AN EDINBURGH-based music tech firm has launched an iPhone accessory that allows people to make music through online programs.

The Skwitch clips onto the iPhone and has a soft, expressive control button that connects users to programs so they can jam with songs, compose and mix tunes, or connect wirelessly to apps like GarageBand, a digital studio which includes instruments and presets for guitar and voice.

The £45 gadget has been launched by Skoogmusic, the spin-out company behind the Skoog, a tactile musical cube initially developed to help children with disabilities and learning difficulties, which has been integrated by Apple into its own software platforms.

The Skwitch button can be programmed and customised into multiple active areas to perform a range of different actions.

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Dr Benjaman Schögler, Skoogmusic co-founder and chief executive, said: "Skoogmusic’s mission is to help people have fun making music.

"After the success of Skoog, we thought there was a gap for a smaller, lighter, more compact device for iPhone, and after years of development, we’re so excited to be launching Skwitch to the global market.

"It’s deceptively simple, but incredibly clever in the way it can open up a world of music and coding to everyone, as well as working as an accessibility gadget for all sorts of apps and programs.

"It’s also affordable and really simple to use, and after some brilliant first feedback, we can’t wait to see how the world’s iPhone users will put it to use."