There was a time when the audio cassette/Sony Walkman were everything. Before there was iPod, there was Sony Walkman. The portable cassette player allowed everyone to listen to music like never before. Sony changed the game in the 70s by introducing the ultra-lightweight portable tape player. Masaru Ibuka is the mastermind behind the very first Walkman. He wanted to create a device that allowed him to listen to music while traveling. Thus, he came up with the Sony Walkman. It was the perfect size. It was named different things in different markets.
Technology
The Walkman was the perfect size at the time of its launch. It was about the size of a cassette tape. The initial product was inspired by the tape recorder. It was made using aluminium and had a metal case that was silver and blue in color. The later editions went on to feature a black plastic casing. The first Walkman was available for $150. It took a few months until it became a huge success. Sony promoted its product through marketing and communication.
The headphones were designed to be comfortable to wear and were lightweight. This allowed people to use the product on the go. Since earphones used to be much bulkier and heavier during that time, Sony normalized the concept of wearing headphones while walking and moving about. Thus, the device changed how we listen to music entirely. People could finally listen to music whenever and wherever they wanted. This resulted in music becoming more personal as people listened to music on their own.
History
The first Sony Walkman was created in 1979. The co-founder of the company wanted something more portable than the existing TC-D5 cassette player. Hence, the Sony designer created a prototype by focusing on improving the Pressman cassette recorder of Sony. Despite disappointing sales during the first few months, the Walkman catapulted Sony to new heights. It led to the transitioning of formats from CD to streaming music. According to Sony, more than four hundred million Walkmans have been sold. The device was only discontinued in 2010 after a long run. It managed to earn billions of dollars for Sony. It allowed Sony to test new products and continue to push through by launching newer products.
Is The Audio Cassette/Sony Walkman Still Used Today?
The heyday of the audio cassette/ Sony Walkman might be over. However, there are still many 90s enthusiasts who continue to use them to relive the glory of that period, a time when everything was possible. Kids today are disgusted and baffled by the difficulty of using cassettes. However, it was the Walkman that created the habit of listening to music on the go. It evolved the changing mediums. From, CDs to MP3 to music streaming, things might have changed, but, it was the Walkman that brought the most innovative ideas. Sony still refers to its music app as the Walkman. It shows just how much pride the company takes in its innovative product.
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