45 years ago today (7/1/79), the first Sony Walkman was released in Japan to play audio cassettes on the go. The battery-powered device was marketed under a variety of names around the world, including the “Sound-About” in the US, the “Stowaway” in the UK, and the “Freestyle” in Australia. Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka inspired the creation, seeking a portable device to listen to opera music during flights, and it has since taken on a variety of forms, essentially to the smartphone as we know it. Interestingly, the OG Walkman featured dual headphone jacks for shared listening. Check out the retro commercials from 1979 where dual listening was awkwardly…. “cool”?
