Urban Outfitters Takes It Back To Y2K By Retailing ‘Vintage’ And ‘Retro’ iPods
It looks like the saying “you always want what you can’t have” is true, especially in the case of Gen Z’s chasing the nostalgic high of gadgets from yesteryear.
In a recent attempt to have the (not-so-distant) past come hurtling back toward us, Urban Outfitters has begun to sell refurbished iPods.
Now, while that might not seem like the most outlandish thing ever, it’s the fact that the company has labeled them as “vintage retro tech” that has raised a few eyebrows. It surely can’t have been that long since iPods were a thing. Can it?
With the first iPod being introduced in 2001, it’s been just over two decades since it hit the market, and well under that since it left the scene in favor of smartphones being an all-encompassing gadget instead.
So, really, this might just be some clever marketing on Urban Outfitter’s end to grab the attention of some youngins who might have missed the chance to own an iPod when it was cool. Once news spread, it was safe to say that not everybody jumped at the chance to own one.
what circle of hell are we in that urban outfitters is selling iPod classics now
— chey (@little_vignette) October 21, 2023
Urban Outfitters had help from online retailer Retrospekt, which specializes in refurbishing old hardware, such as this carrot-themed Polaroid camera.
On the Urban Outfitter’s website, the fifth-generation iPod is being sold alongside the iPod Mini. Both will also house new batteries and come with deadstock wired Apple earphones because if you’re going back to analog devices, you might as well go all the way—that, and the earlier iPods didn’t have Bluetooth.
However, the problem isn’t a retrospective dive back into the tech that shaped our cultural landscape. It probably has something to do with the price. The fifth-generation iPod is being sold for US$350. The iPod Mini is going for US$190, which, according to 9to5Mac, was only sold for US$99 (US$158 with today’s inflation) when it first came out.
why is urban outfitters selling a 5th generation iPod for $349????? pic.twitter.com/VwPWL9so3t
— christina (@17cityblocks) October 22, 2023
The appeal of these analog devices isn’t lost on consumers. The demand for gadgets of yesteryears mirrors a broader trend—there’s a growing fascination with older technology, not just among older generations but Gen Z too. From disposable cameras to thrifting and vinyl records, there’s an appreciation for the simplicity and authenticity of the Y2K era.
[via Mashable and Gizmodo, images via Urban Outfitters]
