iPodSource: Apple

What you need to know

  • A Redditor used Shortcuts to recreate Cover Flow.
  • They used physical cards and NFC to create a digital jukebox.
  • The NFC triggers a shortcut that launches Apple Music.

I'm old enough to remember when Cover Flow was an amazing addition to the way we browsed and listened to music. So the thought of using physical NFC cards with gorgeous art on them to play music via Shortcuts sounds awesome. And it's even better in action.

Redditor nfabula did all the hard work and I'm so glad they did. They shared a video that shows the whole thing in action, but it boils down to this:

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  1. Tap an NFC card against an iPhone. That card has album artwork so you know what it's going to play.
  2. The NFC reading triggers Shortcuts which in turn opens Apple Music, ready to play the exact album printed on the card.
  3. You watch in awe as the physical world turns digital.

Sure, none of this is particularly groundbreaking and anyone can do it. But the fact someone did do it and that they took the time to create great-looking cards still warms the heart.

Check the video out and see for yourself!