In the wake of legal action against Apple alleging that the firm's media players can make users deaf, the firm has unveiled software today that turns down the volume on its iPod nano and fifth-generation iPods.

The software update is designed to allow customers to set their own maximum volume, in addition to giving parents the ability to set a maximum volume on a child's iPod and lock it with a combination code.

Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of worldwide iPod product marketing, said: "With the increased attention in this area, we want to offer customers an easy to use option to set their own volume limit."

Software update 1.1.1 is available immediately as a free download for the iPod nano and the fifth-generation iPod from Apple's website. 

Apple said that the Volume Limit feature works with any headphone or accessory plugged into the iPod headphone jack as well as the iPod Radio Remote.