Shure preps for iPhone with music phone add-on

Shure readied itself for the iPhone today by introducing the Music Phone Adapter, an attachment that lets Apple's phone and most others serve up stereo music while providing a quick switch to incoming phone calls. Similar to Apple's stock iPhone earbuds, the MPA includes a single control. Tapping the button will automatically pick up an inbound call or end the call when finished; for certain phones, the button will also trigger extended features such as call waiting or muting the microphone. A built-in, noise-cancelling microphone also saves the trouble of bringing the phone close in a loud environment.

The modular design gives iPhone users an advantage over pack-in equipment, Shure says. Since the company's in-canal earbuds or most any earphones will plug into the MPA, the adapter improves the experience for audiophiles and others who want better-sounding music. It can also be removed altogether for those times when the calling functions are unnecessary.

An initial version of the MPA that supports both the iPhone and Motorola's RAZR V3i will arrive in August for $40. Separate versions that handle BlackBerries and other media-heavy phones are planned but will arrive at an undetermined point in the future.