I work in the electronic components industry. Today someone else from the industry to me this. Some iPods contain an unactivated chip that, if Apple activates it, would prevent owners from using anything but Apple authorized (read: paid royalties) accessories. If you tried to pug your iPod into an unlicensed set of speakers, they won’t work.
Has anyone else heard this? I can’t imagine what would happen if this was true and Apple decided to turn this feature on.
Sounds like FUD. How is Apple supposed to do this over unidirectional analog interfaces?
There are devices that check for “authorized” batteries and ink cartridges. However that requires a bidirectional digital interface.
The newest iPods will only work with an Apple made connector cable because of an installed chip, even older model Apple produced cables won’t work with them. (This was mentioned on one of Leo Laporte’s Macbreak Weekly podcasts.)
You mean, like, through the line out connection?
I can’t imagine that that’s the case. I suppose it’s hypothetically possible that the iPod (or some similar device) could use the audio output as a data channel, and require the receiving device to modulate something in a way that would authenticate itself to the iPod. But really, there isn’t any such thing.
Apple locks TV Out in new iPods, breaks video add-ons
This is old (September 7, 2007). I’m not sure what became of it.
Most ipod accessories are the things that plug into the docking port of the ipod not the headset port. There is a bidirectional digital interface there where some form of verification could take place. I don’t know what verification does take place, but certainly it would be relatively easy to have software in the ipod that verified a digital signature to ensure that the device was authorized.
It does. That’s the link Squink posted.
For example: I have one of these (I wouldn’t pay that much for a Monster cable, mine was on clearance for…get this: $7.99…no joke). It works very well with my 5.5G video iPod. Apparently, according to the reviewer, it doesn’t work with the newer iPod Classic.
If you try to plug it into an iPod Classic, a Touch or an iPhone, you’ll get a screen that asks you to connect an approved accessory. The iPod looks for a special Apple chip in the accessory, and if it isn’t there, it won’t let the iPod use the accessory.
I don’t know if the line out in the newer iPods still transmits video information – the older ones (5.5G and back) do. I’m pretty sure there would be no authentication possible with those accessories.
Why didn’t you just use a coat hanger?
Audio, sure, but I’d need THREE coathangers to distribute the stereo audio AND the video! 
(Plus I’m not sure they make wire coathanger iPod connectors. Yet.)
Someone deserves an award for fighting ignorance there! 
Here’s the original message board post: Speakers; When is good enough, enough
Wait…someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it was against anti-trust laws to force a consumer to use only your companies accessories with their product? Wouldn’t that be like if Toyota decided to make tires, and then made some kind of chip in the tires and cars that, if they didn’t sense Toyota tires, wouldn’t let the car start? And then they can charge $500 a tire because, hey…what are you gonna do about it?
Isn’t that also why printer manufacturers have lost lawsuits to prevent generic ink cartridges from being made?
It isn’t just Apple accessories though, it’s Apple-licensed accessories. This may be an important distinction.
I thought the ink cartridge lawsuits were brought as claims of a DMCA violation which got smacked down in court.