FiiO is getting closer to bringing the pocket cassette player back, but its more ambitious model still needs a little more time before it reaches buyers.
In a recent update on Weibo, FiiO shared fresh details on the upcoming CP11 and higher-end CP15. Both have been part of a cassette project running for around two years, with the new ultra-thin tape mechanism proving much harder to perfect than the company originally expected.
The CP15 was supposed to come first, but those development challenges changed the plan. As Gear Patrol explains, the more accessible CP11 was added in early 2026 in the hope of getting a new portable cassette player onto the market sooner.
Even the CP11 sounds surprisingly modern for something built around cassette tapes. FiiO is giving it a newly developed slim mechanism, upgraded magnetic head and brushless motor, along with redesigned servo and circuit systems. Bluetooth transmission is also included, so wireless headphones and speakers can join the mix.
Development is now getting closer to the production stage. The software and circuit-board design are nearly finished, with trial production of the mechanism coming next. FiiO is aiming to launch the CP11 around the end of 2026, but it has already warned that remaining mechanical issues could push things back.
As for pricing, nothing has been confirmed yet. For now, it is expected to land somewhere around $100, though that remains an estimate rather than an official figure. The more premium CP15 has previously been tipped to cost around $150.
The CP15 is still coming too, just a little further down the road. Its software and electronics are largely complete, and FiiO hopes to launch it within roughly six months if development of the mechanism goes smoothly.
So the higher-end cassette revival is not quite here yet, but it is getting closer. With the CP11 moving towards production and the CP15 still very much alive, FiiO looks committed to giving portable tape another go.