Editing Walkman (section)

== History of the cassette Walkman ==
[[File:Original Sony Walkman TPS-L2.JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Original 1979 Sony Walkman TPS-L2]]
In March 1979, at the request of [[Masaru Ibuka]], the audio department modified the small recorder used by journalists, "Pressman", into a smaller recorder. After many people praised the good sound quality evaluation, Sony, under the leadership of [[Akio Morita]], began to launch the Walkman in July 1979. Morita positioned Walkman in the youth market, emphasized youth, vitality, and fashion, and created a headset culture. In February 1980, he began to sell Walkman to the world, and in November 1980, he began to use the non-standard Japanese and English brands globally. The Walkman has sold more than 250 million units worldwide. When Morita was knighted in October 1992, the headline in the British newspapers ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' was "Arise, Sir Sony Walkman".<ref>{{Citation |last=Cortazzi |first=Hugh |title=13. Morita Akio (1921–99), Sony And Britain |date=2008-01-01 |work=Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Vol. VI |pages=157–168 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789004217850/Bej.9781905246335.1-448_014.xml |access-date=2025-04-28 |publisher=Brill |language=en |doi=10.1163/ej.9781905246335.1-448.96 |isbn=978-90-04-21785-0}}</ref>

The [[Cassette tape|Compact Cassette]] was developed by the Dutch electronics firm [[Philips]] and released in August 1963. In the late 1960s, the introduction of prerecorded compact cassettes made it possible to listen to music on portable devices as well as on car stereos, though [[Phonograph record|gramophone record]]s remained the most popular format for home listening.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907884,00.html|title=The Walkman|last=Haire|first=Meaghan|date=2009-07-01|magazine=Time|access-date=2018-08-20|language=en-US|issn=0040-781X}}</ref>

Portable tape players of various designs were available, but none of them were intended to be operated by a person as they were walking. In the 1970s, Brazilian inventor [[Andreas Pavel]] devised a method for carrying a player of this type on a belt around the waist, listening via [[headphones]], but his "[[Stereobelt]]" concept did not include the required engineering advancements to yield high-quality sound reproduction while the tape player was subject to [[Shock (mechanics)|mechanical shock]] as would be expected on a person walking. Pavel later lost his suit claiming the Walkman idea as his own.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfVKt7UzjnEC&pg=PA85 |title=''Stationary patent'' (on Google Books) |date=14 January 1982 |volume=93 |issue=1288 |magazine=New Scientist |access-date=12 December 2022 |archive-date=12 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212025128/https://books.google.com/books?id=bfVKt7UzjnEC&pg=PA85 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="independent_05.18.96">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/see-you-in-court-1347858.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/see-you-in-court-1347858.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=See you in court|website=The Independent|date=17 May 1996 |accessdate=August 24, 2019}}</ref> Finally in 2003, with Pavel threatening to file infringement proceedings in the remaining territories where he held protective rights, Sony approached him with a view to settling the matter amicably, which led to both parties signing a contract and confidentiality agreement in 2004. The settlement was reported to be a cash payment in the "low eight figures" and ongoing royalties of the sale of certain Walkman models.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rohter |first=Larry |date=2005-12-17 |title=An Unlikely Trendsetter Made Earphones a Way of Life |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/17/world/americas/an-unlikely-trendsetter-made-earphones-a-way-of-life.html |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

Sony co-founder [[Masaru Ibuka]] used the company's bulky TC-D5 cassette recorder to listen to music while traveling for business. He asked the executive deputy president [[Norio Ohga]] to design a playback-only stereo version optimized for walking. The metal-cased blue-and-silver Walkman TPS-L2, the world's first low-cost [[personal stereo]], went on sale in Japan on July 1, 1979, and was sold for around ¥33,000 (or $150.00).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Carl|first=Franzen|date=July 1, 2014|title=The History of the Walkman: 35 Years of Iconic Music Listening|journal=The Verge}}</ref> Though Sony predicted it would sell about 5,000 units a month, it sold more than 30,000 in the first two months.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:Walkman logo (1981-2000).svg|thumb|The original logo from 1981 to 2000]]
The Walkman was followed by a series of international releases; as overseas sales companies objected to the  ''[[wasei-eigo]]'' name, it was sold under several names, including ''Sound-about'' in the United States, ''Freestyle'' in Australia and Sweden, and ''Stowaway'' in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=678&a=728109 |title=Läsarnas sjuka varumärken |publisher=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |access-date=2011-01-14 |archive-date=2011-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828210223/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=678&a=728109 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/the-sony-walkman-was-introduced-in-the-u-s-as-the-soun-1597530887 |first=Matt |last=Novak |title=The Sony Walkman was introduced in the U.S. as the Soundabout |work=[[Gizmodo]] |date=1 July 2014}}</ref> Eventually, in the early 1980s, ''Walkman'' caught on globally and Sony used the name worldwide. The TPS-L2 was introduced in the US in June&nbsp;1980.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:Sony WM-DD33,WM-DDIII,WM-D6C (24091871467).jpg|thumb|Three Walkman players, variously dating between 1984 and 1991]]
The 1980s was the decade of the intensive development of the Walkman lineup. In 1981, Sony released the second Walkman model, the WM-2, which was significantly smaller than the TPS-L2, thanks to the "inverse" mounting of the power-operated magnetic head and soft-touch buttons. Sony applied the "Walkman" brand to some transistor radios starting with the matching blue SRF-40 FM Walkman in 1980,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_fm_walkman_stereo_receiv.html|title=FM Walkman Stereo Receiver SRF-40W|website=Radiomuseum|access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref> and added a radio system to some Walkman cassette models starting with the model WM-F1 in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_fm_stereo_walkman_wm_f1.html|title=FM Stereo Walkman WM-F1|website=Radiomuseum|access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref> The first model with [[Dolby noise-reduction system]] and an auto reverse function appeared in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sony WM-7|url=https://walkmancentral.com/products/wm-7|website=walkmancentral.com}}</ref>
The first ultra-compact "cassette-size" Walkman was introduced in 1983, model WM-20, with a telescopic case. This allowed even easier carrying of a Walkman in bags or pockets.<ref name="sony.net">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/sonyhistory-e.html|title=Sony Group Portal – Product & Technology Milestones−Personal Audio|website=www.sony.com}}</ref>
In October 1985, the WM-101 model was the first in its class with a "gum stick" rechargeable battery.<ref name="sony.net"/> In 1986 Sony presented the first model outfitted with remote control, as well as one with [[Solar charger|solar]] battery (WM-F107).

Within a decade of launch, Sony held a 50% market share in the United States and 46% in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/innovation-success-how-the-apple-ipod-broke-all-sonys-walkman-rules-2791|title=Innovation Success: How the Apple iPod Broke all Sony's Walkman Rules|date=March 7, 2012|website=INSEAD Knowledge}}</ref>

In 1989, two limited edition 10th anniversary models were released (WM-701S/T) in Japan, made of [[brass]] and plated in [[sterling silver]]. Only a few hundred were built of each.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/design/gallery/WM-701S/|title=WM-701S WALKMAN® (Remote Control/Auto Reverse Cassette Player) / Gallery / Sony Design / Sony|website=Sony Design}}</ref> A 15th anniversary model was also made on July 1, 1994, with vertical loading,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/design/gallery/WM-EX1/|title=WM-EX1 WALKMAN® (Cassette Player) / Gallery / Sony Design / Sony|website=Sony Design}}</ref> and a 20th anniversary on July 1, 1999, with a prestige model.

By 1989, 10 years after the launch of the first model, over {{nowrap|100 million}} Walkmans had been sold worldwide.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Japan: The Next Wave |magazine=[[New Computer Express]] |date=31 August 1989 |issue=43 (2 September 1989) |page=7 |url=https://archive.org/details/NewComputerExpress043/page/n6}}</ref> {{nowrap|150 million}} units were manufactured by 1995.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr. Morita, I Would Like a Walkman!|url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/SonyHistory/2-06.html|website=sony.net}}</ref> By 1999, 20 years after the introduction of the first model, Sony sold 186&nbsp;million cassette Walkmans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sony Celebrates Walkman(R) 20th Anniversary
|url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199907/99-059/|website=www.sony.net|date=1999-07-01}}</ref>

Portable [[compact disc]] players led to the decline of the cassette Walkman,<ref name="CNN.com_Sony_retires_the_cassette_Walkman_after_30_years">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/gaming.gadgets/10/25/sony.retires.walkman.mashable/index.html?iref=allsearch|title=Sony retires the cassette Walkman after 30 years|author=Lauren Indvik, Mashable|access-date=2011-01-14|work=CNN}}</ref> which was discontinued in Japan in 2010.<ref name="ABC_News_10/25/10_Walkman">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=11960956|title=Sony Retiring Cassette Walkman in Japan|date=2010-10-25|work=ABC News|access-date=2011-01-14}}</ref> The last cassette-based model available in the US was the WM-FX290W,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/5671670/sony-kills-the-cassette-walkman-on-the-ipods-birthday|title=Sony Kills The Cassette Walkman On The iPod's Birthday*|author=Chan, Casey|work=Gizmodo|date=23 October 2010|publisher=[[Gawker]]|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901004200/http://gizmodo.com/5671670/sony-kills-the-cassette-walkman-on-the-ipods-birthday|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665363966|title=Walkman digital tuning weather radio/cassette player WM-FX290W|website=www.sonystyle.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105043128/http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665363966|archive-date=2009-01-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> which was first released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reflectiveobserver.medium.com/the-last-walkman-3f2e1d913956|title=The Last Walkman|date=January 14, 2021|website=Medium}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200" mode="packed">
Sony Sports Walkman WM-F5 (Okinawa).jpg|WM-F5 "Okinawa" Sports Walkman
Sony Walkman WM-F404.jpg|WM-F404, high-end model with TV tuner (1988)
Walkman WM-SXF33.jpg|A "Sport" Walkman model from the early 1990s
Walkman2010.jpg|Sony Walkman WM-EX194 (2004)
</gallery>