If You Miss Your Old iPod, This Free Android App Is For You
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People tend to remember the first portable music player they ever owned, and the first-generation iPod was a common first choice for many consumers at the time of its release. To this day, nostalgia-prone Apple customers hope for a rerelease of the iPod, wishing Apple might someday apply modern engineering to its classic media players. Luckily, iPod enthusiasts can download an Android app that can fill the iPod-shaped void in their lives: ClassiPod.
Developed by Adeeteya, ClassiPod is a free music player designed to emulate the original iPod listening experience. With the tagline "Your Timeless Audio Experience," ClassiPod brings the iconic iPod Classic interface directly to your phone. The interface integrates several popular iPod features, including the gone-but-not-forgotten click wheel.
When Apple discontinued the iPod line in 2022, it closed the 21-year chapter that had seen it grow from a computer hardware manufacturer to one of the world's most influential tech giants. For most consumers, the end of the iPod was of little concern. But as is the case with many technological advancements, something was lost along the way: tactile, distraction-free immersion into a world of music mediated by the iPod Shuffle Gods themselves. Can ClassiPod replicate that experience?
The ClassiPod app delivers on both form and function
ClassiPod recreates the iPod Classic interface by dividing your phone screen into a miniature screen at the top and a sound-enabled click wheel on the bottom. Because ClassiPod can run offline, users can play their local music libraries without connectivity issues or distractions. ClassiPod automatically reads local music files, which bodes well for those who have built offline digital music collections. According to the app developer's GitHub page, compatible audio formats include .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .flac, .m4a, and .aac files.
Once downloaded, users can browse their music library in ways that recall the classic iPod experience, complete with the standout horizontal album art scrolling feature. The app also resurrects more subtle features, like star ratings for songs and "On The Go" playlists. Users can also customize the app's look by toggling between different iPod colors and click wheel sizes, although some users — such as YouTuber Sam Beckman — have reported quality dips when using brighter iPod skins. Further customization, from disabling touchscreen capabilities to changing click wheel sensitivity, is also available. The app's immersive mode offers a full-screen experience, but users can also enable the split-screen view feature native to the 6th- and 7th-gen iPod Classic models.
The app is largely well-received by users
ClassiPod users love the app's blend of nostalgia and practicality. Garnering 4.4 stars across nearly 500 reviews and more than 10,000 downloads on Google Play, ClassiPod has earned itself a good reputation. The app has seen enough success to be covered on social media by popular YouTube content creators. However, some users have reported issues with the app's library scanning functionality, while others have expressed frustration with being unable to choose specific music directories to include in media scans. Fortunately, Adeeteya actively addresses user concerns and welcomes user contributions via GitHub. The developer also claims to have several additional features in the works, including iPod-style games, lyrics support, photo viewers, and video support.
As it stands, the open-source app is available on Google Play, F-Droid, and GitHub, where users can also find helpful download guides, feature updates, and troubleshooting tips. The app is not yet available on the App Store, so iPhone users will instead have to consider iPod hardware alternatives like the AiMoonsa Music Player, the JadeAudio/FiiO JM21, or the HiBy Digital M300. But in the meantime, Android users can rejoice and reclaim the long-lost pleasures of the iPod's immersive, minimalist experience.