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

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
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.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 35
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    NEW HARDWARE AT LAST!!!



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



    apple is doomed.





  • Reply 2 of 35
    tsvissertsvisser Posts: 36member
    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.
  • Reply 3 of 35
    buckbuck Posts: 293member
    Will it enable wireless bluetooth squirting?
  • Reply 4 of 35
    allblueallblue Posts: 393member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tsvisser View Post


    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...
  • Reply 5 of 35
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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.
  • Reply 6 of 35
    caliminiuscaliminius Posts: 944member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    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.
  • Reply 7 of 35
    tsvissertsvisser Posts: 36member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by allblue View Post


    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...
  • Reply 8 of 35
    desarcdesarc Posts: 642member
    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.
  • Reply 9 of 35
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,408member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


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



    I agree. It is really quite frustrating.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    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.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


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



    And then.......?
  • Reply 10 of 35
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    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.
  • Reply 11 of 35
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    I ear this fits right in.. I hope it sits more tight than their regular buds.
  • Reply 12 of 35
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by desarc View Post


    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.
  • Reply 13 of 35
    deapeajaydeapeajay Posts: 909member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    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....
  • Reply 14 of 35
    steviet02steviet02 Posts: 594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    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
  • Reply 15 of 35
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DeaPeaJay View Post


    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.
  • Reply 16 of 35
    mattrebsmattrebs Posts: 74member
    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.
  • Reply 17 of 35
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by desarc View Post


    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.
  • Reply 18 of 35
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    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.
  • Reply 19 of 35
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    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.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    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.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    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.
  • Reply 20 of 35
    -df-df Posts: 136member
    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.
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