Bluetooth 4G iPod: Confirmed?

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sport73sport73
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Notice it was a BMW shown in the photo during Steve Job's introduction of AirTunes? High-end BM'ers/Mercedes and a growing list of other luxury & premium vehicles already include built-in Bluetooth for integration with Cell Phones. It seems Apple leveraging that for iPod is an obvious extension that doesn't require an entirely new hardware platform etc.



FM modulators are too flaky and poor performing for Apple to take it on. WIFI is overkill and has no presence in vehicles today.



Jobs confirmed (basically) that an Apple solution for the vehicle was eminent. He used a picture of a BMW. He introduced AirTunes (a small, simple way to connect to iTunes rather than a Media Center).



"Using Bluetooth Technology, BMW intends to make the automobile into a mobile information platform. The installation of a Bluetooth chip allows simple connections to be made from navigation systems, audio systems and car telephones to other consumer appliances such as laptops, mobile phones and organizers.





With the Bluetooth standard, the customer can buy a new piece of equipment at any time and use it in the car without any additional installations."

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    Sounds like you're on the right track... the MAJOR problem is installation will not be for the faint of heart no matter HOW SIMPLE Apple makes it. Too many cars too many radios too many interior design changes etc etc etc. Ever DIY a stereo upgrade to your car? I did... ONCE! Way too much work and you know many of those frickin plastic panels NEVER go back on right no matter how hard you try. Ever since then I've pay the $50 - $75 for someone else to do it.



    Cracking the car audio nut isn't gonna be easy nor pretty...



    Too bad but I just don't see how it could be.



    Dave
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  • Reply 2 of 10
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    I think this may be built-in on BMWs or whatever. Certainly not an end-user install option at first.
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  • Reply 3 of 10
    low-filow-fi Posts: 357member
    Am i correct in saying bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth to handle MP3s?
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  • Reply 4 of 10
    crobincrobin Posts: 9member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by low-fi

    Am i correct in saying bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth to handle MP3s?



    No you are not correct, bluetooth bandwith is 768kbps, a high quality MP3/AAC is 256kbps.
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  • Reply 5 of 10
    moosemanmooseman Posts: 126member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by crobin

    No you are not correct, bluetooth bandwith is 768kbps, a high quality MP3/AAC is 256kbps.





    ...which mandates that the car's head unit would be required to do the processing. It would have to be "decompressed" on the head unit end and played.



    Curious to see how they'd manage the digital rights.
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  • Reply 6 of 10
    michael wilkiemichael wilkie Posts: 223member
    I think it's feasable. You wouldn't need a bluetooth equipped car necessarily...just a bluetooth equipped stereo. Are there any on the market yet?
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  • Reply 7 of 10
    not unlike myselfnot unlike myself Posts: 2,037member
    Wouldn't this create a security issue for people using bluetooth to suck (however slowly) songs off of the iPod over bluetooth?
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  • Reply 8 of 10
    ensoniqensoniq Posts: 132member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mooseman

    ...which mandates that the car's head unit would be required to do the processing. It would have to be "decompressed" on the head unit end and played.



    I disagree...the iPod already handles the processing. The Bluetooth connection would simply be an audio input to the car stereo's speakers. The same as using a cassette or radio frequency adapter now...the iPod does all the work.



    Bluetooth is just a more elegant solution, wireless, and very Apple.
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  • Reply 9 of 10
    gamblorgamblor Posts: 446member
    Quote:

    I disagree...the iPod already handles the processing. The Bluetooth connection would simply be an audio input to the car stereo's speakers. The same as using a cassette or radio frequency adapter now...the iPod does all the work.



    Bluetooth is just a more elegant solution, wireless, and very Apple.



    And how, pray tell, would that work, exactly? A cassette or radio frequency adapter works with an analog signal. Bluetooth is a digital radio communications standard. It can't work the same way as a cassette/radio adapter...
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  • Reply 10 of 10
    adidas_n_motionadidas_n_motion Posts: 1member
    I don't know if adding Bluetooth would be cost effective if it was only meant for car's that had bluetooth built in. I don't believe there are enough cars, with this feature, on the market to justify the cost of doing this. However, it would be cost effective if the Bluetooth functionality would be used by more consumers for other uses.



    For instance, it might make more sense to add Bluetooth if it also did the following:



    - Streamed music to Bluetooth headphones

    - Synched with the Calendar/Addressbook/Notes on your Bluetooth enabled phone

    - Included scripts that automatically synched your Calendar/Addressbook/Notes on your Macintosh when within range.

    - included scripts that would start playing music through your Macintosh speakers or through the new Airport Express when within range



    If rumors of it being a remote for your iTunes are true, this would come in handy as well.
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