Apple Computer Inc. said it will deliver its iPod mini digital music player beginning July 24, at a price of $249.

In March, the company said it would delay the international launch of the player due to stronger-than-expected U.S. demand and tight supplies of the hard drive, which is at the core of the player.

Apple had originally planned to start worldwide shipping in April. Earlier this year, the company said it had 100,000 preorders for the iPod mini, a smaller version of the popular iPod player that is about the length and width of a business card and holds about 1,000 songs.

Apple has sold more than 3 million iPods and has a 50-percent market share of digital music players. Its iTunes online music service is the most popular legal music download sites, claiming 70 percent of all songs bought online.