Very good note, but I think that Apple has had more of an old electronic product like inspiration source. Not only in its design, but in the concept behind the product itself. Remember, without going so far, the Walkman from Sony.

I had an Hitachi transistor radio in ’58. I was an American military dependent in Japan at the time so they were cheaper than in the USA–but there wasn’t much to listen to–still I had to have one. There is no question in my mind that the iPod was the new ‘transistor’, not only technologically but also socially–transistor radios were ‘cool’. They were used with a mono ‘ear bud’ or by holding the speaker up to your ear.

I think the design similarity is likely produced by functional necessities and available technologies rather than a direct influence. Neither would have sold if they were any bigger. There has to be room to select music and show the selection; the radios had to have a speaker, the iPods a larger display…. As technology evolved, there was a whole series of advancing pocket-sized entertainment–now we even have apps on similar sized devices.

For quality audio, reel-to-reel tape recorders were gigantic, very expensive, but beyond cool. In 1959 or 60 I listened to a pirated version of Belafonte at Carnegie Hall played on an Akai (Roberts) reel-to-reel at a crowded coffee shop in Harajuku. Later I bought the vinyl album, then the cassette. Recently, I bought it on iTunes so I could listen to it on my iPhone and in my car. So even the super-cool reel-to-reel seems to have been replaced by a pocket device. [Also, I think pirating hasn't changed, at lease in principle!]

Now that I think of it, a two-sided 45 with two songs (one crap) cost $1 in 1957. That seems not to have changed (much) either. The Belafonte album cost maybe $10. Music seems to cost less now, is similar quality, and playable anywhere on a pocket device–along with podcasts, videos, camera, and apps (including PDA apps, book readers, and games)–and some can double as a phone.

What’s next?

Did Mr. Ives use them for inspiration? Very doubtful. They are just products that happen to share common traits to the iPod, a posteriori.

Dig deep enough and you’ll find common traits among many products. Did they inspire each other? Again, doubtful. Dials and nobs have been around for a very long time now.

As for inspiration… who knows that inspires people. I’ve been inspired by the oddest and most adjacent item (e.g., a bar of soap later served as a corporate logo). I would bet dollars to donuts that Ive’s was inspired by items that share absolutely nothing with mobile media playback. The human mind works in wondrous ways and artists (usually great ones) really push the envelope on what moves them.

This article is actually rather childish (and a little myopic). Actually, let me rephrase that. It oozes a child-like whimsy.

Haha, I like the design of the Sonys (1st picture) much more than the iPods.