Just over a year ago, Steve Jobs presented the iPod Nano 6th edition. Which is still one of the world’s strangest products. I couldn’t afford the iPod Nano back then, but in 2019, I bought the sixth-generation iPod Nano (16GB) for Rs 3000. I finally had the chance to charge my iPod and add my favorite tunes last week. I’ve been glued to this ancient iPod since then.
In my perspective, the Nano 6th generation is a more mature iPod Shuffle. I mistook the iPod Nano 6th generation for an iPod when I initially tried it. I used to equate iPods with either a click-wheel or multi-touch interface, as seen on the iPod Touch, for a long time. The sixth-generation iPod Nano does not like any of the iPods I own.
A tiny 1.5-inch touchscreen made of aluminum and a big clip replaced the click-wheel, putting it closer to the iPod Shuffle. I can clip the iPod to my shirt or pocket and you won’t even notice it’s there.I like a device that is tiny, elegant, and easy to use. Three physical buttons, a headphone jack, and a 30-pin connector for USB computer interface and charging are all located on the top of the device.
There are no controls on the screen to control playback or change music; instead, you must activate the screen (more on that later). With the sixth-generation iPod Nano, Apple made the switch to a touchscreen, which I thought was a smart move. On my iPhone and iPad in 2022, I was able to use the Nanos app. Using the interface is quick and straightforward, despite the fact that the screen is small and the display lacks multi-touch buttons (the device only has one two-finger gesture).
Because there is no home button. You can return to the home screen by swiping left or holding it in the middle of the screen. Finding the music takes more taps and presses without the click-wheel. But the interface is never cluttered. The ‘traditional’ interface of the Nano is beautiful, yet it is lacking in functionality (sorry, no apps support here). When the iPod Nano 6th generation was released. Accessory companies started producing wrist watches. And I was able to simply move icons about, alter current playlists, and make new ones. I’m not sure if you recall?
On paper, the iPod Nano watch piqued my interest, and I pondered ordering a compatible wristband online. The nano effortlessly slides into the band, allowing full access to all buttons and the nano’s headphone port. For a week, I wore the iPod Nano watch on my wrist, mostly on a morning walk. The iPod Nano watch is a fantastic piece of kit that works well without a companion device.
The 18 watch faces, including Mickey Mouse, are still awe-inspiring. The real reason for the iPod Nano watch’s existence is that it can be used as a fitness tracker. Although Nike+ fitness does not offer advanced fitness tracking, it does include basic statistics like step count, distance traveled, and a personalized calorie count, which I find useful. Keep in mind that Apple released the sixth-generation Nano in 2010, four years before the Apple Watch.
The sixth-generation iPod Nano, in retrospect, was the first indication that Apple was working on a smartwatch. Apple began combining digital watch faces as well as fitness functions into an iPod. That was already familiar to consumers, rather than rushing and delivering a half-baked device like everyone else at the time.
I want to make my life easier. So I avoid using social media and limit how much time I spend on my phone. The sixth-generation iPod is similar to my morning companion. A little, light device that not only plays music (with excellent recording quality) but also gives me the date and counts my steps. I would have brought my iPod Touch for my morning stroll. But instead, I chose the iPod Nano 6th generation since I wanted an iPod that would be nearly unnoticeable in my purse. That was searching for something compact and portable with a built-in clip, despite the fact that the iPod Nano 6th generation lacks Wi-Fi, app capability, and video playback.
I have no desire to stare at a screen on my phone first thing in the morning, nor do I need to know what’s going on in other people’s lives, such as who traveled to the Maldives, who wore what last night, or what happened on the most recent episode of Shark Tank. I’ll admit that I didn’t pay attention to this issue for a long time.
