Earlier this month, it was the 25th anniversary of the Apple iPod. Along with a Gen Z love for everything outdated with a hint of nostalgia, this revolutionary music system is once again in demand. It isn’t back on shelves yet. But there is an online version, complete with the clickety-sounding trackpad.
Some people are already rummaging through boxes, fishing out the old technology in a bid to get ahead of the curve and be among “the first ones” to return to the iPod.
Maybe it’s a cop out from doomscrolling, maybe it’s nostalgia, or maybe it is capitalism at its finest—telling you, you need something even when you don’t. Either way, the iPod is back in conversation. But can it survive in this modern world?
The first generation Apple iPod was released in 2001. Its sleek and shiny exterior could hold up to “1,000 songs in your pocket”. And yet, half the joy was in procuring those songs.
Keep in mind, this was pre-Apple Pay or Google Pay or even Spotify. Apple Music wasn’t available, and downloading songs took a good portion of a day.
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RIP MP3 Skull
Downloading songs in the early 2000s meant dodging shady pop-ups on some illegal website or, for the more tech-savvy, it included importing physical CDs into iTunes. It was a lengthy process and far too technical for some; once imported, the music would then be converted into an MP3 file on iTunes. But there were others, such as yours truly, who preferred a simpler method—downloading songs online.
MP3 Skull and Songs.pk were go-to websites back in the day. In between avoiding ads and accidentally downloading a remixed version, listening to the music was a task. But it made reaping the joys of a functional iPod even sweeter.
Over the years, there were many iPods; the Shuffle came and collectively made us lose our minds. The tiny device was launched in 2005 and could hold hundreds of songs, with a battery life of up to 15 hours. Yes, Apple once did make products with a decent battery.
And who can forget the Apple iPod nano? It ran for several generations from 2005 to 2017, but the collective favourite and most quintessential of the bunch was the fifth generation launched in 2007. Available in a variety of colours, the iPod nano was a must-have. Not only was it impossibly cute, but it was cheap, easy to use, and even had games.
I was once the proud owner of an iPod nano fifth generation. It was hot pink and perfect. And I still haven’t forgiven my cousin for losing it.
Then in 2007 came the piece de resistance, the iPod touch. Gone was the clicker trackpad or the clumsy buttons; in its place was a device very similar to the iPhone. Save for the ability to make conversation, the iPod touch was a trailblazing invention.
Once upon a time, when I was still too young for a cell phone, my parents gifted me an iPod for my 12th birthday. It was shiny, could connect to the internet, and had a camera better than most of my friends’ BlackBerrys.
But the era of the iPod officially came to an end in 2022. The last iPod was announced in 2019. Frankly, with Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, all available on your phone, who was still buying an iPod?
Even 12-year-olds had iPhones. The world had moved on, leaving the iPod firmly in its rearview mirror.
But it seems, like with most old things, Gen Z wants to bring the iPod back.
Sure, let’s have an iPod renaissance, but we can never bring back the joy or the headache of MP3 Skull (RIP).
Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)