Wireless iPod Headphones (Bluetooth)?

[MacRumors]

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.

 

[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...

 

[Lacero]

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.

 

[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....

 

[~Shard~]

Wireless earbuds? They would suck hard...

Care to elaborate and back-up your statement, as opposed to simply saying they would "suck hard"?

 

[itsa]

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

 

[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??

 

[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.

 

[Macmaniac]

I would be very interested to see this implemented, I wonder what the headphones would look like.

 

[aegisdesign]

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.

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~]

"Approached Apple" is quite far removed from any actual Apple plans.

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....)

 

[Devie]

Care to elaborate and back-up your statement, as opposed to simply saying they would "suck hard"?

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]

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~]

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

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

 

[~Shard~]

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.

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!

 

[m-dogg]

I don't care so much about wireless headphones, but the possibilities for wireless integration into my home & car stereos have nice potential!

 

[Koodauw]

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]

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~]

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]

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...