Apple iPod prototype surfaces online, reveals one of the earliest designs for the product

iPod is one of Apple's most popular devices in the personal audio segment. While the first iPod was released back in 2001, it has been 20 years since the technology was developed and allowed people to store hundreds of songs in their pockets. As technology advanced, the dedicated device used for playing audio merged into what is known as iPhone today. Most recently, the images of an iPod's prototype have surfaced on the internet, with a completely different design and look than what the popular product looked like at its launch. 

The oddly designed iPod prototype includes a big case that houses a small display along with a large click wheel. Additionally, there are a few buttons on the device that are labelled 'up, down, left, right' and are probably used to navigate through the user interface of the device. While the device in the pictures does not look like a modern-day device, it is so large that it could fit at least six of the iPod's primitive devices. While it is not confirmed whether it is an Apple device, a report by Apple Insider was that the device could be one of the first working prototypes of iPod ever built by Apple, before the launch of the compact, pocketable device that shook the market. 

The photos are published by a developer called Panic on the 20th anniversary of the historical product that Apple pioneered - the iPod. The chunky prototype is said to be one of the first designs Apple came up with while developing the iPod. Although, it is not known how these pictures landed up with the developer who has posted them in a blog post. The circuitry and internal connections of the device are clearly visible in the image that has been shared online. Additionally, the case in which all different components are arranged is hollow, with a JTAG on the left-hand side of the device that might be used for debugging. These images were released by Panic to mark the 20th anniversary of the official Apple iPod, which was observed on October 23, 2021. 

Image: Panic