-anticipated full-screen video iPod.”

Mr Bailey believes that a new line of iPods will boost demand for the gadget from Goldman’s present forecast of about 19.8 million units for Apple’s key first quarter - the reporting period that covers Christmas. However, that still suggests that demand for iPods will be flat, at best, compared with the same period last year, when Apple sold about 21 million devices.

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In the middle of last year, Apple’s quarter-on-quarter iPod sales dipped for the first time since the player’s debut in 2002, a decline blamed on the group’s failure to release new versions. Although the timing of the launch suggests that Apple is determined not to fall into the same trap again, the company faces other hurdles in replicating its success in the music market - which it dominates - in video.

It emerged last week that NBC Universal had decided not to renew a deal under which its programmes were sold on iTunes, Apple’s online media store. It is understood that NBC had demanded more control over the pricing of its content but was rebuffed. NBC shows, which include Heroes, had accounted for about 40 per cent of television downloads on iTunes.

The news came only hours after Apple’s launch of the TV download site in the UK – an event blighted by complaints from British consumers that they were being charged about twice as much as their American peers per episode. Apple also faces competition from rival download and “catchup” online services from broadcasters including the BBC and Channel 4.

The pack of iTunes’ rivals in music soon will include Amazon, the largest online retailer, which is expected to launch a download service this month.

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