Retro designs in technology continue to be a strong trend, from retro consoles to instant cameras to record players. Most of these products try to update the classic aesthetics to modern standards, reinterpreting them without straying too far from the original. In other words, they’re mostly modern devices simply paying homage to the past.
There might be times, however, the original designs still have a lot of pull, especially for eyes that have never seen them before. This series of concepts tries to imagine some of those with completely classic designs, save for the addition of 16-bit displays and a splash of 80s colors that make them funky and hip in their own unique ways.
Music streaming has pretty much replaced the radio for most people, but the medium hasn’t completely died out. Radios, however, have become rarer outside of vehicles, and most designs these days tend to make the device almost invisible. This concept, in contrast, is as loud as it can be, both in sound and in appearance with its pink body and clashing color combinations.
What sets it apart, however, is the square display beside the circular front speaker. It’s not a modern touch screen for controlling the radio, but more of a useless but fun embellishment to the experience. It displays a 16-bit video that looks at home in games of that era, rendering an accompanying visual to the audio, whether it makes sense or not.
Very few people these days listen to cassette tapes. Unlike vinyl records, there’s almost no special audio quality to these small rectangular containers for brown tape that all too often gets tangled up. That said, some people still have a collection of these tapes, and this cassette player concept adds a unique twist to the device without twisting those tapes.
The color scheme for the device this time is a faded yellow, complete with green streaks of corrosion. But just like the radio above, the flat tape player integrates a screen that can play 16-bit videos. Although it doesn’t serve any practical function, it adds a bit of fun flavor to the music being played, making you want to look at the device even when it’s lying on the table.
The record player in this Timeless Treasure collection steps farther back in time, adopting the form of a 40s gramophone. Its green, flower-shaped sound horn looks like copper that has aged over time, while the boxy platform has a mix of industrial and Art Deco details. Only the dominantly yellow color motif looks out of place and out of time, giving it an odd anachronistic flavor.
The large 16-bit display is again the center of attraction here, playing a pixelated video of an opera or orchestra performance. It could be related to the track being played, though it’s more likely a very generic clip for any and all kinds of records. It would probably be nice if each video was customized for different kinds of music, perhaps using some AI magic to make it happen.
Old-school audio devices aren’t the only ones getting this 80s retro facelift, though a watch is hardly that old to qualify. More like an old-fashioned kids’ digital watch, this particular concept adds a lo-fi feel to this somewhat modern wearable, particularly when an alarm plays. Like the rest of the collection, it’s a fun touch that doesn’t add any functional advantage but gives the designs a new flavor.
Ever dream of strumming on stage like Taylor Swift or effortlessly playing like John Legend? But music theory, chord structures, and difficult-to-master instruments make things tough? That’s where the LAVA GENIE comes in – a new-age guitar that ditches strings for touch-sensitive pads, powered by an AI that makes learning, playing, and sampling music easier.
Designed to be used by total beginners as well as seasoned musicians, the LAVA GENIE is an all-in-one instrument that removes the hurdles of traditional instruments, putting a world of sound in your hands, ready to play anytime inspiration strikes. Whether you’re jamming with friends or performing solo, this portable, powerful device invites everyone to explore and share their musical voice, connecting people through the joy of music—anytime, anywhere.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: the GENIE has no strings. The GENIE’s stringless design makes it accessible for everyone, including those with hand disabilities. By removing strings, it redefines guitar playing, enabling users to produce sound with simple taps and presses. This opens new doors for beginners and those who have found stringed instruments challenging, making musical expression approachable and inclusive.
Incorporating touch-sensitive, pressure-responsive TapPads, the GENIE provides an intuitive playing experience. Each TapPad can be customized, allowing players to control chords, tempo, or add beats effortlessly. Just touch, tap, and your musical performance takes off—no strings, no complications.
LAVA+ App: Your All-in-One Coach and Music Partner
The LAVA+ app offers an extensive song library with thousands of popular tracks—and it’s constantly growing. Whether you want to learn, play along, or simply explore new music, LAVA+ has you covered. The library makes it easy for users of all levels to dive into music without limits, with fresh content always just a tap away.
With LAVA’s integrated AI, transcribing your own songs is effortless. Simply upload any audio file, and the app instantly converts it into chord charts, syncing perfectly with the GENIE. It’s like having a personal music assistant, ready to help you bring your ideas to life and elevate your skills with every session.
A Guitar With 500 Preloaded Synths + Sound Bank
Breaking away from the traditional string and fretboard structure allows the LAVA GENIE to be much more than a simple guitar. Essentially, the LAVA GENIE is a sampler instrument that uses touch-sensitive pads known as TapPads to help you trigger notes, chords, progressions, samples, and perform pitch/scale and tempo control. More than what any regular guitar can dream of
Equipped with over 500 preloaded sounds in its synth and sample bank, the GENIE goes beyond offering what an effect pedal does for an electric guitarist – think of any instrument and you can possibly play it on the GENIE, including nylon guitar, piano, electric guitar, and even drums. It’s like having a mini sound studio built into a guitar, making it versatile enough for jamming, composing, or performing in any style you like. LAVA also releases updates regularly, so new sounds are always arriving to keep your music fresh and evolving.
Craft your unique instrument with Creative Mode
For music creators, you may want to play something different LAVA GENIE has two playing modes: Auto Mode for beginners, which guides you into music with automatic harmonies and rhythm adjustments, and Creative Mode, which lets you personalize patterns, tempo, and more.
This interface goes far beyond strings—LAVA has crafted it with five custom TapPads. These pads are customizable zones that can be set up to perform chords, control tempo, or even add a drum beat. Whether you’re strumming, picking, or layering effects, the TapPads make it easy to dive into music without any barriers. The sounds can be accessed through the TapPads, but pair the guitar with the LAVA+ app and you get access to rich features like interactive Chord Charts, BPM settings, and speed adjustments to help you access your fullest music potential.
An Unforgettable Hollow Design with a Built-In Speaker
If you’ve seen most electric guitar setups, they’re almost always wired to a large amp that produces sound. The GENIE, however, sidesteps that entire conundrum by building a powerful speaker right into its gorgeously futuristic design. The top of the guitar remains hollow, making the instrument both look as well as feel lightweight. The bottom half of the body, however, packs dual drivers, delivering a 12-watt treble output with bass enhancement, giving you serious sound without needing an external speaker.
The LAVA GENIE delivers crisp, studio-grade sound without amps, headphones, loop pedals, or soundboards. Just switch the GENIE on and you’re ready to begin jamming. Plus, at 35% thinner than most other instruments, the GENIE is built for travel. The hollow upper segment folds down and the fretboard detaches too (thanks to the lack of strings), making the GENIE slim while traveling, so you can play whenever inspiration strikes.
Instant Jamming and Performing – Anytime, Anywhere
LAVA’s foldable design and travel-ready features are ideal for anyone who needs portability without compromising on sound quality. Its slim profile and compact size make it perfect for on-the-go sessions, whether you’re traveling or just want something easy to carry to a jam session. The GENIE doesn’t need a big setup, making it a go-to choice for musicians who value flexibility and easy access to creativity.
And that’s really what’s so impressive about the GENIE. It’s easy to think of it as a guitar (I know I refer to it as one multiple times), but the GENIE’s shape is probably the only ‘guitar-like’ thing about it. On the contrary, the device is your ticket to being a one-man show, letting you do everything an electronic musician or deejay does – but instead of looking somewhat unimpactful behind a laptop, you get to look like a bona fide rockstar, shredding away on a touchpad that brings the entire world of music to your literal fingertips.
The vinyl record player, once an iconic symbol of music’s golden age, has evolved into a nostalgic artifact. Yet, in a world where retro trends keep resurfacing, bringing back the record player in an exciting new way would be a perfect blend of past and present. Enter the Hauf Vertical Record Player, a modern twist on this timeless piece of technology that reimagines how we experience both music and design.
At first glance, the Hauf Vertical Record Player captures attention with its unique vertical orientation. Gone are the days of flat, table-top turntables. Hauf redefines the way we interact with vinyl records by turning this traditional medium into a visual experience. Watching the record spin vertically becomes an engaging spectacle, adding a new dynamic to how we connect with our music. For any audiophile or design enthusiast, it’s a captivating way to merge sound and sight, transforming the act of listening into something both audible and aesthetic.
The design of the Hauf Vertical Record Player is a celebration of vintage charm married with modern minimalism. Its sleek, space-saving form doesn’t just sit in the corner of the room unnoticed. Rather, it becomes a focal point, a piece of functional art. By elevating the record player vertically, Hauf not only maximizes space but also enhances the appeal of vinyl collections, putting them on display like gallery pieces.
A key element of the player’s design is the clever use of materials that blend strength with elegance. The juxtaposition of industrial steel arms and smooth, white textured plastic creates a striking contrast. The steel arms provide an edgy, robust quality that speaks to durability, while the soft, white textured plastic adds a contemporary, clean look. Together, these materials form a balanced composition that complements modern interiors without sacrificing the vintage charm of vinyl culture.
Hauf’s Vertical Record Player reimagines what a record player can be, offering not only a nod to the past but also a futuristic approach to home audio systems. It embodies a fusion of function and form, a perfect centerpiece for music lovers and design aficionados alike. As vinyl continues to make its resurgence in today’s digital age, the Hauf Vertical Record Player stands as a bold reminder that some things never go out of style, they just evolve.
Nintendo has launched its own music streaming service that caters to fans of its games, including Mario and Animal Crossing. Fans will be able to listen to their favorite game tracks on their phones through the new Nintendo Music app, which has a user interface that pretty much looks like Spotify. The tracks are organized by game, so people can play the whole OST for specific titles if they want, but they can also listen to character playlists like a selection of songs performed by Animal Crossing's K.K. Slider.
If they're in the mood for certain songs, they can hit up one of the pre-made themed playlists, which put together tracks for themes like "boss battle" and "victory." The app offers mood playlists, as well, that groups tracks with similar vibes, such as soft, relaxing songs for bedtime listening. One feature that's probably unique to the service is spoiler prevention. If the listener adds a certain game to the setting, the app will hide the soundtracks that could give away a surprise ending or an unexpected final boss, among other potential spoilers. They can also extend a single track and keep it playing on repeat for up to an hour if that's all they want to listen to.
Fans can access the new Nintendo Music service with a Switch Online membership, though they can start listening to game tracks even if they're still on free trial. Every member on a Switch Online Family membership can also access it, so they don't need to pay for an individual subscription.
Nintendo Music, a new smart-device app exclusively for #NintendoSwitchOnline members, lets you stream or download music from Nintendo’s library of soundtracks!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/nintendo-music-is-a-streaming-service-for-switch-online-subscribers-130035796.html?src=rss
Weak sales forecasts and the relentless innovation by Adidas have forced Nike on the back foot. They’ve banked too much on the success of the Air Force 1, while the low-rise multi-colored Samba and Gazelle sneakers by Adidas are the current rage. Does that signal a bleak future for Nike footwear? We hope not and expect Nike to bounce back with a successful pair similar to the Air Jordan.
Foraying into the highly competitive yet lucrative audio accessories market could be on the cards. If Nike does decide to extend its influence beyond the athletic apparel and footwear line this could be it. This concept design for a pair of earbuds with the Nike branding gives active individuals a fair idea of what they’ll be like if they ever exist.
Crafted for Nike, these concept earbuds are sporty and have a comfortable fit with a secure design that should stay in even during intense physical activity. The design is minimal making them lightweight and easy to use. This means people with active lifestyles will love them. Due to the small size don’t expect drivers comparable to the flagship earbuds like B&W Pi8, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Technics AZ 80, or Denon Pearl Pro.
They have a very recessed form that flows to the case that has a unique top in a sporty finish. In a way they emulate the soles of a shoe and that goes well with the theme. Just like the Nothing Ear (2) buds they have a horizontal positioning of the buds in the case, but in the face first position which can make them harder to take out.
The Nike branding is embellished on the sides very aggressively and I hope there are touch controls in there since they are the norm these days even with budget options out there. Jinkyo doesn’t enlist any specifications or features on this one, but I assume there should be ANC and transparency options too. Overall, this concept is heavily weighed in towards the design and look, but a little more imagination in the features and functionality of the buds would have spiced up things.
Luxury and cutting-edge audio design converge in the Marantz Grand Horizon and its smaller counterpart, the Horizon. These speakers merge visual sophistication, material innovation, and immersive sound quality, setting a new standard in high-end audio. Reflecting Marantz’s legacy in audio craftsmanship, they combine advanced technology with artistic design for a truly immersive experience.
Designer: Marantz
The Grand Horizon transforms its sound and visual presence by redefining what a speaker can be. The iconic porthole motif, a core element of Marantz’s design language for decades, is embraced in this new offering to deliver a listening experience that is as visually inspiring as it is acoustically impactful.
Model Distinctions: Horizon vs. Grand Horizon
The Marantz Horizon is the smaller of the two models, featuring a 310-watt FTC-rated power output (745 watts peak). It includes a driver configuration of one 165mm subwoofer, two 25mm silk-dome tweeters, and three 50mm full-range drivers. With dimensions of 364 x 210 x 387.5mm (14.33 x 8.27 x 15.26 inches), it is priced at $3,500.
In contrast, the larger model, the Marantz Grand Horizon, boasts a 370-watt FTC-rated power output (860 watts peak). Its driver configuration comprises one 200-mm subwoofer, three 25-mm tweeters, and four 76-mm midrange drivers. Measuring 493 x 255 x 529.2mm (19.41 x 10.04 x 20.83 inches), it is priced at $5,500.
Both models share features such as the circular design, HEOS platform integration, and Marantz Mirage DSP. However, the Grand Horizon is larger and more powerful and offers a more advanced driver configuration, providing a richer audio experience.
Sophisticated Circular Design and Materials
With its circular design, the Grand Horizon draws immediate attention. Unlike most rectangular wireless speakers, its sculptural form makes a bold visual statement in any room. Thesphere’s symmetry, paired with premium materials like natural marble and sustainable fabrics, transforms it into a luxurious art piece that delivers world-class sound.
Wrapped in Marantz’s Radiance 360 Seamless Ecofiber, made from recycled ocean plastics, the Grand Horizon is visually stunning and eco-conscious. The fabric’s intricate texture enhances its aesthetic and diffuses sound, ensuring optimal acoustic performance. This recycled Ecofiber underscores Marantz’s commitment to sustainability while retaining an opulent feel. The fabric’s texture contrasts with the smooth metal accents that form the porthole ring, creating a tactile, luxurious experience.
The marble base, available in different colors to complement each fabric finish, adds a touch of natural elegance. Solid and stable, it elevates the speaker beyond a mere device; it becomes a significant decor element. Each marble base is sculpted to be smooth and substantial, grounding the spherical form and creating an interplay between nature and technology.
Powerful Audio Performance
With its striking design, the Marantz Grand Horizon also delivers serious audio performance. With a 200mm subwoofer, three 25mm tweeters, and four 76mm midrange drivers, it offers deep bass, clear highs, and immersive midrange. This driver array is key to producing the full-bodied sound Marantz is known for—rich, warm, and incredibly lifelike.
The Grand Horizon’s 370-watt amplification is powered by Marantz’s Rise amplification technology, featuring GaN FETs for high power efficiency and reduced thermal distortion. It delivers sound as close as possible to the original recording. Even at high volumes, the Grand Horizon remains poised, delivering uncompromised sound.
A key feature is its ability to adjust and fine-tune the audio experience through Marantz Mirage DSP. Users can personalize the sound by adjusting clarity, warmth, and spaciousness to their preference, ensuring each listening session meets unique tastes. The Sound Master mode offers a refined experience curated by Marantz Sound Master Yoshinori Ogata, bringing out the best in any track.
Interactive and Customizable Design Features
The use of light and motion elevates the Grand Horizon beyond a mere object. The AuraControl system incorporates concealed LEDs that respond to proximity. As someone approaches the speaker, the lights subtly activate, giving the impression that it comes to life, adding an interactive component that feels almost personable. This thoughtful addition sets it apart from other luxury speakers.
This light ring also serves as a touch-sensitive interface, allowing users to adjust the volume by simply running their hand along the edge of the gold ring. This feature feels natural and almost ceremonial—a tactile connection to the sound. It transforms the speaker from a mere device into an experience.
The base, made from natural marble, enhances the speaker’s stature. Different stone types for each colorway—from Midnight Sky’s dark elegance to Marantz Champagne’s warmth—allow the speakers to adapt to various living spaces. They are designed to blend seamlessly into both modern and classic interiors.
Comprehensive Connectivity and Multi-Room Integration
With advanced connectivity features, the Marantz Grand Horizon is as versatile as it is beautiful. The speaker supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect, providing direct access to streaming services such as Amazon Music, Deezer, and TIDAL. Whether it’s a quick Bluetooth pairing for an impromptu playlist or immersing yourself in a high-resolution stream, Marantz ensures accessing your favorite content is effortless.
Physical inputs add flexibility, with stereo RCA, optical, HDMI eARC, and USB-C available to connect to various sources. The HDMI eARC input also supports Dolby decoding, allowing users to experience the nuance of Dolby Atmos content when connected to a compatible display, expanding its use beyond music to home cinema.
Through the HEOS multi-room audio platform, the Grand Horizon can integrate into a broader home audio setup. You can easily sync multiple speakers throughout the home, playing synchronized music in each room or creating unique sound environments in different spaces—all managed through the HEOS app. Its ability to pair with another unit also allows for a true stereo experience, transforming any room into a high-fidelity listening space.
Aesthetics for Any Space
Available in three finishes—Midnight Sky, Moon Ray, and Marantz Champagne—the Grand Horizon and its smaller counterpart, the Horizon, provide a distinct visual identity. Midnight Sky is dark and sleek, exuding sophisticated elegance for minimalist or modernist settings. Moon Ray, by contrast, is a bright, off-white finish that brings a subtle sparkle, ideal for spaces that value lightness and openness. Finally, Marantz Champagne adds warmth and luxurious charm, making it perfect for spaces seeking a more inviting and traditional touch.
What makes it special isn’t solely the material quality but also how each design decision serves form and function. The combination of woven Ecofiber and marble elements shows Marantz’s dedication to crafting a speaker that emphasizes the experience of seeing and touching as much as listening. This philosophy positions the Grand Horizon as more than an audio device but a versatile component of the home’s overall design.
Innovating Sound and Style
The Marantz Grand Horizon redefines what a high-end speaker can be, presenting itself as an acoustic marvel and a design masterpiece. Its unique circular form, sustainable luxury materials, customizable sound tuning, and thoughtful interactivity elevate the typical wireless speaker experience—it embodies Marantz’s blend of heritage and forward-thinking design in home audio.
From motion-activated LEDs to tactile controls in the gold accents, Marantz has crafted a speaker for those who view audio equipment as more than mere utility. It’s a convergence of technology, art, and sustainable design—a statement for any discerning listener seeking luxury without compromise.
The deejay console is a thing of marvel – it’s designed to be highly intuitive and accessible at any given moment. Think about it, you’re at the console, you’ve got a crowd of thousands in front of you. One mistake and the entire atmosphere of the room changes. Heavy stakes require heavy design intervention – which is why the deejay console is made the way it is. Controls and knobs are located precisely within grasp based on how important they are or how often you need them. If you’re working with a 4-deck set, the four discs are located in a 2×2 layout, so you don’t have to move around to change songs, load up tracks, or scratch beats. The deejay console encourages creativity and is built for impulsive mixing, scratching, and production where milliseconds matter.
The Impulse Cooktop, as its name suggests, is designed around this very concept too, with a format that emulates the 4-deck console. The four cooktops are laid out like spin discs on a console, with the control panel being right in the center, within reach, and with controls that are both intuitive and easy to operate. Here’s where things get even more interesting – the entire cooktop is designed to be electric, and run on a combination of a power outlet as well as batteries, working even during a power cut. Individual elements are modular and repairable, so cooking meals should be just about as easy and creativity-driven as cooking fire beats.
Designed by Studio Blond for Impulse Labs, the cooktop is made to plug and play right out of the box. Drop it into your worktop, plug it into a socket, and you’re ready to cook. Four knobs at the center control the four electric ‘burners’, while a display helps you understand how hot or cold your burner is. The text is big, has a high contrast, and is accompanied by visuals that help anyone grasp the temperature they’re cooking at. Unlike conventional burners or induction stove that just show flames or power levels, this display gives you actual temperature readings so you’re more well-informed while cooking. Meanwhile, an LED strip around each burner glows to let you know which burners are active and how hot they are. A white strip indicates low or sim, while a bright orange or red means your burner is on full power.
Touchscreens are fiddly, and deejay consoles don’t have them for that reason – everything should be so intuitive that you can work it with your eyes closed. Similarly, the Impulse ditches touch-sensitive screens for an all knob-based interface that feels much more grasp-worthy. You don’t need to worry about heat affecting the touch-sensitivity, or water/oil/gravy spilling on the screen and messing up your stove’s settings. The raised cooktop surfaces (which really look like spinning discs) prevent the heat from reaching the screen, and four minimalist knobs let you do all the controlling you need to. The knobs are removable too, leaving you with a flat plate that’s easy to wipe down between uses. The only thing really missing is a child lock and we’re absolutely perfect.
A winner of this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept in the Best of the Best category, the Impulse Cooktop combines visual appeal with true user-friendliness. It helps homes transition to 100% electrical energy, without a fuss. A power socket is all you need to run the cooktop, and if you’re in a place with frequent power cuts (like I am), an internal battery allows you to continue cooking even during a blackout – something that induction cooktops struggle to do. The modular design simplifies repair, upgrade, and disassembly, paving the way for future accessories too.
With short-form videos becoming extremely common these days, it's not unusual to discover new songs and artists from apps like TikTok and Instagram. Now, Instagram has started rolling out a Spotify integration that will let you add songs you hear from posts and Reels straight to the audio streaming app, 9to5Mac has reported. If an Instagram post uses a song, and it's linked at the bottom of the screen, tap on the song name to go to its audio preview page. There, you'll find a new button that says "Add" with the Spotify logo right next to the audio scrubber.
When you tap that Add button, the song will get added to the "Liked Songs" in your Spotify library. You'll have to link your Spotify account with your Instagram the first time you do it, but it becomes a one-tap process after that. The feature is now making its way to all users around the world. Back in August, mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi found another type of integration between the two apps in development. That feature would allow Instagram users to continuously share what they're listening to on Spotify, which would appear as notes on top of your profile picture.
TikTok has had the ability to add songs heard from videos to your music streaming library since last year. Its version of the feature works not just with Spotify, but also with Apple Music and Amazon Music.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/you-can-now-add-songs-to-spotify-straight-from-instagram-posts-120046609.html?src=rss
There's a certain level of fandom you hit when you research a band's tour set list before they come to your city. And some of us like to relive great concerts with some quick research on setlist.fm. The next logical step, once we're armed with this information, is to create a playlist on our preferred streaming service for quick access. Thanks to third-party options like Setify, the process is easy for Apple Music and Spotify users, but you still have to take the time to do it.
Apple Music has now given artists the ability to turn set lists into playlists thanks to info from tour info site Bandsintown. Once an artist has connected the two services, they can select the type of show in Apple Music for Artists (concert, tour or residency) and link it to upcoming dates on Bandsintown. From there, artists can set a publish date and use search to build out the playlist. These collections of songs can include original tunes the artist covers or collaborations with other acts. Apple Music allows unlimited set list playlists for past or future shows, but the service recommends that artists select a track listing that most accurately reflects the whole tour if they're making one for an entire run of dates.
Set lists playlists aren't entirely new on Apple Music. The service has been curating playlists for popular tours for a while now, like Zach Bryan's 2024 Quittin' Time Tour. What's more, Apple Music is touting this new tool as a promotional feature for artists, so there are a number of ways to share the playlists once they're live. However, it will also be a great item for fans who either want more info on the songs they can expect to hear, can't make it to a stop on a tour or want to relive the experience of seeing the band in person.
Of course, if one of your favorites doesn't hop on this bandwagon, you still have options for set list playlists. With Setify, you can link either Apple Music or Spotify and pull in data from setlist.fm in order to make your collections. It's not perfect, but it works well most of the time, and you can always adjust things in the streaming service apps if you need to further curate a playlist. I recently missed one of my all-time favorites at Furnace Fest, but thanks to this combo, I can at least get a small piece of Blindside playing through About a Burning Fire.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/apple-music-helps-artists-turn-concert-set-lists-into-playlists-133916684.html?src=rss
What if iPod Touch survived till today? Perhaps, it would have had evolved into a niche entertainment device–it was a niche product when it existed. Anyway, the music player is in the grave without a chance for resurrection, but that’s a little impediment for creators. No wonder, two designers believe the iPod Touch can be redesigned in the iPhone 16 design language, and this is what it would be. Read on!
Easily saying, if the iPod Touch continued to date, it would have been an iPhone-styled entertainment device with a focus on high-quality entertainment. It would have played games, streamed media in all forms, and would have been thriving on the integrated Apple ecosystem syncing seamlessly across smart home devices, Apple Watch and yeah, the AirPods.
This is far from how JUAN and wong have envisioned the iPod Touch (7th generation), which has been off the shelves and discontinued for the better part of three years now. The idea of their iPod Touch is pretty much the same device with slight hints of the latest iPhones, the iPhone 16 lineup. So, the overall dimensions of the 7th generation iPhone Touch remain unchanged.
The reworked iPod Touch retains the 4-unch Redina display on the front. But in the back, the iPhone look is pretty evident with the single Apple logo in the center. No iPod branding or any additional text information toward the bottom. The designers note that “the pop-out loop hanger button” has been revived to make that evident distinction of the iPod Touch from iPhones and iPads.
Taking a slight dig at Apple’s complacency or rigidness, if you may, to shift to the universal USB-C type charging slot, the designers have stuck with a Lightning connector for charging. Assuming if it were made, the iPod Touch would feature a Lightning connector because Apple “probably has plenty of stock still available.”
Despite AirPods being the most obvious choice to be used with the iPod Touch, JUAN and wong have not parted with the good old 3.5 headphone jack. Continuing on the back, the plastic antenna cap is visible. iPhones and iPod now have it in their frame, but the iPod is happy with it in the back. This would, the designers suggest, add to the iPod Touch’s identity and also be cost-effective to pull off!
