I picked up this cheap MP3 player, and it freed me from my phone so often, I wish I'd got it sooner

Date:
Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Description:
I ditched music on my phone for this cheap MP3 player and two weeks on, I wish I'd done it sooner

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter I didnt realise how much I missed owning an iPod until I held something that felt exactly like one.

The Innioasis Y1 music player is pretty much as close to a carbon-copy iPod Classic as you can imagine and when another member of the team recently dug their original out of an old shoe box , the whole team got jealous. Here, in this dupe that launched in December 2025, youre getting the click wheel navigation (right down to the optional clicky sound), a similar interface and comparable size and weight. Im honestly a bit surprised Apple s lawyers
havent noticed. Article continues below You may like Oakcastle MP300 review: the super-cheap MP3 player that can The best MP3 players and hi-res audio players The 'RePod' turns your 'forgotten' Apple Watch into an iPod (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) In almost every meaningful way, this is a clone of the iPod Classic device Apple killed off over a decade ago although it's true that the last surviving iPod Touch was only consigned to oblivion in
2022 (and some people are still trading those avidly, online).

The joy of Innioasis' tiny gadget isnt only the muscle memory and nostalgia (even if thats definitely a big part of its charm), though; its that it helps promote a different relationship with your music. Its not promising the
higher quality audio that other players charge thousands for, its more about being an affordable, fun and convenient way to listen to music offline and without distractions. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) It looks exactly like an iPod and that's the point If you not-so-secretly yearn to have an iPod again, grabbing the Y1 is probably a better idea than attempting to sift through the world of refurbished iPods . With those, youd still be buying old hardware, plus refurbished iPods are still pricey, and you may not get the convenience of Bluetooth or USB-C connectivity, depending on how theyve been modified.

The Y1 is cheap $60/50 for 64GB of storage, or a tenner more for 128GB it connects via USB-C and is as easy-to-use as it gets. You just connect it to your laptop, it shows up as a storage drive, and you then drag-and-drop your files onto it. Like many of us, Ive got an old iTunes library gathering dust, so it was easy enough to pull that over. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) Youll obviously need to own your own tracks or go through the process of digitising your CD collection, but once you have, it can happily live on the Y1. Theres
a 3.5mm audio jack here and some wired earbuds in the box (of dubious quality), but Ive been using it mostly with a few of my favourite IEMs like the Meze Audio Alba , Moondrop Chu 2, and Sennheiser IE200 . Wireless headphones work with it via Bluetooth, too, and Ive had no trouble using my Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 s and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4s with this. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) Leave your phone behind The key benefit, though, is that the Y1 isnt your smartphone. This isnt necessarily marketed like some of the other top MP3 players aimed at hardware collectors and audiophiles. Those promise you perks such as Wi-Fi streaming, Apple's
AirPlay, Tidal/Qobuz Connect, hi-res audio performance, and balanced 4.4mm or 2.5mm outputs.

Theres none of that here. This little device is about keeping things a lot simpler; theres a lightweight interface that any iPod fan will instinctively know how to use, simple wired headphone or Bluetooth connections, support for a wide range of audio formats, and no Android OS or streaming apps in sight. What to read next Maxell Wireless Cassette Player review: a delightful analog blast from the past just don't rely on the Bluetooth This elite hi-res MP3 player offers listening tests via its bundled IEMs Cute name? Check. Plays cassettes? Yep. Aimed at the young 'digital detox' market? Oh yes (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) For me, its been ideal for listening while Im reading. Im a bit notorious for getting distracted by my phone mid-chapter, even when Im hooked on a book, so Ive taken to putting on background music like Max Richters Sleep or a film soundtrack while making my way through the Red Rising series.

Ive also found the Y1 handy for music while I cook or do chores around the house, as those are other times when Id rather my phone didnt interrupt the flow. Its great if youd like to get stuck into an album without pausing it halfway through to doomscroll.In short, its absolutely perfect for those
times when you want to put your phone in another room and go fully distraction-free. No messages, no alerts, no reminders, and none of the other irritants from your phone. And, unlike some other music players, there are no ads, forced software updates or clunky controls to reckon with, too. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) The Y1 is ideal for kids For all those reasons, this is a great pick if youre after a child-friendly music player too. If youre raising a music lover, this is a better option than so much of what
else is out there, as a focused, single-purpose device for music, audiobooks or videos you might watch on a tiny screen.

It has a solid 35-hour battery life that seems pretty accurate in my three weeks of use, and it recharges quickly in around 90 minutes. It also weighs less than 65 grams, which makes it an even lighter product than the iPod
nano!

Parents can hand this to kids with confidence that they wont be able to make any random in-app purchases, that theres no inappropriate content, that the volume doesnt get too loud, and that its simple enough for them to learn how to use (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) The downsides arent total dealbreakers It isnt faultless, though. At this low price, youd be surprised if it were. If youre getting the Innioasis Y1 for yourself, you should know its not an ideal experience for music discovery or for staying on top of your podcast queue, since it has no app support. Youll have to leave Spotify or Apple Music for another device.

Theres also no microSD slot, so youre stuck with the storage you pick, and I have occasionally found it frustrating to dial in the volume. It tends to
land on either a little too loud or too quiet. The Bluetooth is old-school Bluetooth 4, too, so you shouldnt expect high-res codecs, plus it oddly
doesnt support audio over USB-C. And, lastly, it does just feel a little
cheap and plastic if you compare it to an aluminium iPod, with its menus and interface being a bit unrefined and buggy. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) None of this is actually disastrous, to be clear, especially given the bargain price. The Innioasis Y1 does the job that its designed for, and it does it well.

Ultimately, if youre keen on the retro iPod experience but arent interested
in spending loads on a modded one, this is the answer. It can hold thousands of songs in your pocket, has great battery life, the convenience of
Bluetooth, and all the nostalgic iPod vibes Id been missing. For $60/50, I wouldnt ask for much more, and Ill genuinely continue using this little
player for all those times Id rather leave my phone in another room. (Image credit: Future / Simon Cocks) Innioasis Y1 deals 59 View No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source
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