Is Apple working on a new wireless headset iPod with display?

Seth Weintraub
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October 29, 2009
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The Baltimore Sun today found an Apple Patent on a device that would integrate a media player into a wireless headset.  While only shown in one of the images, the display does show up in some of the diagrams and in the application itself. (marked "214" below)

11. The wireless headset of claim 9 wherein said display comprises a video screen.
35. The wireless headset of claim 34 wherein said display comprises a video screen.

The device itself isn't just a set of headphones, it also incompases a media player and could be considered an "iPod", perhaps a successor to the Shuffle.  Would you buy something like this?  Drawings below:

Comments (15)

Jason (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 10:40am

Would not buy something like this.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 10:51am

Looks pretty cool....I might buy this....depends on capacity and price...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 10:59am

If this is to be used with Apple iPhones then I don't see the point? Being headset means you have a cell phone as well and the iPhone already has a built in iPod. Using it just as an iPod means you are spending money on the Bluetooth headset part that you might never use.

Now if you combine this with non apple phones then perhaps it has some use. Normal flip phones have poor mp3 players so having the iPod in the headset is nice.

I think this is just away to keep others from making it and apple has no intention of producing it.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 11:06am

Any idea as to how it would be controlled? I like my buttons, and if Apple plans to make it voice-controlled, I don't see it catching on.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 11:11am

Seems pretty cool. Even with the shuffle, I find that the headpphone wires sometimes get in the way when I'm doing something active. This would help eliminate that.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 11:36am

Looks ugly!

Sensitive Ear Guy (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 11:50am

If they changed this to have the same ear bud as their hig-end ear buds i might think about it. But the standard plastic white buds that these look like kill my ears and never stay in!

Ryan Gray (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 12:36pm

As long as it doesn't have the weak BT reception of the original or the audio failing after just over a year and I can listen to podcasts without having to add the second earbud, then I'm game.

-AG- (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 4:36pm

There is a possibility that this is not actually a stand alone player of sorts.

With apple heading down the lets phase out the ipods and make iphones the next 75% thing, Id it a possibility that this was actually an idea for a bluetooth headset for an iphone?

Think about it. Voice control instead of having to use that stupid remote thing. Bluetooth so you have no cables, Microphone to act as a stand alone headset also.

The memory could be accounted for as it could be used as a buffer memory so that there is no lag or anything while streaming or even settings (its a long shot)

The USB connection that you see may not be for transferring songs but to charge the unit when not in use. Again meaning that they can incorporate the battery and make the init smaller than needing have replaceable battery doors etc. also explains one of the reasons to have the LCD on the side. although id prefer the mini LEDs like on the macbook pros.

I know it may sound wild but if they were to build something like this and then also include the bud style earphones i know id be lining up to buy one. It would be perfect user integration between wearer and ipod.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 4:43pm

This concept is not new. There are a few MP3 products, which have stereo headphone integration although I don't remember seeing any with an "In the ear" design. Besides, the patent drawing is an exact rendering of Apple's discontinued iPhone bluetooth headset.

Hey, I want to patent something that already exists, too! Maybe Al Gore still wants to go halvsies with his whole Internet idea!!!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 5:55pm

sony already has a music player like that.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 29, 2009 - 8:20pm

Controlling your AppleTV and iMac from your couch. Just speak to your TV or your computer. It´s the future! ;-)

PacoBell (not verified) | October 30, 2009 - 2:02am

Maybe if they integrated it with this: http://tr.im/aaplhmd

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | October 30, 2009 - 6:04am

Maybe it's a bluetooth headset...gasp...

Raoh (not verified) | October 30, 2009 - 9:02am

The Ultimate Gym Music Player