Dear Tim,
I purchased my first Apple product, an HP branded iPod, in 2004. I bought a PowerBook G4 in 2005 and have never looked back. I've been an Apple customer ever since, purchasing several iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches. Like many others, I have joined the App Store craze and become part of a global community. My journey with Apple mirrors the journey of many of our users. I like Apple products.
But I think we've accelerated technological advancement too quickly, with products designed to take our attention away from the real world. These worries weighed on my soul and led me to stop wearing my Apple Watch a few years ago. Not because it's not a great product, but because I'm tired of constant connectivity.
I've been using Macs for work since 2008 and have accumulated thousands of hours of usage time. Working from home means I'm online more often than I'd like. When I get home from work, I use my iPhone and AirPods to listen to podcasts, listen to Apple Music, or enjoy Audible audiobooks. The past 15 years have felt like living in a world of constant connectivity and I've been exhausted. This fatigue is not limited to me. Mental health statistics in the United States paint a grim picture, especially among teens and young adults.
A few weeks ago, my family and I spent time at Disney World. It was depressing to see people watching their lives through their iPhones. Are you riding? Selfie. Standing in line? Scroll through social media. Do you eat lunch? There is a screen on your face. Anyone living in 2004 will not be aware of the world in 2024. But we know this isn't the world Apple dreamed of. We are addicted to our devices. We're addicted to the dopamine hit. A 5-minute YouTube video is too long. Now you need a 15-second TikTok video. Forget about watching an entire movie without scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. We all know something is wrong. We all know this cannot continue. You need to disconnect. We have to be away from connection for long periods of time. We need rest. You need rest for your mental health.
I knew this was necessary, so I started thinking about change. I wanted to turn back time. I wanted to immerse myself in music. Music, Tim, has been at the core of Apple's past. Yes, Apple Music is a great service. It's amazing value. Think of it as part of the Internet. It's part of the connection. I didn't want an app. I wanted an album. I wanted to enjoy it my I wanted to listen to music like I used to, so I bought an iPod classic 7th generation with a new battery and SSD drive.
There is no Bluetooth. There is no Wi-Fi. It's a pain to use. The device is slow. Syncing music on your Mac feels outdated. Music sounds much worse than an iPhone with AirPods Pro. Technically anything that involves using an iPod in 2024 is a huge step backwards, but I love it. I love everything about it. I love scrolling through my albums. I love running without my iPhone. When I'm done, my iPhone stays on my desk. If someone calls, I will answer. Otherwise my evenings are smartphone-free. When I'm doing laundry, I pick an album I haven't listened to in years and press play. I am rediscovering my love for music. I'm falling in love with music again. This is the apple I fell in love with. This is the apple that the world discovered 20 years ago. Extract, blend, bake. $9.99 album, $.99 track, sync via USB. Ditching my iPhone for music and audiobooks has been good for my soul. It was very good for my mental health. I broke an addiction I didn't know I had. Outside of work hours, I go for hours without checking email, social media, etc. When work is done offline.
Team, today's society needs offline space. You have to touch the grass. We need vitamin D. We need to break free from the dopamine addiction to what we like, what we eat, and everything related to it. Apple unwittingly brought us to the state of the world today. Now it's time for Apple to lead the way. Let’s normalize disconnection. Let's normalize long periods of use without Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or pull-to-refresh.
Using an iPod in 2024 won't be as seamless, but I know it requires my soul, mind, and heart, so I choose to use something that's technically worse. Most people won't go on that trip. Tim, what will the iPod look like in 2024? I don't think it will be much different from the iPod Classic I currently use. Form factor. UI. experience. Everything was perfect then, and it can be perfect again. It may also work with Apple Music as long as you sync it to your Mac once a month to confirm your subscription. Let's go offline. Put thousands of songs back in your pocket. Let's get the iPod back and start a conversation about the benefits of staying away from everything online for a long time.
Let's fall in love with music for a new generation
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