Wireless iPod Headphones (Bluetooth)?

[MacRumors]

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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".

[BlizzardBomb]

If this goes into the next iPod, I may be swayed away from buying a Nano for Christmas.

[FoxyKaye]

Originally Posted by BlizzardBomb

If this goes into the next iPod, I may be swayed away from buying a Nano for Christmas.

I love my existing iPod, which has gotten even better with a high-capacity replacement battery.

A Bluetooth iPod would be amazing, but I think the next time I'd actually purchase one would be when Apple hits 8GB or 16GB Bluetooth iPod Nano. This, I think, may be a while coming if ever.

Offtopic: C'mon Bluetooth Mighty Mouse - that's something I could use tomorrow.

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by FoxyKaye

Offtopic: C'mon Bluetooth Mighty Mouse - that's something I could use tomorrow.

I've both a BT Apple mouse and the Mighty Mouse.

MightyMouse is more accurate, doesn't suffer a stutter when you first move it waiting for bluetooth to negotiate and it's a lot lighter in the hand to move. I don't think I'll go back to a cordless mouse until they can sort out the speed issues with wireless mice. They're ok for normal desktop users but trying to draw in Photoshop with something as flaky as a wireless mouse is a frustrating experience.

Plus, replacing rechargeable batteries every couple of weeks was getting very tiresome. To get them inside a mighty mouse and have all the features they'd possibly have to reduce the battery size.

[bentmywookie]

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.

[Devie]

Wireless earbuds? They would suck hard...

[BlizzardBomb]

Note the words used was "wireless headphones" not "wireless earbuds"

[~Shard~]

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....

[itsa]

I'll be happy to just see this in the cool new mouse. That's the only thing keeping me from buying "Mighty."

[Yebot]

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.

[Lollypop]

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]

"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.

[ibook30]

So - with BT my ipod can talk to my computer,,, which can talk to my stereo via airport express.

Would that work? Could my ipod become a remote control for music all over the house??

[tuartboy]

Originally Posted by ~Shard~

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....

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...

[~Shard~]

Originally Posted by tuartboy

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.

<snip>

Cool, thanks for the info! I thought it would be something along those lines, but wasn't sure.

[MattG]

I'd be interested in Bluetooth enabled iPods for other reasons...like the ability to control iTunes (running on my Bluetooth-enabled Mini) using my iPod.

[dollystereo]

I think that bluetooth headsets in mobile phones look horrible, I dont think this will become available soon, and will just be a forgotten rumor.
Who cares the little cable of the headphones, I will prefer to have a better headphone with my ipod, like the ones that isolates your listening (pretty expensive ones)

[strydr]

The biggest problem I see with a BT iPod would be battery life. On my cell phone (moto. V600), when I enable BT (for connectivity to my PowerBook), my battery dis-charges in 12 hours. In contrast, with BT turned off, I get 2-4 days worth of charge. A BT enabled iPod would need a bigger battery, and wouldn't hold a charge for too long. I would think this would also translate to any type of headphones too. No earbuds, unless they can get power consumption WAY down. Don't get me wrong, I totally am into a BT iPod, give me capabilities to use it as a remote for iTunes, and I'll be the first to buy one. I wonder which protocol uses more power, BT or WiFi?? If they could integrate WiFi, I'd be even happier (than with BT)

[Trekkie]

Battery life would suck, or you'd have a big brick of a thing connected to your 'wireless' headphone by a wire. Or, the headset itself would have a brick in it making it heavy and uncomfortable.

Not until I can carry around a portable nuke reactor to power all my stuff

[MacRumoron]

Not wireless headphones because i want to put on the wireless earbuds in class with a hood on so i don't have to listen to my teacher

[w_parietti22]

Knowing me... I would lose one side.

[mo0805]

if apple does include bluetooth on the ipod, i doubt it will be for wireless headphones. i personally don't see the point of that. bluetooth uses too much battery life to be used constantly. it just wouldn't be practical. i think that if bluetooth is included in an ipod, it will be for data transfer, and maybe streaming music to the computer speakers. or even farther down the line, streaming audio to a stereo with bluetooth? slideshow to a television with bluetooth? who knows. but wireless headphones? i doubt it.

[HD Max]

Hi there,

I'm wah ahead of you. Since I got my very first 5GB iPod when they were first introduced I've had wireless headphones. Since I'm hearing impaired I have a tiny wireless transmitter that plugs into any audio jack (e.g. my iPod one) and transmits the signal to my hearing aids.

Also it would not need a behind-the-ear design. My hearing aids are just like the bud, they sit in my ear and don't stick out at all. You need custom-made moulds that fit well for it to work though or they do fall out. They're about £4,000 GBP a peice but tahts'f for hearing aids, headphones would probably be a 100th of that :P

[sebisworld]

So... not only will I forget about my iPod nano, since it's way too light... but I will also loose my headphones?

[danielwsmithee]

Originally Posted by ~Shard~

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....

This would not be an issue with bluetooth. It has built in security features to ensure that this does not occur. That is why you always need to pair bluetooth devices when you first set them up, including mice & keyboards. When wireless keyboards first came out that was an issue, the guy in the cublicle next to you could be typing, and you would see it on your screen. That was before the bluetooth days though.