Dear Tim Cook: Please bring back the iPod.

The Gen 3 Apple iPod, one of the greatest devices known to man. It just so happened to be the one I owned.)Mario Tama/ Getty imagesTim Cook, are you reading? If so, I have a message: Apple should bring back the iPod!Parents of kids and young teens are yearning for a device that plays music, but isn't a phone.That's where a new iPod could come in. It'd be much better than the MP3 players out there nowDear Tim Cook,I understand why Apple discontinued the iPod in 2022. The way most people listen to music has changed since the iPod reshuffled the music industry in 2001. I get it, I do.And yet. I need you to consider this request. Please bring back the iPod!Even if a new iPod might not generate the same sales it did a decade ago, there is still a hardcore demographic out there, absolutely desperate for the iPod: parents. Trust me.In any parenting Facebook group — or, really, across all social media — the desire for an old-school iPod keeps coming up."I want something like an iPod-type thing," one parent pleaded on Facebook recently. "No internet access, no messaging, nothing … just a way for him to listen to music of his choice while on the bus to school. I'm kinda coming up short with my search."Why parents want a phone-free music playerMany parents are worried about the potential harm that can come from using social media — and phones — and are choosing to restrict their kids' and teens' access to screens or hold off on giving them a phone.But how can we give our kids access to music without giving them access to an entire phone's worth of apps, or a phone at all? (That's where you come in, Tim.)Unfortunately, most adults aren't active CD or record buyers, and we listen to music through streaming services like Spotify (and Apple Music, of course).Apple CEO Tim Cook: Just think of how happy you'd make parents — and others looking for a less-connected way of life — if you brought back the iPod.Unique Nicole/WireImageThis leaves music-loving kids in the lurch: How can they listen to their favorite tunes? We can all agree that it's character-building and healthy for a middle schooler to start developing their own musical tastes and listen to music of their own choice.And as much as we parents might wax nostalgic for the days of downloading viruses from Kazaa onto the family computer, or taping songs off the radio onto a cassette tape, we don't actually want to send our kids back into the Dark Ages. We just want a music player that doesn't also have Snapchat.The post-iPod options are crummyParents seem to have come up with a variety of solutions that seem to vary in success. Here's some of what I've heard parents are using:An actual CD player/boombox and CDs.The Yoto player, a device made for young kids that plays audiobooks and music through credit card-sized cards you insert into the speaker device.A cheapo MP3 player from Amazon, of which there are a wide variety at various price points and with a variety of features like touchscreens or video.The Mighty, a screen-free portable music player designed for kids that can sync Spotify playlists offline.A vintage iPod on eBay. Urban Outfitters even sold refurbished ones in 2023 as retro tech.Although these are all interesting options, there doesn't seem to be one single solution for everyone. Older kids and teens might find the Yoto too babyish to bring on the bus, for example. Some of the MP3 players out there have poor Amazon reviews for crummy software or low battery life. Like this one:"I'm trying to find an easy-to-use MP3 player for my 8-year-old. I bought a non-brand one off Amazon, and it's awful. The music can't be organized; it's just one big playlist," a parent wrote in a Facebook group. Basically, I want an original iPod from 2005, lol."There seems to be a gap in the market for a product with an elegant design, top-notch firmware, and baked-in compatibility with a large, familiar music library.A small, white, clickwheel-sized gap, perhaps. You know … like something Apple might make?The company didn't respond to my question about whether it would bring back the iPod or forward my request to Mr. Cook, so I have no choice but to ask him, right here:Tim, you have the power. Make us happy again. Give us the iPod!Perhaps we can cyberbully Apple with some highly unscientific market research: Would you buy an iPod if it came back?Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

Brexit impact on UK economy will be negative for foreseeable future, Bailey warns

Independent

Comments

Similar News

Opinion: Reeves's failure to cut the benefits bill is costing Britain dear

Wealthy pay a heavy price: Reeves's failure to cut the benefits bill is costing Britain dear, says ALEX BRUMMER

London's awful 5G performance is costing the capital dear

Business News

Brexit impact on UK economy will be negative for foreseeable future, Bailey warns

2025 F1 United States Grand Prix Sprint Results: Verstappen Wins, McLaren Suffers Double Disaster

AEW WrestleDream 2025 Match Card, Start Time, Odds And Where To Stream

Want To Build Food Resilience? Start By Making Jam

Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ Rallies Begin In Thousands Of U.S. Cities (Photos)

I love having an identical twin. It's such a privilege.

Brexit impact on UK economy ‘negative for foreseeable future,’ Bailey says

What To Watch This Weekend: New Shows And Movies To Stream On Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV And More

NYT Connections Today: Hints And Answers For Sunday, October 19 (#861)

How James Bond Can Be Reinvigorated By Amazon MGM

Formula 1 Standings 2025: Which Drivers Have The Best Shot At The Title?

Will There Be ‘The Diplomat’ Season 4? How Season 3’s Twist Ending Sets It Up

The Snobs’ Attack On Gold Is Failing, Thanks To Bitcoin

Asked About ‘Boots,’ The Pentagon Cites Netflix ‘Woke Garbage’

What Happened To Ajike Owens? The Disturbing True Story Behind ‘The Perfect Neighbor’

Paramount Skydance to cut 2,000 jobs starting final week of October: report

Lithium Battery Fire Aboard Air China Flight Forces Emergency Landing

Developing Rosebank oil field ‘pure climate vandalism’, Scottish Green insists

Developing Rosebank oil field ‘pure climate vandalism’, Scottish Green insists

Why ‘The Diplomat’ Should Be The Model For All Netflix Shows

Mega Millions Jackpot Rises To $650 Million—Here’s How Much The Winner Could Take Home After Taxes

‘This new £7 glow-boosting skin tint instantly makes me look less tired’

The most iconic food in every state

I hadn't seen my sister for 2 years. We met in Liechtenstein to reconnect.

My stay at a luxury villa in Orlando was a wildly good value. I had a private pool and easy access to Disney World.

Regan Smith Takes Down American Record At Swimming World Cup

NFL 2025 Week 7 Fantasy Football Top DFS Single Entry And GPP Stacks

Justin Bieber Charts Another Pop Radio No. 1 — Which Superstars Does He Tie?

Sabrina Carpenter Scores New Top 10 Hits — And She Had Help From The World’s Biggest Star

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Is Catching Up To Rosé’s Historic Radio Success

Chris Jericho Could Be Next Marquee AEW Star To Leave For WWE

Danny Garcia Vs. Daniel Gonzalez: Odds, Records, Prediction

'I've cleaned my floors three times this week after buying Shark steam mop'

DWP officials to be given power to view claimants' bank details under new law

Molly-Mae Hague's 'stunning' Tom Ford perfume is down to £5 in money-saving deal

Amazon cuts 33% off a dehumidifier recommended for 'battling condensation and damp'

Martin Lewis advice could lead to free £400 'before Christmas'

This hot chocolate advent calendar saves you £2 a day on fancy takeaway drinks

All employees urged to check 3 vital details on their payslips

'VIP airport lounge staff gave us half price - here's how to do it'

The best advice I ever got about work-life balance came from a past boyfriend's mom. It's shaped my life for 2 decades.

I visited a 'haunted' 18th-century mansion in New York City and saw things I couldn't fully explain

7 celebrities who competed at Miss USA, including Olivia Culpo and Halle Berry

Opinion: Susan Stamberg gave NPR its voice

Ofcom orders BBC to air on TV finding that Gaza film broke broadcasting rules

What The Outcome Of Trump’s Meeting With Zelensky Means For Putin

Taylor Swift Passes Ariana Grande With Her New Chart-Topping Smash

$15 Billion Bitcoin Seizure Exposes Challenges For US Crypto Reserve Strategy

From Stay-At-Home Mom To Comedy Star, How Zarna Garg Turns Punchlines Into Profits

Hit Netflix Show Returns With Peak Worldwide Interest

Saturday, October 18. Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine

The Marvel Show Which Cost Just $30 Million To Make

Rasmus Hojlund’s Napoli Revival Is A Cautionary Tale For Man United

‘I’ve resisted buying a pricey heated airer by doing this clever free trick instead’

Every Nationwide branch that's staying open until at least 2028

Martin Lewis's superb radiator hack costs less than £10 but could save tonnes on heating bills

'I was love-bombed by a Somalia doctor on Facebook - then forced into sick blood oath'

YouTube steps up its shopping game with help from influencers

11 of Taylor Swift's best lyrical burns

I got married for the first time at 76 after finding my true love. It's never too late.