Quick Summary
The TinyPod case takes your Apple Watch and makes it work like an iPod, scroll wheel included. It's a great way to re-use an ageing Apple Watch and it's relatively cheap at US $79.99.
If like me you miss the iPod, a new case can deliver the next best thing: a TinyPod. The TinyPod takes an Apple Watch and adds an iPod-style case complete with scroll wheel. And the result is more capable than the iPod ever was, because it retains Apple Watch features such as cellular data and Apple Pay.
There are two versions of TinyPod: the standard model and a scroll wheel-free TinyPot Lite. It's available in three sizes: 40/41mm, 44/45mm and 49mm, so it's compatible with the Apple Watch Series 4 onwards and the Apple Watch Ultra, and it'll be shipping later this summer. The TinyPod is $79.99 and the Lite is $29.99; UK prices haven't been announced yet.
Why the TinyPod could be an excellent iPod
The scroll wheel of the standard TinyPod fits onto the Digital Crown of your Apple Watch, so when you scroll the wheel it scrolls the crown. That means you can use all the apps on your Watch but in a different case, so if your Apple Watch is the cellular model you can leave your iPhone at home and still be connected, stream Apple Music, use Apple Pay and so on. You can still listen to music with the GPS-only version but of course you're limited to the on-board storage, which is bigger than early iPods' storage but still isn't huge.
Because you need to disable wrist detection in order for the TinyPod to work, you get even better battery life than when your watch is on your wrist. And the case supports the same wireless charging as your watch so you don't need another cable or charger.
I think this is a really clever idea, and it's a good way to rescue upgraded Apple Watches from landfill: if like me you're expecting to buy the Apple Watch Series 10 later this year after a couple of years without an upgrade, you're probably aware that older Apple Watches don't have huge resale or trade-in values – so repurposing your existing one as an iPod or distraction-free iPhone is a really useful thing to do.
As with any clever-looking gadget the proof will be in the pudding: if the scrolling doesn't work as smoothly as in the promo videos or there are other irritations then we won't know about them until people actually get their hands on the TinyPod. But so far it looks like a genuinely innovative way to make your Apple Watch even more fun.
