Consumer demand for retro consumer electronics has reached a point where startups are attempting direct revivals of discontinued classics. A company named New Matter recently announced the Sudo, a digital audio player that leans heavily into the design language of the iconic iPod Classic. Featuring a prominent tactile wheel and a familiar layout, the device targets the growing demographic of consumers embracing wired headphones, physical media, and offline listening.
While the aesthetic draws clear inspiration from early 2000s hardware, Sudo integrates several contemporary updates. The device includes a touchscreen display, a 3.5mm headphone jack, modern Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. Storage capacity also receives a significant bump from older generations. It starts at a base of 64GB and supports expansion up to 1TB using a microSD card, addressing modern library sizes.
Priced at $250, the hardware is currently available for preorder with a $50 refundable deposit, though shipments are not scheduled until late 2027. Industry observers remain skeptical about whether the product will ultimately reach consumers due to potential intellectual property concerns from Apple and ongoing supply chain challenges affecting memory storage components. Despite these hurdles, the heavy public demand for dedicated music players highlights a persistent market appetite for retro form factors.
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