The Walkman is one of the most generation-defining pieces of technology that became a must-have when traveling back in the 80s till the early 2000s when the iPod came out and essentially dethroned it for good.
However, the Walkman has evolved and is here to stay for the long run, with the device taking a more modern appearance and functionality - a drastic change from the CD-reading days of yore.
But did you know that Sony, the company responsible for the Walkman's creation, released the first walkman on this day 43 years ago?
In this picture taken on July 10, 2019, various models of Sony Walkman audio players are displayed at an exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the iconic device, in Tokyo. - Must-have 80s gadget and one-time icon of Japan electronics cool, Sony's Walkman turned 40 this year and like its now middle-aged fans, is clinging to its youth with high-tech updates.
Sony Walkman - A Brief History
That's right. The Walkman came out in 1979. Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka wanted to "listen to music in stereo on an airplane while traveling abroad," per Sony's official website. This thought eventually led the company to develop and manufacture the first Walkman, the TPS-L2, which used cassette tapes to play audio.
It was also compact and lightweight, making it the ideal traveling companion for any kind of travel.
However, Sony mentioned that it wasn't confident that the first-generation Walkman personal stereos would sell as it did not have the ability to record.
The Verge mentioned that the TPS-L2 had a disappointing first month, but it nevertheless became a huge success; so much so that its introduction into the consumer market proposed new lifestyles that eventually became popular worldwide.
Sony then improved on the first Walkman with the introduction of the WM-2.
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If you thought the TPS-L2 couldn't be lighter than it already was, you'd be wrong - Sony managed to make the WM-2 lighter than the TPS-L2, and it now has an anti-rolling mechanism that reduces the speed changes that occurs when the Walkman is moved or carried, per Walkman Central.
In time, with various technological advancements paving the way for better features, the Walkman discarded its cassette tape player for a CD player. However, the product Sony came up with was a far cry from what most people alive would recognize as the quintessential Walkman design.
The first disc-operated Walkman came in 1992, when the Walkman of the time, the MZ-1, used mini-discs to stay portable. Sony mentioned that it was resistant to vibrations when carried; the vibrations caused the MZ-1 to skip tracks occassionally, which became a problem over time.
It wasn't until 1999 that the Walkman we know came into being, with the gadget foregoing the mini-sics in favor of the big ones. It also featured "G-protection" anti-skip technology that prevented audio from skipping.
The Walkman's Legacy
Despite the Walkman's success, the introduction of the iPod and other mp3 players effectively made it obsolete., per Mercury News. Unlike the Walkman, an iPod doesn't skip like it does, and it is much more portable - Walkmen couldn't be attached to the arm while jogging while an iPod can.
Despite being dethroned, the Walkman essentially was the pioneer that eventually inspired the iPod and iPhone's creation, and even if it is no longer around in the form we know, it is still living on through another form.
Sony is still manufacturing the Walkman, but instead of cassette tapes and CDs, it is now used as a digital media player for streaming audio and video, as evidenced by the company's A100 Walkman.
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