New iPod touch: Why doesn’t the 802.11n just work? [u]
By Ronald O Carlson
Whether or not the chip inside Apple’s just announced 32 and 64 gigabyte iPod touches is compatible is perhaps a moot point as there’s more to building technology into a product than just soldering the appropriate piece of silicon onto the circuit board.
Wednesday’s iPod event brought a lot of surprises not the least of which was the lack of a camera built into the new iPod touch. However, subsequent analysis of the new models internals has revealed there still might be room inside Apple’s “funnest iPod ever” for a video if not a still camera.
However, when it was revealed that a Broadcom 802.11a/b/g/n chip inside the new iPod touch had been found, the ensuing debate about what that means has stoked passions about the technical correctness of the assertion as well as Apple’s intentions. As is often the case, though, the reasoned and sometimes outrageous posters on Slashdot have got the issue pretty well sussed out:
• The chip’s serial number is “BCM4329FKUBG,” which isn’t a standard Broadcom catalog item and, therefore, is custom made for Apple, meaning it might not share the 802.11n capabilities of chips from the same product family.
• Even if Broadcom chip found inside the new iPod touch does support 802.11n, the required antennas for full support of the wireless standard aren’t part of the device
• Even if the chip and the required antennas are somewhere inside in the iPod touch, the device probably can’t handle a data stream of that size (144Mbps)
[u] Various sources are saying the Broadcom chip in the new touches provides a single-channel variant of 802.11n that’s slower, but also requires much less power.
So, will Apple come knocking in six months or so with hat in hand begging for another $10 to activate 802.11n networking in the new 32 and 64 gigabyte iPod touches? Well, when it comes to Steve Jobs and his merry band of miracle workers, one should always be very, very careful when tempted to use the word “never.”
Still, although it’s rather unlikely 802.11n wireless will figure in the equation, you can bet your bottom dollar Apple will nevertheless be ’round sometime in the next six to 10 months to collect that ten spot…
What’s your take?
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September 13th, 2009
Who knows it may only be $4.99 and not $10.
September 13th, 2009
Why are you people being so anal about this? Do you think Apple owes you anything?
Apple has a limited selection of chips it can buy. Those chips, because quantity orders lowers the price, often have capabilities which Apple does not now intend to implement.
The reasons may vary: the software isn’t ready, the hardware interferes with the other equipment or the capability interferes with marketing of another Apple product.
Apple may decide to turn on this capability later. But you bought the iPod Touch with its advertised capabilities. You got what you paid for. Why do you object to paying for improvements which might be added in the future?
If you don’t want those capabilities, don’t buy the upgrade. Why do you expect to receive them for free? Why do you think you deserve them?
Apple never promised you a pony.
September 13th, 2009
Like AdamC said, Apple is only asking for 4.95 now.
And the reason Apple has been collecting is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which in trying to make accounting more accountable, will not allow a company to fully book the revenue from a product when it is sold, if some feature in that product will not be “turned on” until some later time. Apple chose to fully book revenue from iPod touch, so it must charge for feature upgrades when a part of the feature was already built into the product when it was sold. (Apple is using a conservative interpretation of SOX.)
September 14th, 2009
Microsoft Zune HD: Can it defeat Apple IPod touch ?? Which one do you want to choose?
http://www.convert-video-dvd.com/news/zune-hd-vs-ipod-touch.html