I find it super interesting that music is formless. It can be with you at any time—and a song you hear can remind you of a specific memory from 20 years ago.

I remember looking at my first iPod and being like: “This is a vessel that holds what I’m into.”

And also the early iPod didn’t have a lot of space, so you really had to curate what was on there in a way that people don’t do on their phones.

Trend experts say we should expect consumer tech as a statement accessory to catch on even more in 2026, as brands lean into the idea that tech hardware can be objects that spark joy, in contrast to the backdrop of existential uncertainty brought about by invisible technology like AI.