“Apple will soon introduce an iPod with Bluetooth wireless capabilities, according Bogdan Nedelcou, an automobile product manager for Motorola. In an interview with Radio France, Nedelcou let it slip that consumers will soon be able to broadcast music wirelessly from their iPod through their car speakers. Similarly, he said that users will be able to answer incoming phone calls without having to operate their mobile phone handset,” Katie Marsal reports for AppleInsider.
“Both tips apparently reference an upcoming device for automobiles, which will include a dock or ‘pod’ that will allow both an iPod with Bluetooth and a mobile phone device to communicate with car stereos. It’s unclear if the device is Apple or Motorola-based,” Marsal reports. “In the near future, Motorola is also expected to debut its first ‘official’ iTunes-ready mobile phone, which will sport both flash-based memory storage and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.”
Full article here.
“Wednesday announcement to usher in new color iPod minis, iPod changes,” ThinkSecret’s headline declares. “Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
February 22, 2005 – One day before Apple is expected to announce new iPod minis, a reliable source has shed light on Apple’s Wednesday announcement, suggesting that almost the entire iPod line could see an update then,” Ryan Katz reports. “…insider information points to six new [iPod mini] colors making their debut.”
Full article here.
Also of interest, “Next Wave: Motorola-MeshNetworks, in-car iServices & iTunes” from Macsimum News here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
RUMOR: Apple prepping Bluetooth iPod? – February 20, 2005
ok, thats badass, now to go buy a new car with bluetooth =p (dammit!)
Hello, this is really cool, but does this mean the radio/cd player will have to have the bluetooth technology in it already? Thanks!
sly.. i think mercedes and BMW will start installing bluetooth decks instead of the iPod ‘attachment’.. sweet..
Toyota’s Prius has Bluetooth, and there’s an Acura (Honda) model or two that does as well…
So it would be relatively easy for Honda and Toyota to roll out head units with Bluetooth across all their product lines if they wanted to.
Bluetooth will still be subject to interference. I would prefer direct wireline connection.
Take it from someone who dictch several of these so call FM transmitter.
If these BT rumors are true, then BT to the car is just one aspect.
I think the bigger aspect is being able to stream music or photos from one iPod to other iPods, or music from one iPod to multiple BT headsets (or home stereos). This could mushroom, like MCI’s Friends and Family promotion did for long distance many years ago.
And if the BT remote control function is built-in, then being able to control a stream from your Mac to your iPod or to home stereos would be big.
What will Apple call this new version? Just iPod? Or iPod radio? iPod network (this one’s boring)?
Japan is really lagging on Bluetooth. I hope they get their sh*t together on that over here soon.
you can find the audio files in real player and mp3 of the interview (in french) about the ipod with bluetooth technology on the page
http://www.mactouch.com/breve.php?id_breve=0484 (at the bottom)
iPod anyWhere
Bigger to me than BT is the (aggressive) potential of an all new line:
iPod 60GB (color) $449
iPod 30GB (color) $349
iPod mini 6GB (color) $249
iPod mini 4GB (color) $199
iPod shuffle 1GB $149
iPod shuffle 512M $99
No more ‘Photo’ per se, just a full color OS with full color capabilities. Its a beatiful thing.
i cannot see them ditching the $299 price point. Something in the line has to fall there
Can someone, please, remind me the value of relaying a rumor? Doing so is a total waste of time, is extremely petty, and can even cause others harm.
STOP IT!!
No announcements as of 3:32pm EDT today (22-Feb-2005).
No announcements as of 3:35pm EDT today (22-Feb-2005).
Heard same rumor on the new line. Bet on it!
No announcements as of 4:14pm EDT today (22-Feb-2005).
New iPods announced!!
“i cannot see them ditching the $299 price point. Something in the line has to fall there”
In the summer, I could see Apple completely dropping the 4GB mini (IMO, gonna stay monochrome) and putting the 6GB in it’s price point. Then, either have a 10 or 15GB iPod for either $249 or $299.