The TinyPod is one of the more ingenious ideas I've seen in a while: It's a little case for a strapless Apple Watch, which essentially turns it into a miniature iPod, complete with an old-school clickwheel.
There's a lot you can do with an Apple Watch these days, from playing music to making calls to navigating from A to B with Apple Maps. All of that functionality is kept, but the device moves from your wrist into your pocket with this compact plastic casing.
That has its advantages and disadvantages: You can't track your steps and heart rate if it's not on your wrist, for example, but it does mean you can use the device more easily. The back of the watch is kept accessible, so you can still charge it in the normal way.
While a lot of the focus is on playing music via a pair of connected AirPods, the TinyPod is also being marketed as a fully featured mini phone you can use for those times when you want to leave your main iPhone at home, which is a fair assessment of what this is—and it works even better if you have an LTE-enabled Apple Watch that can get online on its own.
However, it's also worth pointing out that the TinyPod doesn't really do anything except take the Apple Watch off your wrist and add a clickwheel for easier navigation—otherwise it's just the same Apple Watch. It could appeal if you don't want to wear your Apple Watch, or have an older one lying around, or just love the classic iPod.
There's an important security issue to bear in mind with the TinyPod, which is that wrist detection will need to be disabled, unless you want to enter your Apple Watch PIN every time you pick it up (the PIN will still be required for Apple Pay, whether wrist detection is enabled or disabled).
With wrist detection turned off, that means everything on your Apple Watch is potentially available to anyone who picks it up. You'll need to keep a close eye on your TinyPod at all times, and might want to switch off some of the syncing that it does with your iPhone (for emails, for example), just to be on the safe side.
I emailed the TinyPod team to ask about how much battery life to expect, and how wrist detection might impair the functionality of the Apple Watch in one of these cases, but I've yet to hear back—I'll update this article if they return a comment.
It's not necessarily a reason not to get a TinyPod, but it's something to consider. And there is actually a perk: The makers of the TinyPod say that without wrist detection enabled, battery life on the Apple Watch will stretch to several days. I haven't been able to test one yet, so I can't vouch for that.
If you're sold on the idea, you can order online. The TinyPod Lite (without a clickwheel) starts at $29.99, while the full TinyPod starts at $79.99. Different sizes are available to fit 40mm, 41mm, 44mm and 45mm Apple Watch sizes, as well as the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra size, so you can pick the one you need.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Apple is making a foldable iPhone—or at least, that's what sources are telling The Information.If the outlet's reporting is correct, Apple is planning
Google has a policy against targeting ads at minors, but it’s been caught slipping. A report by The Financial Times alleges that employees at the comp
Read-it-later apps are meant for those times when you stumble onto an article you're interested in reading but can't get to at the moment. You can sav
Generative AI models aren't born out of a vacuum. In a sense, these systems are built piece by piece using massive amounts of training data, and alway
Apple has shipped a free password manager with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia. This app is simply called Passwords, and unlike other "free" p
Before you get smart cameras or other smart tech, most people start with a smart doorbell. The good news is, they're better than ever, with exceptiona
We are a dynamic information platform dedicated to delivering timely, relevant, and reliable content across a broad spectrum of topics. From the latest in technology and business to lifestyle, health, and global affairs, we aim to keep our readers informed and inspired.
Our editorial team is committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy and clarity, ensuring that every article provides value and context in an ever-changing world. We believe in the importance of accessible knowledge and strive to make complex topics understandable for everyone.
Whether you're here to stay updated on current events, explore thought-provoking features, or simply learn something new, our goal is to offer a trustworthy source of information that meets the needs of a diverse and curious audience.