The iPod Classic, Mini, and Nano seem like a thing of the past, but what about the iPod Nano 7th generation released only eight years ago in 2012 and continued being produced and sold until mid 2017? Nowadays, iPods are like iPhones, minus the call, texting, and mobile data functionality. In my honest opinion, you’d be better off getting an older iPhone. The most recent iPod Touch 7th generation is, to put it mildly, lacking. It has a chip from 2016, only 2GB RAM, and has the design of an iPhone 5. It doesn’t even have Touch ID, meaning that you have to resort to the old-fashioned way of entering in your password or PIN to unlock your device.

However, the iPod Nano 7th generation is a blast from the past. It’s tiny, with a screen smaller than 2007’s iPhone 2G. It has no internet, no app store, doesn’t even run iOS, and heavily relies on iTunes for many things. However, there are things the iPod Nano 7th generation has that an iPod Touch 7th generation lacks.

FM Radio

No iOS device, whether that be the iPhone 2G from 2007 or the iPhone 11 Pro from 2019, has ever had FM Radio capabilities. You can listen to radio on your iOS device, of course, but you’ll need an internet connection and a third party app.

However, the iPod Touch 7th generation from 2012 has FM radio. All you need is a pair of — yes, you heard — headphones utilising the 3.5mm headphone jack to tune in. No internet required (the iPod Nano 7G doesn’t even have internet). Just plug in your headphones, tap the FM radio app, search for stations, then tune in to whatever your favourite radio station is.

Fitness

The iPod Nano 7G can track your steps just like your iPhone can in your pocket. It not only measures steps when you go for a run or a walk but also measures calories, distance, and also allows you to set a daily goal. It’s cheaper than an iPhone or iPod Touch and it’s still very capable. You can also link it to Nike gadgets such as a heart rate monitor, sensor, and remote. That’s pretty cool.

Music and Video

The iPod Nano 7G can still act as a good media player, which is what it was designed for. The modern iPod Touches, if anything, scare me. iPod Touches are more like iPhones minus the phone and are nothing like what iPods used to be like. Before the iPod Touch 7th generation, I almost expected Apple to discontinue the iPod Touch come iOS 13, where the 6th generation lost support.

There’s only one issue: to put music on your iPod Nano 7G, you have to use iTunes on a PC or Mac. This is an inconvenience compared to the modern iPod Touch or iPhone; on these devices, you can download the music directly on the device.

Podcasts

You can also put podcasts on your iPod Nano 7G and listen to them. However, like music and video, it requires iTunes to work. On the iPod Touch on the other hand, you can download it directly on the device. However, the iPod Nano 7G can still be a good device for listening to podcasts on.

Bluetooth

The iPod Nano 7G has Bluetooth meaning you can use your Bluetooth headphones to listen to music too. Please be aware radio doesn’t work with Bluetooth headphones as that needs 3.5mm wired headphones, but for a 2012 MP3 player, Bluetooth support sure is a good quality to have.

Price

The iPod Nano 7G has, like all old gadgets, decreased in value since it was first released and you can now buy one from £50. I got mine last year for £70, but the price has of course since decreased and you may be able to get a good bargain on one.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the iPod Nano 7G can still be a good device in 2020 if you don’t have too high standards. It brings back the old good iPod functionality whilst being quite modern and not being much more than a media player. You can get them at a good price now and they can do many things including connect to Bluetooth headphones, but to listen to music or podcasts or watch videos you do need a PC PC iTunes. However, if you don’t mind doing this then the iPod Nano 7G is still a good fit, but if you want something more modern it could be better going for the newer iPod Touch instead.