Well thats nifty... iphone recognizes different headphones

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Well thats nifty... iphone recognizes different headphones

Aaroona

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#74884 9-Jan-2011 20:18

I only just worked this out, and have seen no other acknowledgment of this anywhere else.

I have 1x set of standard iPhone 3Gs headphones/mic + 1x in ear Apple headphones.

I have noticed that if you use headphones A and se the volume in the iPod etc etc, unplug it, and plug Headphones B in, change the volume to whatever you want, and unplug those. Each time you use either of those headphones, it actually remembers the last volume you had set (so each have their own volume level remembered).

This is actually really nifty for me, because at night, I use the standard headphones at a very very low volume, and during the day when working on the farm, I use the in-ear headphones at a higher-mid volume, so each time I plug in those headphones, I never (or very rarely depending on situation) have to change the volume.

Im curious to see if this works with other headphones? (I imagine that its Apple specific headphones however). Anyone else noticed this>

alasta

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#425544 9-Jan-2011 20:56

I suspect that it's because one of them has a microphone and a four pin plug, while the other is a standard three pin set of headphones. The iPhone appears to maintain separate audio volume profiles for headphones, headsets, bluetooth, and the built in speaker so your 'headphones' and your 'headset' will have the volume adjusted independently of each other.

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Aaroona

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#425545 9-Jan-2011 20:57

alasta: I suspect that it's because one of them has a microphone and a four pin plug, while the other is a standard three pin set of headphones. The iPhone appears to maintain separate audio volume profiles for headphones, headsets, bluetooth, and the built in speaker so your 'headphones' and your 'headset' will have the volume adjusted independently of each other.

Negative.

Both are headphones/mics.

Both are exactly the same pin wise.
Both have volume control buttons as well.

alasta

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#425551 9-Jan-2011 21:12

Aaroona:
alasta: I suspect that it's because one of them has a microphone and a four pin plug, while the other is a standard three pin set of headphones.

Negative.

Both are headphones/mics.

Both are exactly the same pin wise.
Both have volume control buttons as well.

That's weird. As you mention the Apple headphones/headsets must have something designed into them to allow them to be identified because headphones are typically just a dumb analogue device that the audio source device couldn't possibly differentiate.

nickb800

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#425552 9-Jan-2011 21:20

Thats pretty nifty.

Possible reasons:
-The iphone detects a difference in resistance or capacitance in the headphone (assuming different makes have slightly different electronic properties)
-Do either have a talk/answer button? These can be wired up in quite different arrangements so maybe the iphone is picking up on this. Some simply 'earth' a circuit when pressed, others run current through a resistor of specific value.

Both are quite out-there suggestions, but it is an odd feature!

Aaroona

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#425553 9-Jan-2011 21:22

nickb800: Thats pretty nifty.

Possible reasons:
-The iphone detects a difference in resistance or capacitance in the headphone (assuming different makes have slightly different electronic properties)
-Do either have a talk/answer button? These can be wired up in quite different arrangements so maybe the iphone is picking up on this. Some simply 'earth' a circuit when pressed, others run current through a resistor of specific value.

Both are quite out-there suggestions, but it is an odd feature!

Both have mics, as stated above.

Answer/End button, up and down volume buttons.

But yes, quite interesting I thought. I will try it on my mac and see if I can produce the same results.

I have a new set of iphone headphones (standard ones) arriving in a couple of days, so I will also try those and see if they can recognise between the pair I have now, and the new pair.

dacraka

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#425648 10-Jan-2011 09:51

If the headphones are official Apple brand and have volume buttons, they contain some sort of chip in the volume button area. My assumption is that the iPhone can determine what headphone you have connected by communicating with this.

michaelmurfy

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#425650 10-Jan-2011 10:00

dacraka: If the headphones are official Apple brand and have volume buttons, they contain some sort of chip in the volume button area. My assumption is that the iPhone can determine what headphone you have connected by communicating with this.

Yes, that's the one. This chip contains a serial number.

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JayADee

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#425977 11-Jan-2011 05:56

Not as impressive but still cool is when I unplug my headphones on my iPad the volume reverts to the (higher) volume I had it on before plugging them in. Very helpful of it.