Chicago (IL) – Not that Bluetooth is a sensational new feature. But it is noteworthy that this feature, which has long been requested by iPod touch users, has finally made it into the iPod touch. And interestingly, Steve Jobs did not announce this new feature during the launch event and Apple’s iPod touch product page does not list Bluetooth as a feature of the device.

Apple says the new iPod touch is the “funnest” iPod touch ever. A new design, access to the AppStore with “hundreds” of games. It comes with Nike’s sports gear receiver built-in, which appeared to be the most significant hardware change in the device. It is not.

Jobs and Apple forgot to mention that the new touch also carries Broadcom’s BCM4325 Bluetooth chip, as revealed by a teardown shown on iFixit. According to Apple’s product page, the touch does not support Bluetooth, which simply means that the new hardware has not been connected to the software yet.

The BCM4325 is a Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR chip that supports dual A2DP, which would touch owners to use a wireless Bluetooth stereo headset with this device. Your guess is as good as ours why Apple did not announce this new feature and you may even speculate that Apple may sell this hardware you already own for an extra $9.99 in a future firmware upgrade. iPod touch users are used to be paying for these upgrades already, so why not sell them a feature twice? Or, Apple may simply not want an accessory manufacturer to offer wireless headphones before it can offer them as an accessory itself.

It is a strange business decision in any way you look at it. Bluetooth would have been a nice new feature announcement yesterday.   

http://www.engadget.com/2008/0...ke-receiv/ They d...

Sep 11, 2008 14:43     

http://www.engadget.com/2008/0...ke-receiv/ They didn't metion it because the chip isn't designed to provide bluetooth... its meant to provide a PAN via the ANT protocol. Nike uses this method for networking. Chances are the chip might be capable of providing real bluetooth, but since Apple didn't mention it, chances are they won't be using it.
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Linking to a wirelss service

Sep 11, 2008 15:12     

Does this mean there may be the possibility of linking the touch to a cellphone wireless service?
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" 'funnest' iPod touch ever"?!

Sep 11, 2008 17:57     

Er... Isn't this also the second iPod touch ever? It would be stupid if it was somehow worse than the first, especially since they had the iPhone 3G update to work with.
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Crack?

Sep 12, 2008 02:53     

I'm hoping that it'll be cracked into a proper bluetooth device soon. Then I'd probly think about it.
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