From Engadget:
Not sure how this one slipped by us, but Nokia’s coming out with a new pair of Bluetooth stereo headphones called the HS-12W Wireless Stereo Headset that are designed specifically for use with their new 8801 fashionphone. The headphones’ll actually work fine with other Bluetooth-enabled gadgets, too, but you can only rock out in stereo if you use a phone or an MP3 player or whatever that supports a stereo Bluetooth profile like A2DP (our suggestion: learn what that is now, since you’ll be hearing it a lot around these parts). They’re positioning this thing to ride the crest of musicphones that are coming around the bend, and besides being able to automatically interrupt what you’re listening to when you get a call, the HS-12W also comes with a small one-line LCD that can display track and caller ID info (or also let you know when you’ve received a text message) and a built-in FM tuner. Should be out in Q3 of this year.
My prediction: Apple has an “iPod Blue” is just around the corner, complete with bluetooth headphone support. I have nothing to substantiate this except for analyzing trends. From the folks I’ve talked to on the mobile side, battery life can actually be improved on a cell phone or music player when using BT headsets because:
-
You can split the power load between the device and the headphones in a user-friendly way.
-
The phone/music player actually sips less power via BT than using a DA-AD converter and amplifier for wired headphones.
There are already accessories that add Bluetooth Stereo support to the iPod. I wonder if Creative or iRiver are paying attention?