Nostalgia for the iPod

𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆Pod

Your phone away from phone.

A miniature scroll wheel iPod. A sometimes iPhone replacement. A lot of fun.

These are not three separate devices. This is one device. The tinyPod looks awesome.

Yes, it takes an Apple Watch and puts it into a case that imitates an old school iPod – complete with the scroll wheel, which you can use to interact with the device. Yes, it's completely unnecessary. But yes, I must get one. And unlike the recent Clicks physical keyboard for the iPhone, the price is far more right here at $79 - $89 (depending on the size of the Apple Watch – which, of course, is BYOD).¹

I've worn an Apple Watch every day since it was first released 9 years ago and honestly I often forget you can use it without the iPhone nearby – especially if you have the cellular version, which I do as all Ultra models are cellular versions. While conceptually I know that I could leave my iPhone at home and still have access to much of what I might need on the Watch, I still just always have the iPhone with me. But perhaps this switching up of form factors will make me think different.

Mainly though I just think it's great to have fun with new form factors. I wish Apple would do something like this. Perhaps it's too nostalgic for the company, but who wouldn't love a newly created iPod built for the Apple Music access-to-all-music streaming era?² I've long thought there would be power in building a single purpose, cheap (well, relatively for Apple) device in our modern age of overly complicated devices that can do it all.³ This "tinyPod" concept is a step in that direction.

The only real hiccup is using an old Apple Watch model that still has cellular service. That seems like a bit much. You could use your current Apple Watch, but you'd lose all the health elements/benefits – arguably the most important/useful bits of the Watch. Still, I really like this concept and will support on the hopes that it gives Apple some nostalgic ideas someday...

One more thing: how about a lanyard, OG iPod Shuffle style, to take it on a run?

¹ You can also get a "lite" version without the scroll wheet for $29, but that's decidedly less fun.

² You'd have to do it in fun colors too, just like the iPods of yesteryear. How many Apple Music iPods would Apple sell at $99 a pop?

³ Especially with Bluetooth and AirPods!