Regulators O.K. Apple's Bluetooth headset for sale alongside iPhone

[AppleInsider]

Federal regulators this week gave Apple Inc. the go-ahead to begin selling its seldom-mentioned Bluetooth headset alongside iPhone later this month.

Documents released Thursday by the Federal Communications Commission, which omit photographs and a user manual at the iPod maker's request, show the device to carry model number A1221 and FCC ID BCGA1221.

Apple has said little about the pen cap-like accessory since introducing it back in January alongside its first-ever mobile handset -- iPhone. Similarly, it has not said how much it plans to charge for the device or precisely when it will be available.

The Cupertino-based company also announced a second iPhone accessory, a wired headset with built-in microphone, that it also plans market alongside iPhone.

Again, details surrounding pricing and availability of that product have not been made public.

Apple's iPhone Bluetooth headset as shown At Macworld Expo (more photos).

Apple's iPhone Bluetooth headset as shown At Macworld Expo (more photos).

Apple's iPhone Bluetooth headset as shown At Macworld Expo (more photos).

Apple's iPhone Bluetooth headset as shown in FCC test reports.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[TednDi]

NEW HARDWARE AT LAST!!!

....IT ISN'T MULTICORE? WTF!!

apple is doomed.

[tsvisser]

it does not have native multi-core support... rather an aggregate processing feature that allows units to be used in parallel... sort of a dual-mono-core for a combined stereo feature when using two. engineers have not figured out yet how to program the process manager to distribute the workload across more than two units at this time, give the ZIF-2 socket of the user's MELONv1.0 interface orb.

[Buck]

Will it enable wireless bluetooth squirting?

[allblue]

Originally Posted by tsvisser

it does not have native multi-core support... rather an aggregate processing feature that allows units to be used in parallel... sort of a dual-mono-core for a combined stereo feature when using two. engineers have not figured out yet how to program the process manager to distribute the workload across more than two units at this time, give the ZIF-2 socket of the user's MELONv1.0 interface orb.

Ah yes but you're forgetting that the ZIF-2 correlates dynamically utilising the vertical plane, therefore allowing access to the orb via the multi-dimensional Gunter switching system. Not that I'm an expert or anything...

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The Cupertino-based company also announced a second iPhone accessory, a wired headset with built-in microphone, that it also plans market alongside iPhone

I thought this headphone/mic was included with the iPhone.

[caliminius]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I thought this headphone/mic was included with the iPhone.

Have you bought a cell phone in the last few years? If they could, cell phone companies would sell the number keys separately. And you thought a bluetooth headset would be included in that low price of $499-599? How silly of you...

Why the bloody h*ll aren't they offering a stereo bluetooth headset so you could listen to the iPod portion wirelessly? Does it even support stereo bluetooth? Oh right, why would I expect hard specs on what the iPhone can and can't do when it's still two weeks away?

Sorry...ranting. Really obnoxious how little information there is about the iPhone's actual capabilities at this late date. Good luck, all of you early adopters who will be anxiously waiting to get one June 29th. Personally, I'd wait at least a week so I can sift through all the complaints and compliments that will flood the 'net (sorry, world wide web) immediately after its release.

[tsvisser]

Originally Posted by allblue

Ah yes but you're forgetting that the ZIF-2 correlates dynamically utilising the vertical plane, therefore allowing access to the orb via the multi-dimensional Gunter switching system. Not that I'm an expert or anything...

in order to stabilize the Z-axis of the vertical plane, they would need to add a 3rd BT unit. the orifice used to mount the 3rd BT unit, although providing a tight and sturdy fit, does not, according to the data, provide much improvement in performance - although the small gains have baffled those doing the research, as they are not sure how those gains were actually achieved.

let me just say, officially, that i'm a geek for taking this joke this far, as is anyone else who takes it further, although i'm sure that's not going to stop it...

[desarc]

i'm definately getting one of these on the 29th. why would i want to show off my new iphone? i'll just hide it in a pocket all the time.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Really obnoxious how little information there is about the iPhone's actual capabilities at this late date.

I agree. It is really quite frustrating.

Originally Posted by caliminius

Good luck, all of you early adopters who will be anxiously waiting to get one June 29th.

Thanks. I have a feeling we are going to need it.

Originally Posted by caliminius

Personally, I'd wait at least a week so I can sift through all the complaints and compliments ........

And then.......?

[mstone]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Why the bloody h*ll aren't they offering a stereo bluetooth headset so you could listen to the iPod portion wirelessly?

I believe in some US states, it is illegal to drive while wearing headphones (covering/in both ears) so you would need both a stereo and a mono headset for use while driving. But along with many other unanswered questions, I was curious about how the airplane traveller will disable the bluetooth portion of the handset as well as the wi-fi and cell features in order to enjoy the iPod feature during the flight.

[Ireland]

I ear this fits right in.. I hope it sits more tight than their regular buds.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by desarc

i'm definately getting one of these on the 29th. why would i want to show off my new iphone? i'll just hide it in a pocket all the time.

Sarcasm aside, it would come in handy when driving a car.

[DeaPeaJay]

Originally Posted by mstone

I believe in some US states, it is illegal to drive while wearing headphones (covering/in both ears) so you would need both a stereo and a mono headset for use while driving. But along with many other unanswered questions, I was curious about how the airplane traveller will disable the bluetooth portion of the handset as well as the wi-fi and cell features in order to enjoy the iPod feature during the flight.

I doubt the Bluetooth range reaches far enough to interfere with anything. But good point about the cell portion of the iPhone, I imagine you could turn the WiFi off if needed in the settings somewhere, but could you turn the cell portion off? hmm....

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Have you bought a cell phone in the last few years? If they could, cell phone companies would sell the number keys separately. And you thought a bluetooth headset would be included in that low price of $499-599? How silly of you...

I don't think he was talking about the bluetooth headset. He was taking about the ear buds with the built in mic, which appears to be what they were referring to as the second item. But I don't know if that is a different item or the same one.

Steve

[mstone]

Originally Posted by DeaPeaJay

I doubt the Bluetooth range reaches far enough to interfere with anything. But good point about the cell portion of the iPhone, I imagine you could turn the WiFi off if needed in the settings somewhere, but could you turn the cell portion off? hmm....

Whether BT reaches very far is not the issue as I've been told that the use of any radio transmitting device is prohibited. But Apple has a history of thinking these things through. For example who else offers a mag safe airline power adapter for notebooks? I'm not too worried.

[MattRebs]

If I remember correctly after MacWorld, when Apple was giving iPhone demoes behind the scenes. (that sounded dirty) David Pogue or someone else mentioned an Airplane Mode option in the settings widget which shuts of all wireless connections (BT, WiFi, etc.)

I could be wrong though.
-Matt

Woops I forgot to comment on the topic. I really like the simple design of the Bluetooth headset. I might get one later on when I get sick of the earbud mic. I'm just worried Im gonna lose it, that thing is SMALL! I'll be walking with my head tilted to the left. I'll really look crazy talking to myself.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by desarc

i'm definately getting one of these on the 29th. why would i want to show off my new iphone? i'll just hide it in a pocket all the time.

Just buy the ear piece and walk around pretending to have iphone in your pocket.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Have you bought a cell phone in the last few years? If they could, cell phone companies would sell the number keys separately. And you thought a bluetooth headset would be included in that low price of $499-599? How silly of you...

Reread my post. I quote the paragraph regarding the "wired" headset. iPods and many cell phones come with headphones.... even the cheap ones.

[JeffDM]

I don't see anything about what the headset's charger will look like, nor do I understand why a wired headset should be an extra accessory, my $50 phone included one in the box.

Originally Posted by mstone

I believe in some US states, it is illegal to drive while wearing headphones (covering/in both ears) so you would need both a stereo and a mono headset for use while driving. But along with many other unanswered questions, I was curious about how the airplane traveller will disable the bluetooth portion of the handset as well as the wi-fi and cell features in order to enjoy the iPod feature during the flight.

Airplane mode should mean that all wireless functionality is disabled. On the phones that I have, it's not that hard to turn off the radios, though maybe Apple's way is a little easier, we'll see.

Originally Posted by mstone

But Apple has a history of thinking these things through. For example who else offers a mag safe airline power adapter for notebooks? I'm not too worried.

I don't see how this example says anything about Apple being forward-thinking regarding a phone's airplane mode, that's probably a regulatory requirement for any phone or at least a de-facto standard, otherwise you can't use the device at all on an aircraft. They don't get bonus points for doing what is required.

I'm sure other companies would offer magsafe cables if they were allowed to, it's a patented idea and Apple won't license it.

[-dF]

I remember, from a Pogue podcast, that the iPhone dock has a place where you can charge the BT headset built in. I think it'd be great if a dock came with the headset... more incentive to buy.

[Cleverboy]

Originally Posted by MattRebs

Woops I forgot to comment on the topic. I really like the simple design of this iPhone. I might get one later on when I get sick of the earbud mic. I'm just worried Im gonna lose it, that thing is SMALL! I'll be walking with my head tilted to the left. I'll really look crazy talking to myself.

Yeah, Jobs kept saying "it's so tiny!" The first time its amusing. The second, its impressive... then it start getting a little scary sounding, as you imagine it somehow losing itself inside your ear... :-) I made my own blog post about it.

"And we also have a Bluetooth accessory, headset that we're gonna be shipping. And there it is right there. It's incredibly small, and just to let you see what it looks like. It's got one button on the top for answering and hanging up a phone call, you never have to turn it off or on, it just goes to sleep. It automatically pairs with iPhone, so you don't have to worry about pairing. It's really simple. And, it's very tiny. This is what it looks like in your ear. It's just beautiful, its the coolest one we've ever seen." - Steve Jobs, MacWorld in January

And constructed probably the cleanest image around...

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Cleverboy

And constructed probably the cleanest image around...

Just a hunch, but I think they used a model with a large nose and ears to make the device look even smaller.

[mstone]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Airplane mode should mean that all wireless functionality is disabled. On the phones that I have, it's not that hard to turn off the radios, though maybe Apple's way is a little easier, we'll see.

I'm glad to know that it is so easy, thank you for informing me.

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I don't see how this example says anything about Apple being forward-thinking regarding a phone's airplane mode, that's probably a regulatory requirement for any phone or at least a de-facto standard

Good to know Apple is complying with de-facto standards.

[desarc]

this thing is pretty cool looking, very small, sleek, etc. i'm betting $129. i'd say $99, but you have to add 30% because the box says "designed by apple in california"

i wonder if my headset will work w/ the iPhone. it'd better...

[caliminius]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Reread my post. I quote the paragraph regarding the "wired" headset. iPods and many cell phones come with headphones.... even the cheap ones.

Sorry, missed that in your original post and in the article as well. But I have to stand by what I originally said. Cell phones have come with less and less accessories as the years have passed. My last phone came with just the phone and a wall charger. It's even more ridiculous with phones they advertise as media players, where the required software and cable are sold separately as well as the SD memory card that will actually make it be able to store more than 3 songs. I've only had to buy 3 phones but none of them included hands-free headsets, wired or otherwise.

Even Apple has gotten this way with the iPod; it originally came with a wall charger, but now that's an extra $30. Or the lack of cables with the AppleTV. There's easy money in the accessories.

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Just a hunch, but I think they used a model with a large nose and ears to make the device look even smaller.

Don't masturbate to it!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Sorry, missed that in your original post and in the article as well. But I have to stand by what I originally said. Cell phones have come with less and less accessories as the years have passed. My last phone came with just the phone and a wall charger. It's even more ridiculous with phones they advertise as media players, where the required software and cable are sold separately as well as the SD memory card that will actually make it be able to store more than 3 songs. I've only had to buy 3 phones but none of them included hands-free headsets, wired or otherwise.

Even Apple has gotten this way with the iPod; it originally came with a wall charger, but now that's an extra $30. Or the lack of cables with the AppleTV. There's easy money in the accessories.

I love that Apple doesn't include a wall charger. I have several Firewire wall chargers for the iPod that are never used.
Since cusotmers need to connect to their iPod to their computer to sync and since all computers now supply power from at least one USB bus it makes sense to not include this feature.

As JeffDM and I pointed out, even cheap phones come with headphones. That said, I just rewatched the MacWorld 2007 keynote (1hr: 28min in when Jobs mentions the headphones). Jobs used the same terms to describe both the wired and bluetooth hands-free devices: ...we're gonna be shipping...

The tech specs make no mention of the headphones, and perhaps people that buy the iPhone will want higher quality headphones. I personally, hate the iPod's headphones. I prefer Sony's earbuds when going for decent cost/comfort/caliber set of headphones.

It's also easy to say that since all iPod' come with headphones the iPhone will. But the iPhone has something that the iPod does not: a speaker. Though that is a weak argument and all the evidence is circumstantial I think you may be right, Caliminius.

Originally Posted by britwithgoodteeth

Don't masturbate to it!

The Zune can squirt, why can't I?

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by mstone

Good to know Apple is complying with de-facto standards.

I don't know if it is a legal requirement or not though. With regard to Airplane mode, I think Apple would be stupid to not have Airplane mode work properly, otherwise one wouldn't even be permitted to use the iPod functionality on the phone because the whole device would have to be off to be legal. I have heard in the MW keynote that there would be one.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by mstone

Whether BT reaches very far is not the issue as I've been told that the use of any radio transmitting device is prohibited. But Apple has a history of thinking these things through. For example who else offers a mag safe airline power adapter for notebooks? I'm not too worried.

Huh? Apple is the only company that has Magsafe connectors. They also have not licensed MagSafe to any of the third-parties. So, who else would make a power adapter?

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I don't see how this example says anything about Apple being forward-thinking regarding a phone's airplane mode, that's probably a regulatory requirement for any phone or at least a de-facto standard, otherwise you can't use the device at all on an aircraft. They don't get bonus points for doing what is required.

OK, JeffDM had all my points on magsafe. Sorry. But, there is no regulatory requirement about turning off bluetooth or wifi or anything else (just like there's nothing that tells them to turn off just the standard cell capability). But Apple would be stupid not to allow it, because what frequent traveler in their right mind would spend so much money for a device they couldn't use at all on an airplane?

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I love that Apple doesn't include a wall charger. I have several Firewire wall chargers for the iPod that are never used.
Since cusotmers need to connect to their iPod to their computer to sync and since all computers now supply power from at least one USB bus it makes sense to not include this feature.

Sorry, I don't agree. USB charging blows, mainly because everytime I've ever tried to use it, it insists on waking up my mac when I plug it in. I never had this problem with Firewire. It also won't charge when the computer is turned off (my iBook would, in firewire mode, but my G5 tower doesn't).

I guess if your computer never sleeps and is on all the time, USB syncing is fine.

[Caribou Killa]

Do you think this will work with Skype?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Louzer

Sorry, I don't agree. USB charging blows, mainly because everytime I've ever tried to use it, it insists on waking up my mac when I plug it in. I never had this problem with Firewire. It also won't charge when the computer is turned off (my iBook would, in firewire mode, but my G5 tower doesn't).

I guess if your computer never sleeps and is on all the time, USB syncing is fine.

Sorry. Are you wanting an A/C charger included or Firewire support returned? If it's the latter—which wasn't part of the original discussion—then I agree with you. I don't mind that Apple only includes the more ubquitous USB 2.0 cable, but they should have kept support for FW400 for those so inclined..

Originally Posted by Caribou Killa

Do you think this will work with Skype?

Doubtful. AT&T surely doesn't want Skype on the iPhone, so unless there is a webbased option to use Skype in the works then the answer is no.

Will we be able to pair the Bluetooth headset to our Macs for use with Skype or is the Bluetooth signal a proprietary one like with Nike+? I'd wager that it's standard, but you never know.

[Wojciechowski]

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/0...bluetooth.html

You ever talked on an Apple iPhone? You ever talked on an Apple iPhone... on Weed?

[ecking]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I love that Apple doesn't include a wall charger. I have several Firewire wall chargers for the iPod that are never used.
Since cusotmers need to connect to their iPod to their computer to sync and since all computers now supply power from at least one USB bus it makes sense to not include this feature.

As JeffDM and I pointed out, even cheap phones come with headphones.

I love the way you set that up and then completely defeated your own arguement.

Yes plenty of people probably didn't use the included charger, since they connect to their computer anyways, but for those who did it was handy.

Now how many people do you think use the shitty included earphones when they're supposed to be putting the phone to their ear anyways? Do you see the glaring similarities?

The point is no comsumer should "love" getting less just because they don't use or need it, it's getting things like that that should make people feel loved. To argue that no one wants a charger for an item that requires power but that people need a headset for an item that has an ear piece makes next to no sense, it's the same arguement.

Also my last 2 phones didn't come with a headset, if I felt like I needed one I'd do like most people that want one do, buy a decent one because the included ones are always crap and break in no time.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by ecking

I love the way you set that up and then completely defeated your own arguement.

Yes plenty of people probably didn't use the included charger, since they connect to their computer anyways, but for those who did it was handy.

Now how many people do you think use the shitty included earphones when they're supposed to be putting the phone to their ear anyways? Do you see the glaring similarities?

The point is no comsumer should "love" getting less just because they don't use or need it, it's getting things like that that should make people feel loved. To argue that no one wants a charger for an item that requires power but that people need a headset for an item that has an ear piece makes next to no sense, it's the same arguement.

Also my last 2 phones didn't come with a headset, if I felt like I needed one I'd do like most people that want one do, buy a decent one because the included ones are always crap and break in no time.

Exactly what part of my statement was defeated? My last sentence was merely pointing out that there will most likely be a headset included. Still, with no external speaker you have to use headphones for the iPod, but can charging can be done in various way via the USB connector.

I have many Apple headsets that I don't use. The suck balls. I'd rather Apple not include them and save me the cost or at least allow me to return them for a voucher. For cost, comfort and quality I prefer my Sony ear buds. They sell them at the Apple Store.