Wireless iPod Headphones (Bluetooth)?

[pianoman181]

I don't really think bluetooth has the kind of bandwidth that's needed to transmit high quality stereo sound.

 

[tuartboy]

While wireless bluetooth headphones would be cool. I don't really see it happening. Here's why:

1) audio must be converted from digital format (aac, mp3 what have you) to a form of streaming digital audio.
2) streamed audio must be decoded at the headphones
3) from there, the decoded analog signal must be amplified to headphone level

That's a lot of electronics in the headphones themselves. They will be expensive. Furthermore, I can't imagine the battery life would be all that wonderful.

They have been doing it for months now. The A2DP protocol is well established. Read earlier posts.

 

[mo0805]

I don't really think bluetooth has the kind of bandwidth that's needed to transmit high quality stereo sound.

it's a good idea to do research before making comments that have no basis.
bluetooth has plenty of bandwidth.

 

[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 😛

 

[pubwvj]

Wonderful! This makes the iPal one step closer. With Bluetooth in the iPod one might be able to connect a keyboard and mouse. Make the screen take up the most of front of the iPod and shrink down the controls or make them onscreen and you have a MP3/PDA. The computing power is there. It doesn't need to act like a G5. I want more than just access to a couple of games, calendary, music, text notes and address book.

It's looking like an iPal Xmas...

 

[mo0805]

I want more than just access to a couple of games, calendary, music, text notes and address book.

then buy a smart phone. 😛

 

[corywoolf]

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.

yup, bluetooth headphones have been around for a couple years now (at least). The one thing they all have in common is lousy audio. Macally has some along with a few other other companies. Eventually the quality will be there and we will get iPod commercials without those cords.

 

[podfuture]

Apple is aware of emerging technologies. So they would have approached CSR and other wireless technology providers a long time ago.

I have owned several BT stereo headphones. Certainly, the wireless iPod experience is wonderful. But the products have all been expensive.

Bluetooth and SBC codecs can give a very good stereo audio delivery. But their are other issues. Power consumption, interference. While BT and WiFi can coexist, this may be more difficult if the density of users goes up. For example, imagine a reasonable attach-rate for BT iPod headphones. Take any shopping mall on a weekend and you may have a scenario where no frequency and code matching scheme can keep the necessary one-part-in-ten-thousand bit errror rate to deliver good music.

Other technologies like magnetic induction, which can't be embeded may provide a reasonable wireless experience, but at limited range. This was demonstrated at the Creative booth, last CES show. Very low power, hi fidelity but only for "on the body". Range (about 5 feet). A headphone kit like this could sell for $79.

My guess is that Apple would first embed WiFi, but not for wireless headphones. In the meantime, accessory providers need to do a better job with their wireless headphone offerings.

 

[sebisworld]

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

 

[Ege.Ersoz]

It doesn't make sense to me. The white wires are a huge part of the iPod's "image". You see them in every kind of marketing movement. Check out this pic and you will know what I mean: http://www.macworld.com.cn/ipod/2004-1-7-9-51-11-1126.jpg

I sincerely doubt Apple will change to wireless headphones just for the sake of staying on par with other brands, or technology in general. Because nobody minds the headphones. They are not a hindrance or an annoyance (which is the reason behind the push for wireless technology, that people hate wires). Just the opposite, they love those white wires. I love them. You love them too. They are a very important and, in my opinion, an indisposable part of the actual product, the player itself.

Maybe 5 years down the line when Apple develops another revolutionary product to take the place of the iPod, they might ship with wireless headphones. But for now, the white wires, as I said, are too important.

 

[cgc]

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.... 😉 😎

The same way cordless phones work probably: handset and phone have a code that identifies them as working together. Even if they are on same freq they would not interfere (via TDMA or SSMA/CDMA). Not much different than pluggin in 127 USB devices and them all working (slowly).

 

[~Shard~]

The same way cordless phones work probably: handset and phone have a code that identifies them as working together. Even if they are on same freq they would not interfere (via TDMA or SSMA/CDMA). Not much different than pluggin in 127 USB devices and them all working (slowly).

Yeah, this was already answered, bringing up the whole BT pairing thing and whatnot, but thanks for the reply as well!

 

[Anuba]

Um, why do some here talk about BT headphones like some hypothetical concept with rocket science issues to overcome? Logitech has had theirs out for months, both the iPod model (white) and a generic one (black). The white model has iPod remote buttons on the right side.

I've listened to them and they're not bad, though I can't vouch for battery life - the specs say up to 8 hours. You recharge them with an included adapter.

If Apple can do it even better, then go for it.

 

[surfer.dude]

Ummm...wrong

Actually, Bluetooth v1-1.2 transmits data at maximum of 1 Mbps, average of 700-800Kbps. That would be enough to transit lossless audio, which is precisely what the A2DP profile does. BT v2.0 just gives better battery life and a max throughput of 3 Mbps. So syncing definitely wouldn't work, but wireless headphones could definitely work (but not without some major engineering 😀 )

It'll be way too slow to update your iPod via Bluetooth.

v1.2 gets me speeds of about 20KBps a second between a Mac and an SE p910i phone. That's just enough for streaming audio at 128Kbps, perhaps a little more with a good clear signal between source and headphones.

v2.0 is supposedly 3 times quicker so quite capable of audio streaming at decent quality.

If you remember that USB2 is 480Mbps and wireless networking is 54Mbps you can see why it's just plain stupid using Bluetooth for anything other than as a control interface or low bandwidth streaming of audio.

Apple's Airtunes btw sends Apple lossless coded audio to the Airport Express box. It uses a lot of bandwidth it need not use if the source was 128Kbps AAC originally but I guess they didn't want to stick in an AAC/WMA/MP3 etc decoder in there.

IMHO, Apple would be better off including a wifi chip in the iPod with Bluetooth just for control features and phone muting.

 

[grimmace]

It what I have been waiting for

All the revisions for the ipod have been pretty weak in my opinion. Battery life and photos are not all it would take for me to purchase a new ipod. Mine (gen 2 15mb) has been great all this time and my battery still works fine. Wireless technology is what I've been waiting for. I hope to see it soon as a "internal" source on the ipod. It's all about wireless, people! Now just get that mighty mouse with BT too.. hurry it up! 😎

 

[Noiseboy]

3. Yeah, but that's true of lots of things. At least these will be stuck in your ear unlike car keys, the remote, your missing left socks......[/QUOTE]

If you have a sock missing how do you know it's the left one?
😕

 

[cxny]

are[/i] a very important and, in my opinion, an indisposable part of the actual product, the player itself.

Out of three iPods I have owned over four years I have never even opened the headphone packages, preferring to use "regular" headphone anyday.
It's about the music not the wires!