Apple Music: A Hidden Virtual iPod Marks 25 Years

A library of 1,029 playable songs sits hidden within Apple Music’s error pages. The collection marks the 25th anniversary of the original iPod, a device Apple originally advertised as holding 1,000 songs in a user's pocket. The digital tribute allows visitors to interact with a virtual version of the classic hardware.

The first iPod launched in 2001. For two decades, the device defined portable music consumption. It introduced the click wheel interface and established the MP3 player as a standard accessory for consumers. Apple has long positioned the product as a central pillar of its history in consumer technology.

To access the new feature, a user must land on a broken page on the Apple Music website. Below the standard message indicating that a page cannot be found, the site displays the text "give this a spin instead." Following this prompt reveals the interactive device. The layout mirrors the original hardware, with distinct sections for Playlists, Artists, Songs, and Settings.

The interface responds to user input on the click wheel and other controls. However, the experience contains bugs. Engadget, which reported on the find, noted that the feature works best on a phone or tablet. The touch screen provides a sensation closer to the physical device. The outlet’s writer had difficulty getting the feature to function at all on a desktop computer.

The music catalog reflects a specific era. Tracks from artists such as Baha Men, blink-182, and Eminem dominate the playlist. In the United Kingdom, the Engadget reporter also found songs by Daniel Bedingfield, The Fratellis, and Klaxons. It is unclear if these regional acts appear for users in the United States. Each track plays for a maximum of 90 seconds.

Notebook Check identified another hidden element within the virtual device. The Breakout-style game Brick is available to play. This feature was a secret extra on the first physical iPod. To access it, users must hold the center button on the About screen for several seconds. The virtual version replicates this exact interaction method.

The virtual iPod does not require an active Apple Music account to function. Apple has not released a public statement explaining the decision to embed the feature on an error page. The company has placed considerable development effort into an element that most users will likely never encounter.