In 2001, development had slowed to almost nothing, and the lineup served primarily as a low-cost choice for the shrinking analog audience. The Walkman had become a background product rather than a focus of innovation or marketing.
WM-GX400
The WM-GX400 is a Walkman with radio and recording capabilities. It uses AA batteries. It features an early combined configuration of radio and recording functions.
WM-GX410
The WM-GX410 is a Walkman with radio and recording capabilities. It features automatic reversal and uses AA batteries. It has an early combined configuration that combines radio and recording functions.
WM-EX621
The WM-EX621 is a playback-only Walkman with an automatic reversal function. It features Dolby B, remote control operation, and bass boost, and is compatible with AA batteries and gum-type rechargeable batteries. It is an early high-end model that enhances convenience through the introduction of electronic control functions.
WM-FX888
The WM-FX888 is a Walkman with a built-in radio. It features Dolby B, remote control operation, bass boost, and automatic reversal, and is compatible with AA batteries and gum-type rechargeable batteries. It belongs to the early Walkman lineage that integrated radio functionality.
WM-EX921
The WM-EX921 is a playback-only Walkman with an automatic reversal function. It features remote control operation and a bass boost function, and is compatible with AA batteries and gum-type rechargeable batteries.
2001 showed how long Sony was prepared to sustain an aging format after its creative center had moved on. That restraint set the tone for the fully residual role the cassette Walkman would occupy in the years ahead. 2001 left the category operating in the background, its persistence a practical compromise that bought continuity at the price of relevance.
More Sony in 2001
