On July 1, 1979, Sony introduced a product that would revolutionize the way people would listen to music. That was the day the company introduced the Sony Walkman, a portable cassette player that would allow a person to listen to music all day by utilizing a smaller cassette deck that could be carried on a belt or in a purse.
Despite skepticism that the product wouldn’t sell, the Walkman, priced at $150, became an instant hit. It sold 50,000 units in the first two months. It also changed the way people listened to music. Instead of lugging around a large, bulky boom box, the portable player could be taken anywhere with relative ease.
The Walkman eventually gave way to the iPod and iTunes and sales faded. However, as the Sony Walkman celebrates its 40th anniversary, its place in the history of audio technology is secure!