The Mac maker said it has identified the issue and posted a fix to its Web site.
"Apple has identified a bug that can cause a small percentage of iPods to temporarily not wake from sleep when the battery reaches a low charge level," the company said on its Web site.
Because there is no way to tell which players will have the problem, Apple "strongly recommends" that all iPod owners download and install the update.
Apple said the update also provides minor fixes and support for additional languages, such as Italian, Dutch and Spanish.
For those iPod owners already experiencing the problem, Apple has several recommendations. First, it suggests they make sure the hold switch is not on. Next, it suggests connecting the unit to a power adapter or to a Mac, and then trying to reset the device by holding down the menu and play buttons for 10 seconds.
If those tricks fail, Apple suggests disconnecting the unit from its power source and letting it sit unconnected for about 24 hours. The person should then reconnect the unit and again try to reset the machine.
And if that fails, Apple suggests arranging for service via a support page on its Web site.
The glitch is not the first related to the new device. Last month, Apple warned people with early copies of the device that software provided to install the related iTunes 2 software could, in some cases, delete files from their hard drive. Apple has since provided an updated version of that installer program.
The iPod, a portable music player that can store roughly 1,000 songs on its 5GB hard drive, was introduced in October.
