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One of the surprising trends of 2026 is that old-school iPods are making a comeback without official support from Apple. The product line remains discontinued after Apple stopped sales in 2022, and there are no official plans to bring the media players back. After all, every iPhone model also offers access to many music apps, including Apple Music, and modern iPhones may come with a lot more storage than old iPods. Yet consumers are buying secondhand iPods for various reasons. Some people want to decouple from the always-connected digital life, while younger users may need iPods to listen to music in schools that restrict smartphone use.
However, there is one type of iPod that buyers may find on eBay and other marketplaces that looks a lot like an iPhone: the iPod touch. Among iPod touch models, there is a unique iPod touch design that comes with a somewhat mysterious silver button on the back. Press it, and the button will pop up, allowing you to attach a lanyard (loop) to it.
That’s all the button does. It’s not a hidden music or camera control button as some people might suspect, especially considering the recent iPhone design trend of including more buttons on new models. For example, the iPhone 15 series introduced the Action button that replaced the traditional Mute switch, and the iPhone 16 series introduced the Camera Control button. The iPod touch button is only meant to help prevent accidental drops when using it for purposes other than listening to music. As a reminder, the iPod touch had a large display similar to some iPhone models, support for applications, and a camera on the back. In other words, the device was meant to be used more like an iPhone than other iPod models.
Which iPod touch model comes with a loop button?
The screenshot above shows the exact location of the rear-facing lanyard button. It’s placed on the lower-left corner, opposite the single-lens camera that sits at the top-left corner. The iPod touch loop is the name of the accessory that Apple made for the iPod touch models with silver buttons on the back, similar to a camera wrist strap that keeps the device attached to the user’s wrist. Other lanyard options may also work with the button.
Consumers interested in this unusual iPod touch design should know that not all iPod touch models came with buttons on the back. Apple used this design option only on the iPod touch (5th generation). The media player came in three capacity versions: 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB. Only the two larger options came with included iPod touch loops. The iPod touch (5th generation) came in two different versions, introduced between October 2012 and June 2014 (model numbers A1509 and A1421), and was available in five colors. These identification details matter if you’re looking to buy this specific iPod touch model.
Apple removed the silver button from the sixth and seventh iPod touch generations introduced in 2015 and 2019, respectively. It’s unclear why Apple removed the lanyard button, but Apple doesn’t always explain its design changes from one model to the next.
Do iPhones support lanyards?
Some people may find appealing the idea of securing an often-used, expensive device with a lanyard to prevent accidental drops, without necessarily looking to buy the iPod touch (5th generation). The iPhone fits that description, considering the importance of smartphones in modern life, and the fact that iPhone displays and rear-facing glass panels can break after accidental drops. Apple has never included a lanyard button in any of its iPhone designs. The company has often tried to make the most of the available space inside an iPhone by optimizing the logic board layout to maximize battery capacity. A pop-up button like the one on the back of the iPod touch would have used internal space.
However, Apple appealed to fans of lanyard accessories with the iPhone 17 series by introducing its own lanyard accessory. The iPhone 17’s Crossbody Strap models were launched in September 2025. They cost $59 apiece and come in various colors. The straps can be attached to various iPhone case models, not directly to the handset. Third-party lanyards also exist and they may work with cases that include attachment openings for crossbody or wrist lanyards.
Speaking of prices, a 32 GB iPod touch (5th generation) may be only slightly more expensive than the Crossbody Strap. It’s listed at around $80 on eBay, as of this writing, not including the lanyard. Prices may vary depending on various factors, including available supply, storage, and product condition. The same 32 GB model cost $299 in September 2012 when Apple launched this iPod generation.