Connect with us

Mobile

Apple Working on Siri-Ready Bluetooth Headset for iPhone 5?

Published

on

Patents suggest that Apple is planning a Bluetooth headset with the ability to act as a standalone MP3 player. In addition, users would expect an Apple branded Bluetooth headset could work perfectly with Siri.

The U.S. Patent Office outed an Apple patent for a wireless headset with a built in music player — an iPod you wear on your ear.

Siri is a virtual assistant service built into the iPhone 4S that understands requests to help users send messages, find businesses, create appointments and more.

ComputerWorld points out that this patent could be part of an old project, but argues that now is the right time for Apple to bring a wearable iPod to market. Wired points to a several patent drawings and an image of an Apple Bluetooth headset.

I would love an Apple bluetooth headset, it isn’t to play music without my iPhone, it’s to control Siri without pauses, false starts and failures.

Apple Bluetooth headset

What’s Wrong With Siri and Bluetooth Headsets?

Currently Bluetooth headsets offer a mediocre Siri experience over Bluetooth. Bluetooth headsets can activate Siri with the call button, but Siri is often delayed and stops listening too often.

(Read: What is Siri?)

Remember those Siri commercials that show users asking Siri questions while on the go? It’s no surprise they use Apple’s iconic white wired headset. Half of those commands wouldn’t reach the iPhone 4S if they used a Bluetooth headset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rNsrl86inpo

Even my favorite Bluetooth headsets from Plantronics have issues with Siri. I’ve yet to test or find a Bluetooth headset that gets along with Siri.

How an Apple Bluetooth Headset Could Work With Siri

Apple isn’t new to Bluetooth headsets. The company produced a headset briefly in 2007, and has filed many patents for headsets.

If Apple sells a Bluetooth headset designed to work with Siri, users can expect an exceptional Siri experience without wires.

Plantronics Voyager Pro HD Bluetooth Headset

Apple owns a patent for automatically turning music off when a user takes a Bluetooth headset off, something the Plantronic Voyager Pro HD already does. This feature is incredible to use, pausing music and audiobooks when you remove the headset thanks to built-in sensors.

Imagine an Apple branded Bluetooth headset with the option to start Siri when placed on the ear. Such a setup would allow iPhone owners to start music, schedule appointments and much more by putting a headset on their ear.

The headset would no doubt offer fast one touch access to Siri while on the ear. If Apple expands the functionality of Siri users could expect to do much more.

(Read: 5 Things Siri Needs)

On my jailbroken iPhone 4S I was able to use Siri to open Audible and other apps. Apple is likely testing this functionality internally.

Will a Siri Bluetooth Headset Arrive with the iPhone 5

iphone 5 render 4-inchThere’s no telling whether or not Apple can bring such a headset to market by this fall, when we expect the iPhone 5 release date.

An Apple Bluetooth headset would make sense this fall. The new iPhone will likely have Bluetooth 4.0, allowing for a long-lasting bluetooth headset.

Additionally, Apple typically releases major software updates during the fall. This fall we expect to see iOS 6, which will likely bring Siri out of Beta, adding functionality.

In addition to an Apple branded Bluetooth headset that works great with Siri, I hope Apple provides a way for third-party headsets to deliver the same premium experience.

Would you be more likely to buy a bluetooth headset if it worked perfectly with Siri?

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. James Welkin

    04/26/2012 at 11:43 am

    Unless the patent filings are dated later than 2007, then they undoubtably are in reference to the Apple Bluetooth Headset manufactured by Apple and marketed as the perfect companion headset to the iPhone 3G and is old news. Seen HERE:

    www[dot]apple[dot]com/support/headset

    Apple even went so far as to produce an iPhone dock with a special dock built into the same block for the headset to charge right along side the iPhone. But this also old news.

  2. AK

    06/24/2012 at 6:31 pm

    Actually both the current gen iPhone & iPad’s have bluetooth 4.0 providing a great existing market for any new low-power headset. Count me ready for weeks of talk/music.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.