Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Wireless iPod Headphones (Bluetooth)?

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,537
30,845


The Independent reports that Cambridge Silicon Radio, a wireless technology group, has approached Apple with the offer to install its microchips into future iPods.

The company's wireless chips would allow Apple to integrate bluetooth technology into the iPod to give the option of wireless headphones, amongst other features.

The Bluetooth iPod is certainly not a new idea, and has been rumored for some time. A previous interview with a Motorola manager revealed that "consumers will soon be able to listen to music wirelessly from their iPod through their car speakers." Apple also filed a patent in 2003 describing "a wireless media player system that includes a hand held media player capable of transmitting information over a wireless connection and one or more media devices capable of receiving information over the wireless connection".
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2005/09/16/wireless-ipod-headphones-bluetooth/
B

bentmywookie

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2002
155
0
Palo Alto
This would be awesome - even beyond being able to have wireless headphones + connect to the stereo. You could also talk with friends' bluetooth-enabled phones, grab pictures from them on the go. And although it would be slow - syncing your iPod without wires would be pretty cool too.
 
Lacero

Lacero

macrumors 604
Jan 20, 2005
6,637
3
The headphones would need to be powered. To save battery life, the headphones most likely will be in-ear units. The battery pack might take on the form that rest behind the ears.

How Apple can design an attractive looking BT headphone without it looking like a hearing aid, remains to be seen.
 
~Shard~

~Shard~

macrumors P6
Jun 4, 2003
18,377
48
1123.6536.5321
Not knowing much about BT and broadcast/transmission frequencies, protocols, and the like, how would Apple isolate the data to the headphones, so that when a person walks past another BT headphone iPod user, their music doesn't accidentally kick in? Would there be any interference/crosstalk issues like this? ;)

Sounds neat though - less wires is always a good thing! Couple these with a new video iPod and you can have my credit card number Apple! Well, I guess you already do, but.... ;) :cool:
 
I

itsa

macrumors 6502
Apr 25, 2004
277
0
I'll be happy to just see this in the cool new mouse. That's the only thing keeping me from buying "Mighty."
 
Lollypop

Lollypop

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2004
829
1
Johannesburg, South Africa
its good that companies try to get their products in or associated with the ipod. If bluetooth is in the next generation iPod... I will definately get one.. the nano really doesn't do it for me.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
"Approached Apple" is quite far removed from any actual Apple plans.

But I do like the idea of wireless audio a lot better than the idea of wireless synching! Wireless headphones--which I could share with my PowerBook too--would be great, if quality were good.

Synching over wireless would be slower--and I plug in to charge ANYWAY. So synching is transparent and automatic even without BT or Wi-Fi.
 
Yebot

Yebot

macrumors 6502
Jan 6, 2004
362
2
I dont see this happening in any major capacity. Maybe on the high-end models exclusively.

The little white wires are a major part of how Apple markets the iPod.
 
A

aegisdesign

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2005
875
0
Yebot said:
I dont see this happening in any major capacity. Maybe on the high-end models exclusively.

The little white wires are a major part of how Apple markets the iPod.
Click to expand...

It's also a method of not losing your earbuds. ;-)

Bluetooth in the iPod is more useful for interaction with other devices such as allowing phone calls in when you're listening to your ipod, pausing the ipod so you don't have to fumble around pausing it yourself. In most of Europe you can't use phones in cars other than handsfree. The same should be true for iPods. IMHO.

I guess with BT 2.0 it's ok for streaming over bluetooth too. BT v1.2 is barely acceptable there. It'd also be nice for use with wireless remotes although battery power will take a dive.
 
~Shard~

~Shard~

macrumors P6
Jun 4, 2003
18,377
48
1123.6536.5321
nagromme said:
"Approached Apple" is quite far removed from any actual Apple plans.
Click to expand...

Good point. Technically, N&S Enterprises (Nagromme & Shard) could "approach Apple" tomorrow with a great product idea, but that doesn't mean Apple will snap it right up. (The fools....) ;) :cool:
 
D

Devie

macrumors 6502a
Aug 30, 2004
556
319
Adelaide, Australia
~Shard~ said:
Care to elaborate and back-up your statement, as opposed to simply saying they would "suck hard"? :)
Click to expand...

One- Size, it would be quite large to fit everything (battery, antenae, the bud itself)
Two- My earbuds fall out of my ears quite often...
Three- High chance of loosing them/easily stolen
 
Object-X

Object-X

macrumors 6502a
Aug 3, 2004
633
142
iThink

Now if they can just figure out a way to allow me to change tracks or playlists by just thinking about it they may be on to something. ;)
 
~Shard~

~Shard~

macrumors P6
Jun 4, 2003
18,377
48
1123.6536.5321
Devie said:
One- Size, it would be quite large to fit everything (battery, antenae, the bud itself)
Two- My earbuds fall out of my ears quite often...
Three- High chance of loosing them/easily stolen
Click to expand...

Thanks! Was just interested to hear some solid reasons, that's all, which you have provided - and very legitimate ones at that! :)
 
~Shard~

~Shard~

macrumors P6
Jun 4, 2003
18,377
48
1123.6536.5321
Object-X said:
Now if they can just figure out a way to allow me to change tracks or playlists by just thinking about it they may be on to something. ;)
Click to expand...

That may not be the best technology for people with ADD. ;)

Plus, for people with thousands of songs, the odds would increase that a random thought could trigger a song to be played, as the user might inadvertently think of something which ends up to actually be the title of a song! :p :D
 
m-dogg

m-dogg

macrumors 65816
Mar 15, 2004
1,338
4
Connecticut
I don't care so much about wireless headphones, but the possibilities for wireless integration into my home & car stereos have nice potential!
 
Koodauw

Koodauw

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2003
3,951
190
Madison
How will people know im cool if they cant see my white ipod headphones cord?

I think Logitech already has some BT headphones out. This doesnt seem real appealing to me.
 
swissmann

swissmann

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2003
797
82
The Utah Alps
Like others my main concern is power supply. Could I jog with heavy wireless earphones? If they could engineer it great but if not 80% of my iPod use would go back to wired earphones.
 
~Shard~

~Shard~

macrumors P6
Jun 4, 2003
18,377
48
1123.6536.5321
How would the sound quality be using BT wireless? I assume this would be similar to AirTunes?

I realize it's different, but one concern I always had when I had my FM transmitter for my iPod in my car, was the noticeable lack of quality in the music. I now have a direct input into my car stereo, which is awesome, but I am wondering if a wireless solution for the iPod's headphones would experience similar quality issues. I'm guessing no, but some further information on this would be appreciated.
 
tuartboy

tuartboy

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2005
747
19
~Shard~ said:
Not knowing much about BT and broadcast/transmission frequencies, protocols, and the like, how would Apple isolate the data to the headphones, so that when a person walks past another BT headphone iPod user, their music doesn't accidentally kick in? Would there be any interference/crosstalk issues like this? ;)

Sounds neat though - less wires is always a good thing! Couple these with a new video iPod and you can have my credit card number Apple! Well, I guess you already do, but.... ;) :cool:
Click to expand...
BT works by pairing with another device and setting up a 2 way connection just between the 2 paired devices. In theory it works, but someone can sniff it without hardly any effort. It would prevent overlapping connections in normal listening.

Likely the device would be paired to the ipod at the factory so it just works instead of having to set them up every time you use them. This would limit the use of BT to audio, though, and would not allow the device to pair with anything else (read: cellphone, powerbook).

Also, I imagine it would be something like Logitech's BT headphones minus the BT adapter. Toshiba has a similar model out without the factory-paired adapter that can pair with other BT devices, but it would have to go through a set up session every time you wanted to use it with your ipod...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom