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iPhone Works With iPod Music Docks But Not Video Docks

When it comes to iPhone compatibility with old-school docks and accessories, the fear factor has been pretty high. Compounding that is the annoying message you get as soon as you dock an iPhone: "This accessory is not made to work with iPhone." Then, more mysteriously, "Would you like to turn on Airplane Mode to reduce audio interference (you will not be able to make or receive calls)?" I have tested it on a few music docks, daringly answering "No" each time, and I'm happy to report, it's no big deal. On the flipside, anyone who bought one of those newer video docks is bound to be frustrated, because in our testing, they didn't work.


There are two kinds of docks: ones that let you control music from the iPod itself and ones that take control of the iPod, like BMW's notorious first dock and many subsequent (and more affordable) accessories since. The Bose SoundDock is an example of the former; the DLO HomeDock and Harman Kardon's Bridge dock are examples of the latter.

Regardless of the dock type, regardless of whether the iPhone is set for ring or vibrate, here's what happens: you are rocking out to your music when it suddenly—though gracefully—fades out. If it's on ring, you hear the one of the cheesy Apple ringtones, but it doesn't play through the system, it plays through the iPhone speaker. (If it's vibe, you may not hear anything.) You can even answer in-dock, and tap the speaker button to put the call on speakerphone. The instant you hang up, your music fades back in, no problem.

The video dock, on the other hand, was a total bust. Mind you, I only tried one, the Memorex iFlip, but the prospects are grim. Since iPhone doesn't have the video options screen that a video iPod does, you can't choose to route the video out. Since it would never play video internally and externally at the same time, it seems video is doomed to stay in the iPhone forever. And that "audio interference" Apple mentioned, well, the iFlip is the first time we heard it. A low, digitally unpleasant moan. More updates on that subject soon.


This is mixed news for every iPhone aspirant who has spend hundreds on iPod docks and accessories, but still it's not a comprehensive, scientific study. We will continue to test and report back to you as we learn more.

Comprehensive iPhone Coverage [Gizmodo]

3:56 PM on Sun Jul 1 2007
By Wilson Rothman
10,857 views
22 comments

Comments

  • Ok cooooooooooool.

    Now decrapify the site's appearance, and move on to different gadgets.

  • Could the "audio interference" that they refer to be that annoying "dit-dit-dit-dit" noise commonly heard before, say, the Blackberry sitting just a bit too close to the speakers goes off due to a phone call or email?
    I mean, the iPhone is going to be receiving/emitting that same signal now, and lesser docks (or those with crappier shielding) might be prone to this?

  • shut up with all your damn whining. this is a tech site. and when the biggest most inivative piece of technology in 5 years comes along, don't you think it's going to be reported on a lot? just shut up and deal with it.

  • Im looking for another version of the iPhone..
    I purchased it, but will probley take is back due to that is cant record video, doesnt have a flash for camera, and doesn't have an adobe flash for safari....If im going to pay 650 for a phone I want it to be awesome, and none the less it is amazing!! But I think, just like cars, if you wait 4-6 months, the same car comes out with a convertible .. 4-6 months.. all the gliches will be worked and a firmware update will be release and have flash for online ..maybe
    .. I would buy it in a heartbeat if it had video capability and a better dang service.. Online with the EDGE network, all i've heard is its horrible and SLOWWWW! Another thing i would like it to do is bluetooth with other phones and exchange songs.. only thing you can do now is though headsets... Another bad side is that you cant us it as a jumpdrive, and with a 8GB i would want to load some stuff on it to transfer from school and home..
    Another Plus would be a LIVE GPS system.. that would blow the top off the cell phone market..
    .....

  • Codiferous,

    Apparently all the other gagdets in the world are dead now, because the amazing iphone is here!

    I'm with you though and really really sick of this iphone reporting. I'll give it a couple more days and the "news" will hopefully die out. If not, then I'll be taking some sites off my rss reader.

  • @Martin: I see you didn't read any of the Giz articles that listed all the shortcomings.

  • Most people are saying this was the most significant gagdet launch in history, so I guess it does deserve some hardcore reporting. It is very interesting to read about, but no iphone for me.

    Do you think the Zune phone is running the steps in philly (Rocky) getting ready for the big fight.

  • Wilson, then you've been lucky. GSM phones like the iPhone send out a pretty strong signal when they first connect (to make sure they can connect properly), and this can be picked up by nearby electrical wiring. In some cases, this signal can be stronger than a line signal, . Your audio device will amplify this signal, and it could easily blow out the amplifier and/or your speakers.

    That's why Apple has put on this warning. It may not be an issue, but docks and the like are typically not shielded and may pick up the GSM signal, and at best, you get a hideous noise. At worst, you get a blown amp or speaker. As Job himself is wont to say, Boom!

  • @Looptrack

    lol yeah, don't get me wrong, it is quite amazing, it's just getting a wee bit drawn out. Seems to be like when parents have their first child and it sneezes, then the panic sets in..

  • That and knowing apple, they're probably going to have v2 in about 2 weeks or so...

  • plus does anyone feel the scrupulous coverage took the fun out of opening it? I mean, when I buy a phone, I look foward to the hour or so of sitting and learning every nook and cranny of it. I don't even have one yet (holding out for the next version) and I feel that I could navigate through everything in less than a second

  • I would listen to Marty but he has a Justin Timberlake album as his avatar, so his opinion is automatically nullified in my book. And what a blanket statement... "The most innovative piece of technology in five year." Like anyone could even know that.

  • Highly RankedBenjamin Freedman @ Jul 1st 2007 12:26PM
    Howdy...

    Just tried this with a bunch of reviewed stuff. Here's what worked:

    Apple Hi-Fi - Worked
    Harmon Kardon Go+Play - Worked
    Klipsch iGroove - Worked
    Altec Lansing speakers (3 kinds) - Worked
    iSkin Celurian - Works
    Pioneer AVIC-D3 Car Stereo - Works..

    One more thing about the Pioneer Avic-D3....

    iPod funcationality works, and can be controlled through the stereo head unit, but iPod videos DO NOT play. Just audio files. If you try to play a video file, it plays on the iPod and not on the stereo.

    Looks like there's no 'video-out' functionality on the iPhone..

    Best,

    Ben
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    neo-fight.tv - {The Weekly Technology Podcast}

  • @neoben: Doesn't there have to be some kind of video out on the iPhone though? Apple did that demo onstage during the WWDC07 keynote with a real iPhone and it was plugged in through the dock connector.

  • @xxenclavexx ( aka LOSER ): first off i have no clue how that picture is my avatar. seriously. look at my comment records, i tryed to change it but the gizmodo profile edit thing was broke. secondly a blanket statement? i dont think so. thats what CNN said. so go get a life and stop having such a closed mind.


    and GFY too.

  • @Richard Baguley: Thanks Richard—your wisdom is always welcome here.

  • @Marty: The iPhone being the most innovative piece of technology in 5 years? Yes, that is a blanket statement, regardless of whether or not CNN said it.

  • I found that my nyko ipod car charger did not function with the iphone. It would CHARGE, but audio output would be canceled while the device was being used.

    I got that message as well, I assume because it thought it was not a charger but some sort of audio output device.

  • @SomeRandomGuy shut up with blanket statement. iPhone is the besty piece of technology EVER!!!!!! all you who hate it are HATERS. where is the love??

  • Does the Apple HiFi speaker work with the iPhone?

  • @marty:

    BY MARTY AT 08:08 PM
    "OMG!! I'M TOTALLY not gonna get one. too damn expensive just to be a phone. if you lose this, you lost all your gadgets. ill wait for the iPhone nano."

    found this in your comment history. why wouldnt you want to buy the "most innovative...besty piece of technology EVER?!"

  • @dmphan:
    LOL, DMPHAN's got a point...

    And, innovative? No. It's a phone. I have 5 of them in my house. They all make calls. They don't have syncing problems with my head, either - the free phone accessory for my phones. Also, I have computers - three of them. They all have wireless hooplah that download stuff fast and stuff. I can watch DVDs that I buy, play my 200gb of music on them, and two of them cost less than the iPhone. Oh yeah, my audio rig has better sound quality than the iPhone, too. Computing on the go? I have a Dell Axim - it can copy and paste! And play NES games! It can recognize my handwriting so I can take notes in class, too. Who needs an on screen keyboard when you just write and it recognizes?

    Thing is with devices like this, is that they try to do too many things. The iPhone is the jack of all trades - master of none. Ever wonder why video-phone-PDA-watches never took off? Because they suck at everything they do.

    The PRINTING PRESS was an innovation - one of the most important inventions of all time, actually. It allowed mass communication for the first time. The iPhone is not innovative - it takes existing technologies, and finds a way to combine all of them into one device that executes them all very poorly. Innovative? No. Cool? Maybe. Time will tell on that one.

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