The Story of the Grand Dad of iPod's: Sony Walkman 1979 The Story of the Grand Dad of iPod's: Sony Walkman 1979 Home My Blog Contact Me The Era and the Spark: Why the Walkman Was Born Beginnings: The late 1970s created the perfect storm for Sony's revolutionary Walkman. Japan was experiencing rapid economic growth, with consumers hungry for innovative technology that reflected their modern lifestyle. Urban living was becoming increasingly crowded and noisy, creating a desire for personal escape and privacy. Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka sparked the idea when he wanted to listen to music during long flights without disturbing others. He asked engineers to modify a portable tape recorder, removing the recording function and adding lightweight headph...