Review: Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset

Since the iPhone’s release, we’ve received several Bluetooth headsets for review. Today I tackle Apple’s own $129 iPhone Bluetooth Headset, a svelte and stylish model that’s likely the simplest on the market—in terms of both its ease of use and its functionality.

In the box

One thing to point out up front: Apple’s $129 price tag gives you much more than just the headset. You also get Apple’s $49 iPhone Dual Dock, which accommodates both the iPhone and the headset and, like the stock iPhone dock, lets you connect the iPhone to speakers and lets you use the iPhone’s speakerphone while docked; and the $29 iPhone Bluetooth Travel Cable, a dock-connector cable that lets you charge your iPhone and the headset simultaneously. (When connected to your computer, the Dual Dock and Travel Cable also sync your iPhone.)

In other words, almost $80 worth of accessories—useful ones—are in the box. This makes the $129 price tag seem a bit more reasonable, but it also means you’re not getting a “$129 headset.” By that, I mean that the Apple Headset doesn’t have the advanced features, such as noise-canceling technology, that many other headsets in this price range provide. You also don’t get an AC adapter; Apple clearly intends for you to charge the headset, along with your iPhone, by connecting both to your computer or to the AC adapter included with the iPhone itself.

The headset itself is classic Apple: a thin, minimalist, black-anodized-aluminum device that weighs just 6.5 grams. A single button is located at the top of the two-inch microphone boom, and the entire thing rests lightly in either ear via an earbud that's almost the same size and shape as the current iPod earbuds. If Apple's iPod earbuds fit you well, the headset will likely sit in your ear comfortably, although a bit loosely (two foam pads are included for those who prefer fabric over the earbud). If you have trouble with the iPod's stock earbuds fitting comfortably, or if they fall out easily, then you should probably look elsewhere for a Bluetooth headset--there's no optional "ear clip" like the one included with similarly-designed in-ear headsets from other vendors.

Pairing and use

Pairing the headset with the iPhone is amazingly simple, and also typically Apple: you just put your iPhone and the headset in the Dual Dock (or connect both to the Travel Cable) at the same time; the two are instantly and automatically paired. In fact--and this is actually my favorite part--an image of the headset appears on the iPhone's sync/charge screen displaying the headset's charge level, as well. I also like the design of the charging slot, on both the Dual Dock and the Travel Cable, for the headset: as with the MagSafe connector on Apple's recent notebooks, the headset is held securely in place via magnets in the slot itself.

(Pairing with other devices--or with the iPhone if you don't have the Dual Dock or Travel Cable handy--works much like it does with other headsets: turn the headset off, hold down the button for eight to ten seconds until you hear the headset's startup tone and then five quick beeps; and then search for the headset from your phone. The headset remains discoverable for five minutes with the password 0000. You can use Apple's headset with other phones or with with a Mac running 10.4.9 or later; in the latter case, the headset even works with iChat.)

Basic functionality works just as it does with most Bluetooth headsets: press the headset's single button to answer an incoming call, to end an active call, or to switch between an active and an incoming call. Hold down the button to decline an incoming call, or to hang up on an active call and switch to an incoming call. You also use this button to turn the headset on or off (by holding it down for three to four seconds) and to check the headset's current status (press the button when not on a call; if the headset is on, a small status light--cleverly concealed behind the outer shell of the headset--will blink and you'll hear a beep).

Unfortunately, the headset has no other buttons, so you can't adjust the volume level from the headset; you must use the volume buttons on the iPhone itself, which can be a hassle if the phone is in a pocket or bag. (This is actually the only Bluetooth headset I've ever used that didn't provide a means to adjust the volume.) And because the iPhone doesn't (currently) support voice-dialing, you can't use the headset to initiate a call; in fact, unlike most Bluetooth headsets I've used, you can't even redial from Apple's offering.

(As we've mentioned, the iPhone doesn't currently support A2DP, so no Bluetooth headset will let you listen to music or other non-call audio until Apple adds such support.)

Calling and battery life

The headset's call quality is pretty good for a standard headset; in a quiet environment, those on the other end of my calls could hear me clearly, and sound quality was quite similar to that of the iPhone's own microphone. In addition, although the iPhone's own call volume isn't impressive, the headset's volume can be cranked surprisingly loud; I actually had to turn it down a few notches below maximum.

On the other hand, as mentioned above, Apple's headset offers no noise-canceling technology. When I was in a noisy environment, or even on windy days, other people at times had difficulty hearing me (and I them, since the headset's earbud doesn't block much external noise). If you make or take many calls in noisy areas, you may want to consider a headset with dedicated noise-canceling technology; we'll be reviewing a few soon.

The headset's range was decent for Bluetooth; in a wireless-heavy environment (my office), I started getting interference when I wandered much more than ten feet or so from the iPhone. That's similar to my experiences with many Bluetooth headsets, although not as good as the range of several other headsets in this price range.

Apple claims talk-time battery life of up to 5.5 hours and standby time of up to 72 hours. It's very difficult to test such claims, because so many factors can affect a Bluetooth headset's battery life; in addition, testing talk time requires a live phone call with constant audio transmitted and received. That said, in my experience, few headsets live up to manufacturer claims completely, and Apple's headset died somewhere between 2.5 and 3 days of standby time. (As a point of comparison, Aliph's Jawbone, another headset in this price range, claims six hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby time.)

A full charge takes approximately 1.5 hours; when the headset is in the Dual Dock or connected to the Travel Cable, the headset's status light glows amber to indicate charging and green to indicate a full charge.

The Lowdown

Apple's iPhone Bluetooth Headset doesn't provide the best performance on the market, nor does it offer an extensive set of features. On the other hand, it's the sleekest and perhaps most attractive Bluetooth headset I've seen, and, when used with an iPhone, pairing and charging work like no other headset on the market. If you don't need noise-canceling technology, these features, along with the headset's style and included accessories, may make it an appealing package. Just be aware of its limitations.

Category: Accessories, Hardware, Reviews

Posted by Dan Frakes on Aug 7 2007, 2:53 AM ET

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