Why Doesn't Mac OS X Support Bluetooth Headphones?

You know, for all the attention given to the prospect of a next-gen iPod that natively supports wireless Bluetooth stereo headphones, I hadn't even considered that this is a feature Apple doesn't yet support on its computers.

Reader Jonathan Birge brought it to my attention in a quite delightfully ranty e-mail. He puts it well:

While Windows boxes have had such for a while now, the Mac still doesn't support stereo headphones connected via bluetooth. This is a pretty sorry state of affairs for the "most advanced operating system in the world."

I completely agree. There's no reason not to build in this functionality at the system level. Every Mac has offered Bluetooth support for some time now, and it's a natural design solution significantly more aesthetically pleasing than corded earphones.

Now, it's a simplification to say that Apple doesn't support Bluetooth stereo audio. As I learned doing some reading just now, what Apple lacks is something called an Advanced Audio Distribution Profile or A2DP, for those who can't properly create an acronym. That means that the audio through Apple's built-in Bluetooth sounds terrible, and you'll need a Bluetooth audio dongle (I always giggle when I type that word) to get decent sound.

So how 'bout it Apple? I'm buying if you're selling.

(Image via Geekzone.)