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You're probably thinking of the 3rd gen version, which, had exactly zero buttons (the only way to control it was to press the button on the included Apple earbuds): https://apple-history.com/ipod_shuffle_3g

Even Apple probably thought that was a bad decision, since the subsequent generation returned to the usual controls. Fortunately someone RE'd the protocol and posted about it publicly: https://web.archive.org/web/20130114082119/http://david.carn...

The same measurement of resistance between the innermost two contacts is now a standard for Android in-line headset controls, although Apple's implementation used 0, 4.7k, and 10k ohms instead of Android's much lower (<1k) values.

No, this one had a central Play/Pause button surrounded by a D-Pad ring for prev/next track and volume. No display though.

This was really the best design. The metal one that was a big clip.

I recently rediscovered one doing home archeology and it’s still working

I love how a couple of its designers downvoted that simple question.