I Turned My Old Apple Watch Into an iPod for €50 — It’s Ridiculous, and I Love It.
The RePod transforms e-waste into nostalgia, and after a week of daily use, I’m convinced it’s a genuinely good gadget.
I spent €50 to turn my old Apple Watch into an iPod. A complete iPod with a clickwheel, music playback, and that satisfying tactile feedback I haven’t felt since 2010.
It’s absolutely a gadget. But after a week of actual daily use, not just quick testing but genuinely trying to make this work as a functional device in 2026, I’m convinced it’s a good gadget.
Let me explain why that distinction matters.
The Concept I Couldn’t Ignore
I kept seeing this concept on Instagram: the Tiny Pod, a plastic case where you place your Apple Watch that transforms it into an iPod with a working clickwheel. Cute, but it screamed barely functional gadget for $80 shipped from the US. Pass.
But then I saw Luke Miani’s video about the RePod. Apparently, a reimagining of the concept, cheaper, better built, and shipped to me in a few days via Amazon.
For €50? I couldn’t resist.
Here’s what I didn’t expect: I was right that it’s a gadget, but that didn’t stop it from convincing me anyway.
Initially, I wasn’t sure if this deserved a full article. Maybe a TikTok would suffice. But at unboxing, I was surprised.
It’s a beautiful object, all aluminum, nicely dense, as I appreciate, with small orange accents and especially with the same rounded corners that all Apple devices share.
Look, if I’m going to spend money on something useless, at least it should be well-crafted. This delivers that satisfaction.
Installing the Apple Watch inside is straightforward. Remove the back cover, install the ring adapter for your Apple Watch model. Mine’s a Series 3, which is the point. The RePod is more of an accessory for recycling an old model than anything else.
I place it inside. Done. It looks good immediately, not more complicated than that.
There are two settings to adjust: change the Apple Watch orientation because, in this form, it’s more logical to have the crown fall under your thumb, and especially disable wrist detection to prevent the Apple Watch from literally locking every 15 seconds.
That’s it. My iPod is ready.
The buttons click nicely. And especially the moment I’d been waiting for since ordering: yes, it’s a real notched wheel that actually turns, activating the Apple Watch crown.
So not only do I get the clickwheel’s tactile notches, but also the slight haptic feedback from the watch through the case. It’s incredibly satisfying, and that word is an understatement.
Small disappointment though: that thing in the center of the wheel isn’t a button, it does nothing. Personally, I suspected as much.
What bothered me initially was that I’m no longer used to using devices this small. On the spot, I think it’s risky, I’m going to drop this iPod. Then I remembered: the device is my Apple Watch. Inside this large aluminum case, there’s no better protective shell. It’s never been safer, actually.
When a Frankenstein Device Feels Polished
What surprised me initially, even though I’d just assembled this Frankenstein iPod, was that the whole thing is so well-made that I’d already forgotten it’s just a DIY project.
Okay, I’ll give it a real chance and actually use it.
The next day, I started genuinely using this iPod. It’s unsettling to navigate watchOS like this because it’s never been this comfortable. I scroll, I tap, I press buttons. The wheel isn’t the most precise, but honestly, it works well, and especially everything’s one-handed.
I realize I’ve never spent this much time on this OS.
That day was a shooting day for me. So an iPod for some background music? Perfect.
I launch some music, obviously. My entire library is there, well synchronized. I search for System of a Down. And it plays directly on the speaker. Hey, there’s a grille for that, well thought out.
But AirPods are still better.
I choose my tracks in 2 seconds. I slide the RePod in my pocket without feeling anything. I even have access to my podcasts, and when I need silence on set, HomePod connectivity works.
Frankly, at this stage, I was almost euphoric because it worked so well. I have a cool little device with the entirety of the world’s music without the risk of ending up on TikTok instead of finishing my work.
Well, the entirety of the world’s music, not all the time.
The Reality Check
Once my editing was done, I went out and wanted to launch Magic System’s latest album, which I like, but I forgot to download it.
A very 2010 scenario. I’m no longer used to this. Yeah, I’m a bit frustrated. So I fall back on random play of all the tracks I downloaded, as I did back then.
And my good old Linkin Park, early Davido albums, and Adele are pretty classic. I’d somewhat forgotten I have an entire library of cool tracks beyond Apple Music’s latest recommendations.
The most satisfying part: at 7 PM, returning home within WiFi range, my battery is already at 20%. Turns out an Apple Watch isn’t made to be used 24/7 like this.
But especially, I could finally launch the album I wanted, and it’s true that somehow I enjoyed it more.
Far from me to criticize the era of 5G and streaming, it’s too cool. But this old-school iPod experience, updated with the services and devices I depend on today, gotta admit it also has merit.
So, I was convinced for the first few days until reality caught up with me a bit.
Yes, because okay, everything works surprisingly well, but it remains an Apple Watch in a case.
The next morning, since my battery was dead, I had to recharge it, obviously, and it doesn’t fit on my dock anymore. Annoying to have to pull out the Apple Watch cable.
Okay, done. So I went out today, but this time to walk a bit. I slide my RePod into my pocket, and that’s when I realized: an Apple Watch, unlike an iPod or iPhone, doesn’t lock.
Small anthology of things that happened on their own in my pockets:
Triggering music on the speaker, a classic. Happens once or twice a day since I’m a hands-in-pockets enthusiast. Triggering a pause in the middle of a drop, obviously. A workout launching on its own and screwing up my fitness stats. Perfect.
The Apple Watch understands nothing about its life and tries to read my heart rate or something while in my pocket and heats up as a result, of course.
The detail that annoyed me is constantly seeing the disconnection icon in quick settings. I don’t know why it infuriates me.
Yeah, the iPod illusion breaks pretty quickly. I thought the fun was short-lived, but not really.
When a Gadget Finds Its Purpose
After 4 days, I hesitated a bit about continuing to use this RePod. The novelty effect had passed. So I removed my Series 3 and had a pleasant first surprise.
I was a bit worried about durability. Actually, my SE has the worst color for an accessory like this with its dark coating that scratches easily. But nothing. My SE is perfect despite quite a few small shocks and trips in my backpack.
Shows the RePod is well designed, so might as well leave it inside. After all, at worst, it’s just a beautiful object sitting on my desk.
And from there, when I started writing this article, it was the RePod I took for some music while staying focused. When I want some background music on my HomePod, the RePod is sitting there. Same for controlling my TV, controlling my lights, and showing off to my friends.
It’s pretty easy to find a handful of small personal uses like that ultimately.
Now, it’s nothing indispensable. Nobody’s going to buy an Apple Watch for this. But it’s just enough fun and especially enough utility to repurpose a faithful Series 4, 5, or 6.
It remains a gadget, but it’s a good gadget in my eyes.
Whether it’s worth €50 to you, that’s your call.
The Honest Assessment Nobody’s Giving
Here’s what tech reviewers aren’t saying about the RePod because they’re too busy either dismissing it as pointless or overhyping it as revolutionary: it’s neither.
It’s a well-executed solution to a problem you probably don’t have. That’s the reality.
If you have a drawer with an old Apple Watch collecting dust, the RePod gives it purpose again. Not essential purpose, not productivity-enhancing purpose, but genuine utility combined with nostalgia that actually works in practice.
If you don’t have an old Apple Watch? Don’t buy one for this. That would be absurd.
The €50 price point is clever. It’s low enough to be an impulse purchase for anyone with nostalgic Apple Watch hardware. It’s high enough to filter out people who’d complain it’s “just a case.”
The build quality genuinely surprised me. For a third-party accessory marketed as novelty, the aluminum construction, the precise fitment, this functional clickwheel, these aren’t cheap executions.
The clickwheel itself deserves specific praise. It’s not just decorative. The notched rotation genuinely controls the digital crown, and combined with the Apple Watch’s haptic feedback, it creates a tactile experience that’s remarkably satisfying.
watchOS navigation with the clickwheel is surprisingly functional. Not optimal, not faster than touchscreen, but functional enough that I actually used it instead of constantly reaching for the screen.
The integration with Apple’s ecosystem works flawlessly. AirPods connect instantly, HomePod handoff works, Apple Music library syncs perfectly, and Siri responds. This isn’t a janky workaround; it’s your Apple Watch with different ergonomics.
What Doesn’t Work (And Won’t Get Fixed)
The battery life is terrible, but that’s not the RePod’s fault. It’s an Apple Watch being used constantly as a media device. Series 3 hardware wasn’t designed for this use case.
The pocket situation is genuinely annoying. Without automatic locking, accidental touches are constant. Music starts randomly. Workouts trigger. The heart rate sensor tries to read through fabric and drains battery faster.
This could theoretically be fixed with a software toggle for “iPod mode” that locks the screen, but Apple will never build that. So you’re stuck with workarounds like orientation lock and accepting occasional pocket chaos.
The charging situation is mildly frustrating. Your Apple Watch dock doesn’t work anymore. You need to keep the magnetic cable accessible. It’s a small annoyance that accumulates over time.
Who This Is Actually For
Let me be specific about the use case where this makes sense:
You have an Apple Watch Series 3, 4, 5, or 6 that you’re not wearing anymore because you upgraded. It’s too old to trade in for meaningful value, but too functional to recycle. You occasionally miss having a dedicated music device that isn’t your phone. You value tactile interfaces and have €50 of disposable income for a well-made novelty.
That’s it. That’s the entire target market.
If you don’t have that old Apple Watch already, this doesn’t justify acquiring one. The economics don’t work. You’d spend €100+ on a used Series 3 plus €50 on the RePod to create a €150 music player that’s worse than just using your iPhone.
But if you have that hardware sitting around? The RePod transforms e-waste into something genuinely pleasant to use occasionally.
I won’t pretend that the nostalgia doesn’t matter. It does. The clickwheel brings back muscle memory from 2010. The constraint of downloaded-only music when you’re out of WiFi creates an accidental rediscovery of your library.
There’s something valuable about limitations that force different behavior. With my iPhone, I default to Spotify’s algorithmic recommendations. With the RePod, I’m scrolling through my actual library, rediscovering albums I forgot I loved.
Is that worth €50? For some people, absolutely. For others, it’s paying money to make your life less convenient, which is absurd.
I fall somewhere in between. I enjoy using it, but I don’t depend on it. It’s a desktop decoration that’s occasionally functional, and that’s enough.
The Verdict
The RePod is a good gadget. Not essential, not revolutionary, not for everyone. But well-executed, reasonably priced, and genuinely functional for its specific use case.
If you’re expecting this to replace your iPhone for music, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re hoping to relive 2010 exactly as it was, you’ll be disappointed.
If you want to give an old Apple Watch a new purpose, enjoy tactile interfaces, and can afford €50 for something that’s 70% novelty and 30% utility, you’ll probably like it as much as I do.
That’s the honest assessment: it’s exactly what it appears to be, no more, no less. And sometimes that’s enough.
Thanks for reading. Have an old Apple Watch? Would you do this? Your opinions are welcome.