i Ready O Turns Old iPhones into Retro Radios

As Apple releases new versions of the iPhone there are plenty of phones–those that have been discarded for not running the latest apps or holding a charge all day–filling our landfills. But Korean design studio PlusD is tackling the issue with their innovative i Ready O, which can turn any old iPhone into a new, cool radio. With minimalistic aesthetics inspired by the classic Dieter Rams designs for Braun, this object hacks Apple’s planned obsolescence with sustainable design.

i Ready O is an amazing little machine. Essentially a huge iPhone case with a speaker, its sleek old-style body takes direct inspiration from one of Braun’s classic designs, the TP1 portable record player (1959) by renowned German functionalist industrial designer Dieter Rams.

So how does it work? It’s very simple and similar to an iPhone dock: Just slip in your phone and the radio will connect to the cloud, becoming a small boombox with physical control buttons, an extra battery and a proper speaker for blasting some tunes.

Suitable for iPhone 4, 4s, 5 and 5s, this clever idea brings an analog device into the new digital age, countering the harmful planned obsolescence that is unfortunately so common nowadays.

Love it? Check out the Kickstarter campaign.

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[Via Fast Co. Design]