As nice as trendy know-how is, generally it may be a bit overwhelming. Smartphones right this moment are able to just about limitless duties and are light-years higher than cellular devices from a decade or two in the past. Still, it’s arduous to not have some nostalgia for “retro” gadgets just like the Palm Pilot, the primary Motorola Razr, or your trusty previous iPod.
While doomscrolling X the opposite evening, I noticed that Quinn Nelson of Snazzy Labs had posted a brief video about an iPhone app referred to as “My Classic – Retro Console” that guarantees to show your iPhone into an iPod Classic. It’s a really foolish concept, however at a one-time value of $3, it was low cost sufficient that I made a decision to attempt it for myself. After residing with my iPhone 16 reworked into an old-school iPod for a few day, I’m completely obsessive about it.
Using my iPhone like an iPod in 2024
So, what’s it like having an app flip your iPhone into an iPod? Honestly, it’s sort of wonderful. The interface is nearly equivalent to what you’ll see on an iPod Classic or an iPod Nano. The residence display screen exhibits choices for shuffling your songs, searching your music, seeing what’s at the moment taking part in, and some app settings (plus an choice to tip the developer).
You navigate the menu through the use of the digital scroll wheel, which vibrates and clicks to imitate the texture of an precise iPod scroll wheel shockingly properly. It feels unbelievable for searching artists and albums, however the true magic occurs whenever you open the Cover Flow view, which seems simply as unimaginable in 2024 because it did in 2007.
All of the music content material within the app is pulled out of your Apple Music library, together with your saved albums and playlists. If you choose the Shuffle Songs choice, it begins taking part in a shuffle playlist from all of the songs saved in your Apple Music library.
Objectively, that is nothing greater than one other interface for the Apple Music app. If you play a tune from the My Classic app and change to Apple Music, you’ll see it taking part in there, too. It’s not including any new options. If something, it’s a extra restricted means of interacting with Apple Music. You can’t seek for songs or discover music not already saved in your library.
However, that’s additionally why the app is so charming. Not solely is the interface and iPod Classic UI executed so completely, however being pressured to work together with my music in a less complicated means has been so refreshing.
It makes me focus extra on my music library with out being distracted by new releases or different really useful playlists. I’ve discovered myself listening to saved albums I’ve not performed in months as a result of, within the common Apple Music app, I sometimes take heed to really useful playlists or new albums. I don’t know if that’s good or unhealthy, however my music choices utilizing My Classic have been totally different.
How to show your iPhone into an iPod
Want to make use of this app to show your iPhone into an old-school iPod? Thankfully, it’s straightforward to do and solely prices $3. The My Classic app initially presents itself as a Game Boy simulator, but it surely takes simply a few faucets to activate the iPod interface. Here’s what you want to do:
- Open the App Store in your iPhone and seek for My Classic – Retro Console.
- Pay for the app and anticipate it to obtain.
- Select the Setting button.
- Select Device.
- Select My Classic.
A beautiful blast of tech nostalgia
In addition to the unimaginable execution of the My Classic app and the best way it makes you take heed to music, there’s additionally an plain nostalgia issue at play right here.
I grew up with a Third-generation iPod Nano. I acquired it as a Christmas reward one 12 months from my mother and father, and for a few years later (till I misplaced it), that iPod Nano was a gadget I used practically each single day. The interface of the My Classic app is precisely just like the one used on my previous Nano, so utilizing the applying has felt like teleporting again in time. It has introduced again reminiscences of me sitting on the laptop with my cousin and syncing songs from our iTunes accounts to our respective iPods. Or taking part in The Sims Bowling on automotive rides to high school. Not to say discovering artists like Green Day and Switchfoot for the primary time.
My iPod Nano went via loads with me, and having the ability to deliver again that have to my iPhone is actually one thing particular. Maybe I’m feeling significantly nostalgic due to the vacation season, however this is among the coolest cellular apps I’ve used this 12 months — and one I feel I’ll carry on my iPhone for some time to come back.
