The infamous iPod Sock is getting a successor of sorts from accessory company Native Union, in the form of the “AirPods Beanies” — a cozy knit case where you can put your AirPods’ existing case for an added layer of protection.

For those of you who are a bit lost right now, a quick piece of history. Of all the products that Apple has made over the years, the iPod Sock definitely is one of them: a set of six colorful, two-tone knit sleeves that were designed to fit Apple’s various iPods for both style and protection. A bizarre piece of Apple’s history on par with the recent $20 screen cleaning cloth, the iPod Socks sold for the rather expensive (for socks) price of $29 for a pack of six.

Image: Apple

But thanks to their relatively universal size (because, again, they were basically just knit socks) and bright colors, the iPod Socks were relatively popular and stayed on shelves for almost a decade before Apple discontinued the product in 2012.

Native Union’s remake aims to emulate the overall style of the original iPod Sock, with the chunky ribbed knitting, two-tone color scheme, and even the tag at the corner (albeit with the company’s logo instead of the Apple and iPod marks). Native Union has also updated the size, making them more appropriate for AirPods cases (more diminutive than iPods) and updated the hues for a trendier pastel lineup. The company also assures that the AirPod Beanies won’t impact wireless Qi charging and that they’ll universally fit all of Apple’s earbud cases.

The Native Union AirPod Beanies are sold in a pack of four for $19.99 and are available now from its website.

https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/26/22746794/airpod-beanies-apple-ipod-sock-native-union