Of all the things you do with your iOS devices, listening to music is probably still one of the most common reasons you reach for them. The iPod isn’t dead; it just got lost in a sea of other features. But you could make it the star of the show again with this tiny case that (sort of) transforms your Apple Watch back into one of Apple’s most iconic creations.
Korean designer Yeonsoo Kang recently published this goofy concept design she created for Caseology of a non-functional silicone case for the Apple Watch Series 4. The case turns the wearable into a more pocketable, touchscreen music player that’s reminiscent of Apple’s old click wheel iPod.
The scroll wheel on the Pod Case doesn’t actually work, it’s just there for aesthetics and nostalgia’s sake, but you can still control music playing off or through the Apple Watch using its touchscreen or a pair of wirelessly connected earbuds like the AirPods.
Treating an Apple Watch like it wasn’t made just for your wrist reminds us of the all-touchscreen sixth generation iPod Nano, which many people wore strapped to their wrists as a makeshift smartwatch before Apple officially jumped into that market. The Pod Case is essentially that in reverse, turning a robust smartwatch back into a portable media player.
As to when you might be able to buy one? On Behance the Pod Case is credited to both Kang as well as Caseology, which already makes cases for smartphones and the Apple Watch. In an email to Gizmodo, Yeonsoo Kang promises the Pod Case is actually “coming soon,” so the old-school iPod might live again… kind of.