The visionary behind the iPod changed modern music, says cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma shared fond recollections of his friend, the late Steve Jobs, in a GRAMMY Awards tribute earlier this year. He played at Jobs’s funeral in October 2011, at the Apple co-founder’s request.

“I, like so many others, will always be grateful for the impact he had, for the beautiful tools that have helped change my thinking, but even more so for his extraordinary friendship,” said Ma.

Apple has unveiled the last products to have been developed under Jobs’s watchful eye: the iPhone 5, iPod Touch and Nano.

The company revealed that the iPhone 5 is slimmer and lighter than previous models, with a bigger screen. It will be available in Australia from next Friday.

Apple also announced a new iPod Touch incorporating changes made to the iPhone 5 and, for the first time, the voice-controlled personal assistant software, Siri. iTunes software for the Mac and PC will be updated with an interface designed to be more user-friendly, available as a free download in October.

Lastly, the ubiquitous white earbuds provided with all Apple’s portable devices have had a facelift. The new “EarPods” are tube-shaped to mould more easily...