Apple's Best Invention

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Hey honeys and hustlers,

As a long-time Apple ecosystem hater, I am now mature enough to admit: Apple has invented some incredible products. Their minimal design language is a staple of calm but powerful tech. Made for the makers. They brought us RSS for free, and Apple Podcasts is still free for creators and audio consumers. They brought us the iPhone (albeit still not my favorite). They brought us the custom M-chip-based computer series, which is behind my daily workhorse. The M1 MacBook still holds up after all these years. If that wasn’t enough, they brought us the most robust version of spatial computing in the Apple Vision Pro. AirPods brought in more revenue than Twitter and Spotify combined in 2024. They even used to make furniture. WWDC happened earlier this month, and I’m at a tech conference now, so I thought, “Why not talk about what I believe is their best product ever?”

P.S. We’re almost halfway through the year! I’ll be sharing my reflections from the first half of the year in next Thursday’s newsletter. I’m taking the weekend off so that I can give myself the time it takes to write a meaningful piece. Okay, I may also binge-watch The Bear, sue me.

Apple's Best Invention

Tech innovations seem to be announced every week. A new LLM here. A new update in machine learning there. A new AI wearable is somewhere else. Sometimes it's worth looking back at the products that truly changed everything. While the iPhone might get all the glory today, I'd argue that Apple's most revolutionary product was actually its predecessor: the iPod. When the iPod launched in 2001, Steve Jobs didn't just introduce a new MP3 player—he fundamentally changed how we consume music. "1,000 songs in your pocket" wasn't just a catchy slogan; it was a paradigm shift that made music truly portable in a way that even the Walkman couldn't achieve.

The iPod's design language—simple, intuitive, elegant—became Apple's north star for decades to follow. That clickwheel wasn't just functional; it was fun. The smooth white face, the satisfying click as you scrolled through your library—these tactile experiences created an emotional connection that today's touchscreens, for all their functionality, often lack.

What made the iPod truly revolutionary wasn't just the hardware—it was how Apple used it to build an ecosystem. iTunes changed the music industry forever, legitimizing digital music at a time when piracy threatened to collapse the entire business model (RIP Limewire). The iPod wasn't just a device; it was the cornerstone of a new way to discover, purchase, and experience music.

In our hyperconnected, notification-filled world, there's something appealing about a device that does just one thing perfectly. I think Apple could easily bring the iPod back and transform the iPod into something even more magical:

• Expanded storage that could hold literally every song or downloaded podcast you'd ever want, without the need for wi-fi or a cell signal

• Weeks of battery life using modern power management

• High-fidelity audio that would make audiophiles swoon

• Physical controls that don't require looking at a screen

• A distraction-free music and podcast-listening experience in an age of constant interruption

• The ability to create shareable playlists for podcast episodes and songs

The Design That Defined an Era

While Apple discontinued the iPod line in 2022, its DNA lives on in every product Apple makes. The focus on simplicity, the marriage of hardware and software, the emphasis on creating emotional experiences through technology—these principles all trace back to that first white rectangle with a clickwheel.

The iPhone may have changed mobile computing forever, and the Vision Pro might be Apple's most ambitious product yet, but the iPod remains their most perfect invention—a device that did exactly what it promised, delighted millions, and changed culture forever. Or, at least, it changed me forever. I’m sure that going for a walk without my phone is the key to all of life’s wonders and wisdoms, but nothing will ever beat the feeling of going for a walk, setting your music library on shuffle, and listening uninterrupted with plug-in earbuds. Minimal but meaningful. Surprising and delightful. I think I’ve been chasing this exact experience ever since, in life and in work.

Was the iPod Apple's greatest creation, or does another product deserve that title? Is there a product from Apple that has fundamentally improved your creativity or creative workflow? I'd love to hear your thoughts.