Nano (4th generation) will not charge in HiFi

I, too, was greeted by this nasty surprise when I bought my iPod Touch 32GB last week and plugged it into my iPod Hi-Fi. I felt incredibly jilted by Apple, having spent $399 on a stereo system that is now half-obsolete.

From what I've been reading, the Hi-Fi would use a type of Firewire connection to charge the iPod, and now only accepts USB (non-direct) connections to charge iPods. What I don't understand is what would motivate Apple's decision to suddenly discontinue this type of charging connection, fully knowing that so many peripherals (including its own!) would not work. My guess is that it's money--it would force all of us to throw away all these devices on which we spent hard-earned money and buy new ones. Think about it--how expensive is it for Apple to keep putting that Firewire chip and 12 V pin so that it can ensure product compatibility and, consequently, customer satisfaction?

What I find highly deplorable with this issue is that Apple plans self-obsolescence of its products by removing features as it releases newer iPods, forcing people to throw away what they've bought and start anew. Although this is undoubtedly good for the economy, and Apple's bottom line, what are the environmental implications of this consumer trend of buying merchandise and throwing it away two years later?

If Apple doesn't do anything about this for its consumers, then a question you have to ask yourselves is if you wish to continue supporting a company that plans self-obsolescence in its products, with seemingly very little consideration for the environment or its consumers. After buying my first iPod more than five years ago, and being an Apple owner since the late 1980s, I am now considering switching to a more open music player.

Apple has not put a Firewire chip in an iPod for some timeand similar complaints were heard when that happened. Guess Apple would have been smarter to discontinue FW charging at the same time. Your HiFi will work fine with products of it's time. And it will play music from your new iPod.

What they really should've done is ensure compatibility with its own iPod accessories; in other words, include USB non-direct power immediately into its devices rather than creating accessories that wouldn't work in less than 2 years' time. To have discontinued FW charging at that time would've only aggravated the problem.

Shame on Apple!

Boji1234 wrote:
Although this is undoubtedly good for the economy, and Apple's bottom line, what are the environmental implications of this consumer trend of buying merchandise and throwing it away two years later?

If ANYONE is considering throwing a perfectly good iPod accessory away because it doesn't work with your your new iPod, PLEASE send it to me. I will pay for the shipping from you to me. I will sell them on eBay for the MILLIONS of people who do neither have the money nor desire to own a new iPod; who don't own one at all; or who own another brand of MP3--people who would be delighted to have an expensive speaker system at a discounted price. Or, I will donate them to senior homes or special-needs homes, along with my 1st- and 3rd-generation nanos, so that people of lesser means than me (and I am of no great means) can enjoy portable music.

I am serious. If you want to just throw away an iPod accessory because it doesn't work with the newest iPod, please don't. Save the planet and make a donation or make yourself some money by selling it on eBay.

Does this whole thing irritate me? YEP! It's obnoxious. But, I'll deal with it.

Thank you for doing this--you're doing a great thing, both for people and the planet! I'll be keeping my iPod Hi-Fi until it dies, which hopefully, won't be anytime soon, and I'll bring back my expensive iPod Touch to the store very soon since I'm not going to let Apple get my money for offering such a mediocre product. Perhaps if other iPod owners start bringing back their iPods Apple will get the message.

If you could go back to the old archives, your post sounds exactly like ones that were written when Firewire transfer was discontinued.

CableJive has created a solution for this.

"Get your iPhone 3G and latest generation iPods charging with all iPod and iPhone devices. This adapter fixes the charging issue by converting Firewire power to USB, and passes through all other connections."

"The adapter doesn't prevent the "accessory not made to work" if this is popping up on your iPhone or iPod when connected directly. Since the charge converter passes through all pins, a device that isn't made to work with the iPhone or iPod will still trigger that message."


http://cablejive.com/iphone3g_chargeconverter.html

I just bought a replacement ipod two weeks ago and it doesn't charge on any of the hardware I already had. I'm SO disappointed in Apple. It would have been nice to know. I'm contemplating returning it and it definitely makes the case to move to Zune WAY more appealing.

VERY Disappointed...The apple is starting to spoil.

It is a joke that the new Nano 4th generation will not charge in the hifi nor even with the Apple mains adapter! I recently purchased the latest Nano for my daughter for her birthday and when she went to charge the thing, the message came up to say the device was not compatable. You have to use the USB cable that came with the Nano. Nothing else charges the thing, which is just plain stupid from Apple's perspective.

Here's another adapter for less than $30. Macworld just reviewed this one.
http://scosche.com/products/productID/1667

I am extremely disappointed with Apple and their milking strategy. That's right, I feel that Apple wants to milk customers ($-wise), making us buy accessories to make 4th gen. Nano work with our existing hardware. I swear that on my next day off of work i'm taking this Nano back to the store for a full refund. Screw Appl* corporate greed and their new Nano. Don't buy a 4th generation nano.

****, and it doesn't even sync with my Apple IIe either. What were they thinking?

KingKizzy wrote:
It is a joke that the new Nano 4th generation will not charge in the hifi nor even with the Apple mains adapter! I recently purchased the latest Nano for my daughter for her birthday and when she went to charge the thing, the message came up to say the device was not compatable. You have to use the USB cable that came with the Nano. Nothing else charges the thing, which is just plain stupid from Apple's perspective.

Marketing Team please take note:
- I also went through the same highly negative surprise when I purchased an iPod nano for my daughter from a local BestBuy retailer. Can you just imagine trying to explain to a youngster about this poorly displayed issue? BestBuy offered to take the item back because of this, but I’m still keeping the nano (talk about loyalty).

Keeping this in mind, I strongly urge anyone from Apple to have the Marketing Team consider improving their documentation regarding the Technical Specifications as it fails to clearly state that it is not backward compatible for charging using the firewire pin (see link below):
http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/specs.html

Marketing Team:
Do you not agree that reading a generic, “Charging is not supported with this accessory” is a surprise which demonstrates an extremely poor oversight (in the eyes of any surprised Apple user)? Here is the surprise we all get to view: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3215

I will be spending the money to buy new hardware which supports USB charging on the new iPod nano. But feel sorry for how Apple failed to realize this real life communication gap from the Marketing Team.

I am a loyal Apple user since the Apple ][+ days. Yes it still works!

Message was edited by: Gurdeep

I am totally with you. Apple's marketing language is totally deplorable for not making it CRYSTAL clear that if you buy this new shiny 4th gen ipod, none of your prior accessories will work with it, you will have to buy everything again. I'm sorry, if the ipod doesn't charge while playing, it voids the whole purpose of a separate dock...heck, if I was close enough to a computer to charge the ipod using a USB dock, I'd just play the music through my computer!!!!!
I am telling every single one of my friends about this problem and beg them not to upgrade. I am just so upset with this purchase. I guess it's back to using my 1st gen nano then, after this, will seriously look at Sony's players or iRiver's or even the Zune...shudders...

none of your prior accessories will work with it, you will have to buy everything again.

This is not so.
Some accessories will not work but some WILL work.

The specs state;

"Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter (sold separately) "

Also, keep in mind that adapters are made to work with the iPod, not the other way around.
But I agree, it could probably be made more clear.