Did anyone else miss the bit in Steve Jobs announcement of the new second Gen iPod Touch where he explained that the new Touch would be incompatible with large numbers of third party speaker docks, including premiere devices such as the Bose Sounddock ?
You did ? So it wasn’t just me then ? To be honest I am astounded that this fact seems to have largely escaped the Apple blog network and the mainstream gadget press, because personally I think this is a REALLY big deal ! The Apple Support Forum has a long thread where many disgruntled customers are venting their displeasure after spending a lot of money on second generation iPod Touch and Bose speaker combos only to find that when they plug in the iPod they are greeted with the message “CHARGING IS NOT SUPPORTED WITH THIS ACCESSORY” !
From what is said in the thread it appears that the dock connector on the new iPod uses pure USB charging whereas the original model used a hybrid USB/Firewire charging arrangement hence the accessories designed for the first gen iPods will no longer charge newer models. This means that there is NOT going to be a software update that will fix this, and many customers will find that their older speaker setups will NEVER work fully with their new iPods.
On a personal note I convinced my sister to shell out for the new iPod Touch from her birthday money and so this weekend she tripped off to the local Apple store where she parted with a pile of cash for the iPod and a Bose SoundDock only to find that the two devices are really not meant to play with each other. I feel responsible for her now having a partially working solution, especially as I initially advised her that it would “probably be fixed in the next software release”. I have now advised her to return the speakers until a fully compatible model is released.
Apple have really disappointed me with the latest updates, not only has my first gen Touch been broken, but it now seems as though Apple have decided to purposely re-engineer the dock connector which I for one thought was a “sort of standard” without so much as a passing mention.
Somebody should get a rocket for this !
I agree. Where are all of the whistle blowers? There has got to be some kind of hardware or software patch out there. This is unacceptable for Apple to start acting like greedy capitalist and proprietorizing their hardware without backwards compatibility.
I cannot tell you how angry I am about this. My 10 year old son has just spent all his savings on an ipod touch and NOW WE CANNOT CHARGE IT!!! He is in floods of tears. I would like to take the f****** thing and ram it up someone’s a***. It seems that I now have to buy new speakers. Can someone please tell me why Apple are able to get away with this???
i agree as well since its not only speaker systems but all ipod accesorys such as griffen itrip and mains chargers as well this is just a money making scam from Apple.
Well Pi**ed off!! Bought the new Ipod for traveling and use my adaptor in hotels etc. Also have a good docking station at home, I automatially thought that all my Ipod attachments would work with an newer model.
Apple should consider previous customers and their purchases before such modifications are carried out.
So much for a Happy Christmas stuck here with out music!!!!!
I echo these feelings. I bought the actual apple speaker unit last xmas for £200 and bought the new itouch last month – i cannot beleive i have to take it out to charge it and the plug it back in…this is devolution not evolution. Some one should have there head on the block for this and i cannot believe there will be no patch to sort it. Trading standards should do something about this! This has really put me off buying anything apple again. seriously
Utter cr*p – how can I have paid a huge amount of money for a Bose system, then my 3rd ipod dies, I buy (relucantly) a new ipod touch and it doesn’t charge with my Bose system. Bol**cks. Jobs is a money grabbing bast**rd
Interestingly I have just found an answer to this problem, admittedly it is a cost option but Scosche have an addon that will fit in existing docks that will allow new iPod Touches to charge whilst docked in a speaker dock that doesnt work otherwise.
Checkout this link for more info ( http://scosche.com/products/productID/1695 )
Cheers
Scotts last blog post..BBC iPlayer For OS X Finally
My parents got my the new ipod touch for Christmas. I already had a first gen. and I’ve had an iHome for a year, and wall charger, and since I rarely use my computer I like to plug my iPod into the wall while I’m on it. Now, IT WON’T WORK. I am soo mad about it. My $100 iHome is just radio and a clock now, definitely not the original purchase purpose, and WAY overpaid since I can’t even use it for the main part. Worst of all, it’ll cost $150 just to get another iHome that WORKS with a second gen iPod touch.
I’ve had major problems with Apple in the past, but this is the worst (even the fact that my old ipod deletes everything off of it whenever ou plug it into a computer wasn’t as bad as this).
Yes this is a really bad move by Apple. I too am furious. I have loved Apple and their products, but this was a terrible move – if they make the decision to change the hardware which then makes other platforms incompatible, they should definitely have work on a solution before releasing. This just leaves everyone irritated and not trusting future acquisitions. The simple reality is people will buy peripherals that are not APPLE products and APPLE needs to work within that environment.
I really can’t believe this, I just received my iPod touch 2nd gen for Christmas and am reasonably pleased with it. It’s everything that apple promised it would be. In fact I am posting this comment on my touch now. I also spent quite a lot of money today on eBay buying gadgets and gizmos e.g docking system, mains charger etc. Now I come on here and I’m being told that most of my money has just gone down the drain! WTF! I personally don’t think that Im ignorant, simply for assuming that iPod touch accesories work with a new model of the iPod touch. It’s crazy! Looks like I’m going back on eBay
Well there is a solution to the problem as Scott mentioned, but like many of you I was pissed off to find my prior accessories did not work. But, for those who have accessories that you just don’t want to see go to waste, you can purchase the converter which will then charge your touch for about $40.00. I feel that since Apple caused this they should at least discount the cost of these converters to individuals who have purchased the touch to at least half the cost say $19.00 (or better yet, free, if the purchase was made within the same period that the touch was released), then customers will at least be able to salvage the speaker systems that they previously used. It would be the same as if they provided a patch to fix a problem. They should eat this one!!!
Apple really pissed me off this time. I just spent 282$ on a new touch and my 300$ Bose speakers do not charge it! Everyday i have to cahrge it o the computer which takes longer. It is such an inconvinence and I can’t believe Apple wold do this. There are just trying to get us to buy new speakers from them. Does anyone have this problem: the battery dies fast.
Really can’t believe this or that I was so stupid not to think of this beforehand!!! How can bose speakers still be on sale if they wont charge the i pod???? All makes no sense!!!! Am furious!!!!!
I had it for a month and it stop chargeing
i pluged my new ipod touch into my freinds fm transmitter in his car. i got that message and now the built in the ipod wont work
is everyone just going to complain about the situation or does anyone have any answers, between echoing, empathising and having the same problems I think we all gather that the new ipod does not fit the old docks. Can anyone actually be productive and suggest a solution. Has anyone heard of a kind of adapter for the new ipods and the old docks to become compatable???
You would think that the strength of feeling articulated in these comments would make a multinational like Apple do something immediately to restore consumer confidence. Like many of the other frustrated contributors we discovered that my son’s 2nd Gen touch would not charge in the two idocks we had purchased (Intempo and Monitor Audio). I have written to Apple at head office but they have not replied; I suspect they simply don’t care, or perhaps that they are so overwhelmed with complaints that their response is ‘on its way’. The only reassurance I can offer is that such pride, arrogance and disregard for customer satisfaction usually marks the beginning of the end for such a company. What a shame.
I too bought a second gen ipod touch from Amazon and it doesn’t work with my decent speaker docking system, so consequently, it went straight back to Amazon under my 7 day distant selling rights. What a scam by Apple!!!! Does anyone know if the first gen ipod touch works as I may buy one of these. (even though I’m kinda of reluctant to purchase Apple products cos of this, but choice out there is limited).
this is absolute bulls**t i spent around $500 on ipod touch+accessories only to find out they arent compatible
also the shops would not take a refund because there is not a fault with their product.
i mean if all the ipod touch users each sent a complaint to apple im sure they would at least try to fix it.
Just bought an ipod touch brand new, feb 2009, can’t find a single speaker dock that’ll play it, not the bose, nor any of the ianythings. wtf? some of them we’ll charge ,but nothing coming from the speakers. I thought at first it was the external speaker in my ipod, but the one in the store works fine, then I’m thinking there’s a problem with the dock port on my touch, but the charge works fine, I give up! I’ve had a few ipods, and I know I’m not the first to say that “they’ve all had problems” everyone of them was a pain in the ass at some point. Let’s face it, compatibility is not a word apple has on their side for anything they sell.
I just bought the 32 GB Ipod Touch, and I fell in love with it. It was easy to do! However, I noticed it does not charge with any of my existing audio equipment, which is a real bummer. I spent over $400 for this inconvenience? Not cool!
My plans are to return this product to the store. I am NOT going to go out and buy a new clock/radio/docking station and another dock that works with my HDTV. Just not going to waste that kind of money.
What was Apple thinking? At the very least, there should have been some kind of disclaimer for the customer so that an INFORMED decision could have been made.
I have also been reading up on the differences between 1st and 2nd generation Ipod Touches, and I see that “disk access” is not available? WHY?! Again, this is not cool. I have a 30 GB Video Ipod that I love, and though it has a click wheel and misses all of the “glam” of the touch, it WORKS on all of my equipment AND it acts as extra storage.
In closing, I do have the MobileMe subscription, but there is nothing like having fast access “to your stuff” on the spot.
Apple, my initial thoughts on your new 2nd generation Touch is “It’s cute, but it just doesn’t meet my expectations.”
I’m heading off to customer service. The return line starts here!
Apple could make amends by putting a list of compatible hardware. The real issue is compatibility. Some say compatible, but with Gen1 only, sometimes listed as compatible, but doesn’t include charging!!! You can’t trust spec, you need it spelt out. This dock will charge Gen2 Ipod touch. There, easy wasn’t it. Had a look on apples website, no help, just indifference. Oh well, fool me once…..
I too have been found out over this and am really bloody annoyed. However i did find that this adapter works really well. Just a shame its another £30 on top of an already expensive purchase. Apple need to answer this.
Anyone interested in the adapter can find it on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scosche-IFWAHBK-Passport-iPhone-Touch/dp/B001NXYXX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1240909752&sr=8-1
Can anyone help. My son has just bought a 2nd generation ipod touch. We have tried to charge it using the PC but it doesn’t seem to be charging fully. Even after 16 hours if we remove it the power just shows half full. We have already returned one because it wasn’t charging and were given a straight exchange for this one. Anyone got any advice please?
Hello!
I came across this whilst searching for speakers for my new ipod touch!
This is the first ipod Ive ever had and can’t believe it won’t work in my sister’s bose speakers.
Has anyone any tips on what speakers will work and charge at the same time! Can’t believe that apple have done this its outrageous!
Thanks
And when I tried to complain on apple website you can only do so if you call them in the States… not very convenient as I live in the UK.
I agree with all above.
Plus the way you upload ( and cannot download)music to apple products is useless.
Im of to buy an Archos !!!
I bought one not realising the problem.
It should have been made clear to me at the time of purchase, as would not have bought it
As much as i like ipod this move by apple will and has stoppped me buying the rest of the familiy updated versions.
If this is going to happen on a regular basis i need to look around for a different system that is universaly used
I have an iLuv and it still doesn’t work…
We were also not impressed with this. We have just purchased a 32g itouch with this problem. Does anyone know if this adapter will work with the 32g
I’ve had this same problem, except that i plugged my ipod in, it charged for about half an hour, then the screen flashed up and said this device is not supported, even though it was charging 30 seconds ago! This really p******* me off. apple, thanks for filling the landfills with useless chargers.
Have iPod touch 32gb. I too cannot charge my iPod with an older wall charger made by apple. Now it won’t even get recognized on a mac that I have been using to charge it but it is a hassle. Thought wall charger would be good for home and on trips. Docking stAtion reviews are of no help. Love the iPod just want power!!!!!
i too am so upset about this!
its ridiculous that it is not compatible to charge with any docks or speakers….i’m so upset that i cannot play my ipod through my dock and charge it
does anyone have any solutions to this problem? have apple fixed this yet?
cheers,
Yes, take it back and get a different brand. It’s highly deceptive to put in a “control chip” and not warn the customers that their existing infrastructure is about as useless as a horse at a gas station.
Oh, and you can buy a “hack” device that pretends to be a legitimate charger which surely means they’ll DMCA it out of existence. I’ve had too many people have me try to get their stuff working only to find out that it fails by design. ;(
The zeppelin by b&w works fine with my classic,5g nano and 32g itouch 3rd gen.However my mains charger doesnt charge the itouch !!
Stupid ipod!!! I was bought an ipod touch 2nd gen last year and it has been nothing but a hassle since the day I got it. I couldn’t get it to charge via laptop, bought about 20 different chargers (including numerous genuine apple chargers) before I eventually got it charged. It will not play via my previous speakers or stereo system and it positively refuses to work with my iTrip. What is the point of spending this much money on a new ipod when you have to fork out 100s to buy all the “new” stereos to go with them again. What am I supposed to do with my old speakers, numerous chargers etc??????? Add to the growing rubbish dumps??? Apple really pulled out all the stops on this scam!
I agree with you that is a shame.
But apple shows us during this last years that they always try to trick there customers to make more money on those who doesn t know about technologie and hacking !!
While it is the only way to make an apple device work normaly like anybody else devices !!!
Apple should find a regular and honest way to make money and don t hide the informations from the public