An iPod touch ships without OS X -- hints at disabled Bluetooth

You can argue that the iPod touch is an iPhone without the phone. So what's an iPod touch without OS X? You're looking at it. That's Dave's swanky new iPod touch, fresh off the boat and out of the box with nothing more than a diagnostic utility. Ha, Cheerios icon for the cereal serial number -- clever Apple. Not quite as clever as shipping a working product though. Now besides a temperature sensor, what's interesting here is that Bluetooth icon showing a disabled radio. Does that mean the hardware is there like we heard but disabled in firmware? Not sure. Still, we'll chalk this little snafu up to first production run jitters unless you tell us differently, dear readers.

Update: Video now embedded after the break. Seems David's not the only person experiencing this problem judging by the comments. See reader Chris' hapless touch after the break as well with a new twist to the Bluetooth mystery.

Another from Dave. Note that clicking on the Bluetooth icon brings up an empty screen which reads "nothing to see here."

Chris' iPod touch -- now the 2nd we've seen -- only without an "X" through the Bluetooth icon and nearly fully charged battery. This has led some of our readers to speculate that his Bluetooth is possibly enabled since his battery (unlike Dave's) is charged to a sufficient level. Remember, it is common for devices to shut Bluetooth off automatically when the battery becomes depleted. If true (where's the check mark?), the FCC will not be happy.

[crunc Posted Sep 14th 2007 1:48PM]

From Apple stores. My pre-order remains as unshipped, although I didn't put my order in right away by any means.

[Rax Dakkar Posted Sep 14th 2007 2:17PM]

It's so like Apple to disable the Cheerios button in the finalalized iPod Touch.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 2:53PM]

Nevermind the ubermystery of the Bluetooth, what I want to know is did they license that Cheerios box from General Mills? LOL

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 3:46PM]

the x over the bluetooth goes away after he clicks on it

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 3:59PM]

somebody take the OS file off the iPhone (if thats possible) and try and install it on the touch.

Also, what happens when you plug it in?

Has anyobdy tryed to run Linux on an iPhone or iPOd Touc?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 4:12PM]

I found something weird in the manual for the Ipod Touch available trough apple.com When describing the funcionality of Youtube on the Ipod, the photograph shows an email icon to send the permalink of the video. Ipod wasn't suppose to bring email app instaled but then again there it is. In the text its not explained and its the only icon in the photograph lacking an indication. Its page 47 on the english version of the manual. Any thoughts?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 4:59PM]

anyone else possibly think this was somehow deliberate?

hey, anything's possible...

like that guy's half-built dell xps sans os and bios
heh, that was kinda cool

anyway, i think thats pretty sweet, i'd like it please!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2007 5:45PM]

I love my Blackberry Curve and Motorola S9 headphones.
If this thing got bluetooth, it'd be something I'd seriously consider because of more memory than the Blackberry.

[aaronnelsen Posted Sep 14th 2007 6:04PM]

Guy by the name of Brian Mullally has the same problem.

http://www.wdkx.com/show_article/2007/09/14/My_New_iPod,_Broke_Already.html

Also no red x on his bluetooth either.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2007 3:46AM]

Yes, I sure do. Spent over 3 hours on the phone with various tech support people.

Apple wants it back badly. They didn't want me to return it to the store, they wanted it FedEx directly to the engineers. I was given a FedEx account number and asked to return it over night. I agreed to help them out.

Wasn't till the end she told me the replacement is scheduled to ship the 28th. How's that work? I'm funding Apple's investigation into my broke iPod. Ugh.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2007 12:02AM]

What are the chances that in 3 months that Apple will drop the price on the iTouch?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2007 2:49PM]

Might I just add that many of the options display 'nothing to see here'
See http://ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/ipod-touch-diagnostic-mode-revealed-in-pictures/

-Tailor

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2007 10:18AM]

Samsung has had bluetooth is thier mp3 players for awhile now. and thier working on the p2, a touchscreen mp3 you can take calls with, through the headphones and speak thorugh the mic. Some even thing you might be able to dial through it with an onscreen keyboard. Apple is waaaay behind now, and the only reason they sell is because of thier amazing marketing. People dont realize thier are better products out there for less.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 18th 2007 6:25AM]

...as for FCC approval. A device as a whole doesn't necessarily need the FCC approval. It may be pre-approved. Which is why we possibly haven't seen the FCC docs for the Touch.

http://www.csr.com/pr/pr061.htm

..as we all know CSR make the iPhone bluetooth module.

I think the best theory I've seen is that if it is in there it will come when OSX manages to support a2dp stereo headsets. Leopard release and a free bluetooth upgrade. They will sell a lot of Leopard upgrades then :)

[Neil Anderson Posted Sep 16th 2007 1:11PM]

Is Cheerios a cereal killer suspected in the homicide of OS X?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 16th 2007 1:34AM]

I'd say this is a pretty good indication of Bluetooth in the touch.
First off, this is definitely not the same BIOS as the iPhone; where is utility for the ear-proximity sensor, mic, earpiece, or other things the iPhone has the touch doesn't.
Plus, the touch detects bluetooth (or at least loses the X on the icon) when it doesn't have it turned off to conserve juice.
Also, this wouldn't be the first time Stevie did something like this (draft-n in notebooks).
I really hope its true and probably wont have to wait long before its properly dissected. Even if Jobsy doesn't put it to use before long, the wonderful hacking/modding community will be sure to put it to better use than Cupertino (can you say SKYPE and 3g internet over bluetooth??) before you can say nike+iPod.
All in all, silly to release it w/out bluetooth; i guess they needed it out the door fast. I'll be sure to pick on up regardless whether this turns out to be true.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 16th 2007 2:07AM]

I bought the 16gig on Friday and it came w/o the operating system as well. I called apple care today to see if there was anyway to exit the diagnostic mode (if thats what it's in) but they seemed clueless and didn't help a bit. So I figure I'll take it into the apple store tomorrow and see if I can't get a replacement... maybe some bonus store credit too for all the trouble;)

[P1h3r1e3d13 Posted Sep 16th 2007 4:21AM]

Sorry, the apparently enabled Bluetooth isn't because of higher battery charge. If you watch this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIoo4bKAa7E&NR=1) you will see that after opening and closing the BT window, the "X" icon disappears for several seconds and then reappears.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 16th 2007 11:16PM]

What's the deal with the FCC comment in the end? Is it some regulatory hoopla? Did Apple do something they were supposed to? Some one please let me know! Thanks!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 16th 2007 7:00PM]

does the ipod touch work with pcs?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 18th 2007 7:31PM]

Where were some of these iPods purchased? What caused this to happen, and are these going to become collector's items?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 20th 2007 12:17PM]

Just back from Glasgow with my iPod Touch and its the same as the above. i.e. only thing I can do with it is play with the diagnostic utility. The EU support line don't know what to do as they're not trained on the Touch yet. I spoke with 2nd line support and they have no idea either, they suggested I take it back to the Store which is easier said than done as its an hours drive away and I've got meetings tomorrow.

Great.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 26th 2007 4:39AM]

Chris' iPod touch -- now the 2nd we've seen -- only without an "X" through the Bluetooth icon and nearly fully charged battery. This has led some of our readers to speculate that his Bluetooth is possibly enabled since his battery (unlike Dave's) is charged to a sufficient level. Remember, it is common for devices to shut Bluetooth off automatically when the battery becomes depleted. If true (where's the check mark?), the FCC will not be happy.

If you notice in the video, the Bluetooth icon does initially have an "X" over it, but after the icon is selected and the resulting window closed, the "X" is gone, so I don't think it's a battery level issue.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 15th 2007 4:08PM]

Hello?! Has ANYONE with one of these "broken" iPod Touch things tried to see if the iPod is detected by another device with Bluetooth? E.g. use a macbook to scan for bluetooth devices and press the bluetooth button at the same time? Maybe, who knows...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 4th 2007 7:00PM]

Couldn't it just be that a similar utility was on the iPhone and Apple was too lazy to change it?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 12:27AM]

A friend of mine who works at the mother ship (Apples main office/factory in Cupertino) tells me that the iPod touch was suppose to initially be sold with Bluetooth support but got into legal issue with AT&T concerning the iPhone so instead of redesigning the hardware they simply disabled it in the firmware (not the OS) so it couldn't be used. He said they had no plans on enabling it that he has heard of but things can change. Now none of this may be true as I don't work there and can't confirm it but anything is possible. Even if Apple choses not to release an updated firmware to enable the hardware (if it is indeed there) that doesn't mean someone else won't.