DO NOT plug iPhone into original Bose Sound Dock [Archive]

mmignano

Sep 27, 2007, 09:21 AM

Just wanted to warn everyone here who owns the older bose sound dock and iPhone. Do not, under any circumstances, try to use your iPhone with the dock. I've read many reports online of people having success with it even though the phone warns you that the two are incompatible. However, my roommate (who is not as much of an apple junkie as I am) tested it out yesterday. Sure enough, it shorted the phone and bricked it within seconds. The phone is now inoperable, with a voided warranty (due to using it with 3rd party products).

Just figured I'd give everyone a heads up.

dopeasy

Sep 27, 2007, 09:43 AM

mpuck972

Sep 27, 2007, 09:49 AM

On a related note, this happened to me when plugging my iphone into of all things an IPOD HIFI. DO NOT DOCK THE IPHONE INTO THE HIFI. Not only did it brick within seconds, I heat up like a brick oven...in my pants. Thankfully, the apple store gave me a new one, no questions asked.

Must have been something else, cause every time I go to Best Buy I put my phone in it, and listen to it. I go about once a week to see if they put it on clearance yet since it's discontinued. Maybe he put it on wrong, and did some damage to the pins in the phone and shorted it that way?

Toys For Boys

Nov 16, 2007, 12:08 AM

Checked on the web and of course it says it's compatible. Popped it on a Soundock and the screen went white as my face did the same. Rebooted it and seemed OK, but as soon as you started to charge it, it cut the phone connection. Battery wouldn't charge and the thing heated up like a toaster. Tried replacing the battery but seems the motherboard is shorted out. No warranty so only option is to buy a new one! Gutted.

CD3660

Nov 16, 2007, 12:26 AM

This is very disturbing news as I have the original Bose Sounddock and I've just got an iPhone. :eek:

Fortunately, I hadn't got around to trying it out as I have been using the iPhone linked to a Bose Companion 5.

Are we absolutely sure that it's a problem: I can't see anything on the Bose website to confirm it?

Superdrive

Nov 16, 2007, 01:55 AM

Anytime the iPhone is docked to something with a line out port, the incompatibility message pops up. Even on a universal dock in my friend's vehicle! It works fine with my FM modulator. I would imagine that if an incompatible connection bricks the iPhone, the iPhone would not have the same dock connector as the incompatible devices. I would hope Apple thought that, at least...

ne0star

Nov 16, 2007, 02:16 AM

Sorry but this is clearly a one off. I have been using my iphone in my 2 year old bose sound dock since I got the phone last week, and it works perfectly.

It will happily charge the phone while docked as well. Just use the 2nd largest adpater plate that ships with the dock and it fits perfect. (Don't use the largest though as its too big)

If you read the Bose website it even states on there that it is comptaible with the iphone.

The only thing that doesn't work is the off button due to the slide to turn off.

pooryou

Nov 16, 2007, 04:39 AM

I've tried my iPhone on one of those things at a store and it worked fine.
Well it sounded like crap of course but it didn't hurt the iPhone.

CD3660

Nov 16, 2007, 07:28 AM

I've tried my iPhone on one of those things at a store and it worked fine.
Well it sounded like crap of course but it didn't hurt the iPhone.
I believe the OP was saying that the iPhone is incompatible with the early Sounddocks (which came out over two years ago) not the current model that you would have tried instore.

ne0star

Nov 16, 2007, 08:00 AM

I believe the OP was saying that the iPhone is incompatible with the early Sounddocks (which came out over two years ago) not the current model that you would have tried instore.

I think he means the original one rather than the new portable one. I don't think it has anything to do with age. I'm fairly certian that other than releasing it in Black the Sound Dock has not changed in technical specification since launch.

Mine is over two years old now and works perfectly.

Quote from the Bose website:

*Works with any iPod® featuring a click wheel, including all nano, mini, photo and video models. Also plays music with iPhone™. (In the event of audio interference, set iPhone™ to Airplane Mode.) iPod is a registered trademark and iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Tsuius

Nov 16, 2007, 04:51 PM

bramalho

Dec 26, 2007, 12:19 AM

The guys right. Mine just fried on the older Bose dock. To bad I didn't read this forum first.

kimabg

Jan 17, 2008, 07:28 AM

I can confirm that there is a problem with the Bose Sounddock and the iPhone.

I lent my old Sounddock to my brother, who has an iPhone. The minute he connected it the screen started acting strangely and the iPhone warmed up rapidly.
He immediately removed it from the Sounddock, and it seemed to work OK for a few minutes before turning off.

Now it can't be turned on, and does not react to charging or docking to the computer. Obviously he blames me for bricking the phone, since I was always jealous of it.

theanimala

Mar 25, 2008, 07:45 PM

Just a heads up to everyone out there. I have read conflicting reports on using the iPhone with the Bose SoundDock. I have one that was purchased 15 months ago, not very long ago as far as I am concerned. This weekend I plugged my iphone (new to me, $250 refurb that I just got last week) into it to charge, and it popped up a screen that said something to the effect that the item was not compatible with the iphone, would you like to use it in Airplane mode to prevent distortion. I said no and pressed the button on the top to turn it off. I picked up the phone about an hour later and it was very hot. When I turned on the screen I would only get color bars across it, changing patterns almost like a screen saver.

I waited and tried it again later. It worked for a few seconds, then said the batter was dying and would go back to the colored lines. I charged it from the PC for a few hours, tried it again, same thing. I was like, on snap, there goes $250 since I had it unlocked. Somehow I was able to get it up, and before it locked back up I went the settings screen and had it wipe itself clean, and then eliminated the zIphone's icon. I could not get rid of the installer icon because the phone wont stay on when plugged into the PC.

Called AT&T, they told me to take it to a local store. Went there, they said take it to Apple, who luckily is in the same mall. By then the battery was so drained it would not come up at all. Apple rep went in the back, and came back out shortly after with a brand new iphone.

Sorry for the long post, but I will not plug this thing into anything but headphones and my iphone dock from now on. I have read online of other people running into issues with the Bose SoundDock so be careful if you plan on using one...

TEG

Mar 25, 2008, 07:52 PM

Michael CM1

Mar 25, 2008, 08:07 PM

So basically what we have learned is some devices fry the iPhone, some don't. WOOT, now I know more! :)

I've plugged it up into a radio I got at BB & Beyond and it gave me the "not made for iPhone" warning but didn't kill it. Same thing with this other dockable thing I have at work (although I unplugged it). I have to think it would be uber-stupid to make something with the same form factor (the dock connector) that will blow up if used. Of course all these electronics makers that use the same size AC plug and 500 different currents fit my description.

I think I'm going to get the DLO portable speakers for iPhone. They're only $50, made for iPhone, rotate, have AC adapter, etc. Anybody used those?

JBaker122586

Mar 25, 2008, 08:28 PM

All that these devices does is charge the iPhone via the Firewire power pins. Unfortunatley, a small percentage of iPhones have batteries that don't work right with the Firewire power. Just take it back to an Apple Store and complain, as I lost one iPhone using it with my iTrip Auto (either that or the cold) and it screwed up the screen. It is not a problem with these devices, but a problem with the small percentage of iPhones.

TEG

Is this a fact?
My iPhone seemed odd because my Belkin iPod car charger would never seem to charge it, but instead just make the phone really warm to the touch. I have an almost 3 year old Bose SoundDock that I've never tried my iPhone with.

I recently exchanged my iPhone at the Genius Bar for a new one (speaker issues) and haven't tried it with the car charger or Sound Dock either. I haven't jailbroken or unlocked my iPhone, so if either of these things screw up my iPhone, I should be fine to get a new one from Apple, right?

TEG

Mar 25, 2008, 11:48 PM

It is true. What I find interesting, is that to my knowledge, these devices cause no problems with the iPod touch.

TEG

poorbusker

Mar 26, 2008, 12:21 AM

ive been using mine with my bose sound dock for about 6 months now without one single problem..i have no idea what you all are talking about..I guess I am just lucky.

steve31

Mar 26, 2008, 01:49 AM

anyone had problems with the new sound dock portable?

unit01

Apr 28, 2008, 10:29 AM

This happened to my wife's iPhone last Saturday, same symptoms. Plugged it in the dock, screen goes crazy, then it dies. Doing a hard reset makes it work again but it eventually can't catch any cellular coverage after which it shows the "iPhone cannot make or receive calls" error. Feels warm to the touch as well then it finally dies.

Fortunately it was replaced by the Apple store.

So who's to blame here? Apple or Bose? I feel for the other people whose iPhones died but were not replaced by Apple. Or maybe given the runaround because Bose and Apple are pointing fingers at each other.

unit01

Apr 28, 2008, 10:40 AM

I forgot to mention that the phone was not unlocked/jailbroken.

iSamurai

Apr 28, 2008, 01:14 PM

zainjetha

Apr 28, 2008, 01:22 PM

I left mine in for 5 minutes when i felt it was boiling point..

however fail to understand why it wont work with iPhone when it does perfect with iPod touch..

modernteknology

Jun 23, 2009, 10:51 AM

Iphone and Iphone 3g will definitely produce audio in the Sounddock original. the only compatibility issue is that it will not charge. the sounddock original charged the ipods using firewire pin. apple changed to charging with the usb pin on current ipods and iphones. therefore, your iphones should play sound but will not charge with the original sounddock. the original sounddock is not technically certified for iphone however.

dhumphrey

Jul 3, 2009, 12:26 PM

Today I unknowingly plugged my brand new iPhone 3GS in my original Bose SoundDock (purchased in May 2007) and received the warning described above about the two devices not being compatible. I was able to play music without a problem. Then I googled around to find out more information about the compatibility problem and landed here, discovering that I could easily have "bricked" my wonderful new companion.

This thread is now 2.5 years old, but there is still no clear consensus on which iPhones will sort of work with the SoundDock (or SoundDock Series II or portable). Instead, there are just conflicting reports based on individual user experiences, but no reports of attempts by the manufacturers to clarify the situation. On its website, Bose says it "works with iPhone", but doesn't seem to be aware that we now have the iPhones 3G and 3GS. My original SoundDock is discontinued, so Bose has even less incentive to work out a solution or provide information for an annoying legacy product.

Am I reading the situation clearly, or am I missing the solution to the problem that I'm seeking?

Thanks for any updates or additional input!

David

lakudzu

Jul 24, 2009, 10:20 PM

Good news?

I recently discovered that Bose will replace the port of your Sound Dock with a port that is compatible with the 3G/S for $99 plus your shipping cost.

When I called Bose, they also mentioned another option. Currently, they will allow you to trade-in your old Sound Dock and replace it with a Sound Dock Portable for $149 plus whatever it cost for you to send the old unit back to them. Don't know if you're interested, but I"m like you, and feel like I currently have a Bose system that I can't use, so what's another $150.

I guess if you wanted to, you could always sell the thing unopened and probably do pretty well.

Hope this helps,

littledude8209

Aug 8, 2009, 12:35 PM

ive been using mine with my bose sound dock for about 6 months now without one single problem..i have no idea what you all are talking about..I guess I am just lucky.

same here.... I've had my soundock for almost 2 years now, used the original iPhone as with the 3G and both have worked flawlessly with it. The only thing that bugs me a bit is the fact that the 3G does not charge with it as the original did, but oh well. at least I have amazing sounds :D

mackmgg

Aug 8, 2009, 01:59 PM

same here.... I've had my soundock for almost 2 years now, used the original iPhone as with the 3G and both have worked flawlessly with it. The only thing that bugs me a bit is the fact that the 3G does not charge with it as the original did, but oh well. at least I have amazing sounds :D

Same problem here :( I wonder if bose will give you a charging adapter

Matt7000

Oct 29, 2009, 05:28 AM

I sent an email to Bose today in regards to the compatibility issue. They emailed me back saying that the original sounddock is only partially compatible with the iPhone 3Gs (I didn't ask about the 3G), in that it will play music but won't charge. They said nothing about the phone malfunctioning in any other way.

They continued by saying that a service upgrade is available to make it completely compatible that it can be performed at their head office (which is in Newington for those living in Sydney, NSW) for $90.

Cheers.

Nightex

Feb 17, 2010, 06:40 PM

I've been using my iPhone 3G with the Bose Sound Dock since I first got it back in July 08. I used to work for CompNow and we used to to demo the the Bose SD with the iPhone. Sure it said not compatible and you should put the phone into Airplane Mode. But aside from that. Everything worked great.

I eventually got myself one cos I fell in love with the one in the shop. It's been working great for the past year or so, but since the last iPhone update it will longer charge or play music from the iPhone. WTF?

Anyone else having this issue???

Nightex

Feb 17, 2010, 06:43 PM

P.S Its the portable model.

taskmanager

Feb 22, 2010, 10:34 PM

That sux... thx for the warning

PAMM

Feb 24, 2010, 03:02 AM

It is correct that you cannot use some iPhones on some Sound Docks. Specifically, the 1st generation iPhone worked well with the original Sound Dock; however, the 3G & 3GS models do not work with the original Sound Dock. (Note**I also used it with an iHome alarm clock and while the original worked fine, the two subsequent models did NOT).

It is most likely that those of you who are currently using them together successfully are using the updated Bose Sound Dock product. When Bose says that you can use it with ALL iPhones they are referring to the systems currently being sold, not the original model. :(

Hope that helps!

naths

Feb 25, 2010, 10:26 AM

i use my 3gs on the sound dock II, no problem it charges and plays great,but im thinking of getting either the sound dock10 or the wave DAB with the ipod dock,anyone have either of these??...and do they play/charge ok??

AndyB13

Mar 3, 2010, 05:51 AM

Hi All,

I have had loads of problems with my iphone 3g and Bose Soundock now all three of my units don't work it seems like my soundock has given up completely. The Nano, Touch and new iphone all seem to have problems so now I have no music

any ideas anyone would be much appreciated

edmondyll

Mar 4, 2010, 07:46 PM

Thanks for letting us know that!
I was planning to get one those old stock as they are real cheap now!

Gin Gin

Mar 4, 2010, 11:25 PM

I have an old Sound Dock & got one of these adapters. With the adapter it charges and plays my 3GS fine. I still get that annoying message but I just ignore and everything works fine. PassPORT adapter (http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-PassPORT-Charging-Adapter-Black/dp/B001NXYXX8/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1267766607&sr=8-1-fkmr1)

Miamifan1354

Apr 21, 2010, 08:36 PM

Just bought two of the Bose Sound Docks in December for my Mother and Fiancee. One is used for an older ipod 60gig, all works fine. Other is used on iphone 3g. Charged the phone until about two weeks ago, and now, nothing. Sound works, but no more charging. Any ideas?

lphanatic

Jul 5, 2010, 07:20 PM

anyone had problems with the new sound dock portable?

i bought my brand new black Bose system Series II (portable) a few months ago and used my 2g Iphone on it. It worked great for a good 3 months. It even charged it. Just recently I tried to use it and a window pops up asking if I wanted to change it to airplane mode because the iphone was not compatible with the Bose system. I called up bose and did some trouble shooting over the phone but the problem would not go away. My boyfriend has a 3G iphone and his can used just fine on the system. Neither Apple nor Bose has any idea why it is happening.

Bose suggested I ship the product back to them (at my expense) so they can troubleshoot it there. I haven't decided on it but after hearing these complaints I think I will return it. Maybe be ask for a refund since I had for less than a year.

UneElle

Jul 6, 2010, 06:48 AM

i bought my brand new black Bose system Series II (portable) a few months ago and used my 2g Iphone on it. It worked great for a good 3 months. It even charged it. Just recently I tried to use it and a window pops up asking if I wanted to change it to airplane mode because the iphone was not compatible with the Bose system. I called up bose and did some trouble shooting over the phone but the problem would not go away. My boyfriend has a 3G iphone and his can used just fine on the system. Neither Apple nor Bose has any idea why it is happening.

Bose suggested I ship the product back to them (at my expense) so they can troubleshoot it there. I haven't decided on it but after hearing these complaints I think I will return it. Maybe be ask for a refund since I had for less than a year.

FWIW: My son bought the new(er) Sound Dock Portable for me last Xmas and it worked flawlessly with my 3G for a couple of months. Then, inexplicably, I too began getting the "...not compatible with iPhone...want to change to airplane mode..." error message. When I called Bose's technical support last March they asked me a couple of questions, then had me put the iPhone in the unit, turn it on, and "ignore" the warning...essentially they directed me to wait a few moments and eventually the warning disappeared and the unit began playing. That's what I did for the next 2-1/2 months we spent in Florida and it played and charged without problems. We're back home now, and I haven't tried to use it on my new iPhone 4. And, frankly, I'm now scared to death to do so. I guess all I can do is keep watching this thread.