Sometimes, the urge to return to simpler, older tech feels strong. Inevitably, though, the switch isn’t always as friction-free as you might like. Turning back the clock on your personal tech can leave you without features, functions, and modern comforts you’ve become accustomed to. Old iPods aren’t any different in that regard. As nice as it is to go back in time by putting your music back in your pocket with an old-school iPod, it’s hard not to miss options like Bluetooth compatibility or a direct Wi-Fi connection. Plus, getting your hands on old iPod chargers that don’t use USB-C, USB Mini, or another standardized connection type is just plain frustrating.
That’s where Sprout comes in. Sprout is a clever device that completely replaces your iPod’s motherboard. Once installed, your iPod will run on all-new software, alongside some new hardware, including a USB-C port for charging and transferring music. From there, you can connect it to your Bluetooth earbuds, transfer music to your device by dragging and dropping without needing to use iTunes, and even directly stream music from it
Certain Things, the developers behind the tool, promise that Sprout devices will be easy to install, too. All you’ll need to do is swap out your iPod’s original motherboard using a screwdriver and an opening tool for prying your iPod apart. You don’t even need to solder it in place to finish assembly. It’s also fully reversible, so if you decide you want to go back to the basics, you can just take it back out.
What does each version of Sprout have to offer?
Two versions of Sprout are set to launch, each with slightly different capabilities and device compatibility. The Sprout Pi works with third- and fourth-gen iPods and is built with a Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero. Meanwhile, another, similar device called Sprout Pico also works with the pint-sized iPod Mini, and runs on a Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller chip. Right now, the device isn’t set to be compatible with any other types or generations of iPod.
The Pico offers a slightly more limited experience than the Sprout Pi, as it can’t connect to streaming services or apps. But from the looks of things, it can still add a new lease on life to your device and additional features, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Besides the inclusion of apps and streaming, both Sprout versions offer largely the same features, including a Cirrus Logic CS43131 high-fidelity digital audio converter (DAC) or similar, two general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins, and a maximum storage capacity of up to two terabytes with microSD card support.
One way you might see a difference between the two devices is when you look at their respective battery lives. Both the Sprout Pi and Pico are anticipated to offer around 40 hours of audio playback over a Bluetooth connection when installed in a third- or fourth-gen iPod, with a 2,500 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery. However, when the Pico is used with an iPod Mini, it caps out at 20 playback hours, courtesy of its 1,200 mAh battery.
Some of Sprout’s future is yet to be determined
There are quite a few ways to use an old iPod, and Certain Things’ vision for repurposing one is still in its fairly early stages. Much of the information provided on Sprout’s website is based on prototype testing and proofs of concept. As a result, things could change by the time the product launches, such as which streaming services are compatible with the device. Besides the fact that the project is still in development, streaming application programming interfaces (API) can change fairly frequently, making it tricky to know exactly what will or won’t work once it’s finally time for the Sprout to launch.
A few features are also still currently in development, like Google Cast compatibility and AirPlay streaming in the case of the lightweight Pico. On the other hand, AirPlay has already been successfully tested on the Sprout Pi. Similarly, the battery life shared for each product is based on prototype testing specifically using Bluetooth playback, meaning it could vary somewhat in actuality.
Moreover, no specific launch date has been shared just yet. However, according to Sprout’s Crowd Supply page, the project will launch soon. Considering that Crowd Supply is a crowdfunding platform, it seems safe to assume that when the project launches, you’ll be able to back the project in return for a device if you so wish. On a similar note, the company hasn’t announced the device’s cost just yet. You can sign up for updates on the project via email through the project’s Crowd Supply page. Selected progress updates are also shared on the company’s Reddit account.
