Sony debuted the Walkman on July 1, in what year? Posted on June 30, 2014 Written by quizsocial The correct answer is B. 1979. The Walkman – the world’s first low-cost portable stereo and a direct ancestor of the modern-day iPod & iPhone – went on sale in Japan on July 1, 1979. In June 1980, it was introduced in the U.S.