inquisity

Usually engineers win out in a battle with the design folks.  Apparently this time it’s the other way around for the new version of the iPod Shuffle:

The decision to put the controls on the headphones means that unless Apple opens up the controls to third parties, you can’t even play music on the iPod without using Apple’s own earbuds. What happens if, as is also not unheard of, Apple’s stock earbuds break? Your iPod is completely useless until you get another pair of approved headphones. (full article)

Like many people, the regular Apple headphones don’t stay in my ears if I’m doing anything other than sitting down, so I have a different pair for when I work out.  This makes the new generation of Shuffles worthless to me (and many others).  Needless to say I will be buying the previous generation.

I bet that Apple: a) opens up the design specs so other companies can make compliant headphones, and/or b) has buttons on the actual unit in the next generation of Shuffles.