Sony 40th Anniversary Walkman Includes Retro Cassette Player Case

Joining the headphones Sony introduced today is its new Walkman NW-A100TPS, a modern streaming device offered with a retro-style soft case and package inspired by the TPS-L2, the first portable cassette player launched by Sony in 1979. Unlike that original model, the new NW-A100TPS doesn't play cassette tapes.READ: Sony reveals limited edition Kingdom Hearts III Walkman and headphones

The NW-A100TPS Walkman resembles a smartphone, offering both music streaming and local audio playback capabilities. Unique to this model is a rear panel design that features a bold 40th Anniversary logo, as well as the aforementioned soft case and packaging based on the first Walkman model.

The case looks like an old school cassette player, including a small window for viewing the 'cassette tape.' In this case, the cassette is a screensaver that plays on the device's display. When the two are combined, it looks at first glance like the user is listening to an old chunky tape player.

Users can expect a lengthy 26 hours of playback from the audio device, which packs 16GB of internal storage and a 3.6-inch display. Users can choose to stream content over Bluetooth, but there's also a 3.5mm audio jack for using a pair of wired headphones. The device likewise features USB-C for charging and transferring music.

The Sony NW-A100TPS Walkman with 16GB of storage will launch for sale in Europe in November for €440 / £400, which is the equivalent of around $485 USD. It's unclear when the model will launch in the US and what it will cost in North America.