The availability of wireless iPods came a step closer today after PortalPlayer, the chip maker behind the Apple music player’s audio logic, will add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support to its products, Reg Hardware has learned.

The move comes courtesy of a tie-in with UK-based Bluetooth chip design pioneer CSR, aka Cambridge Silicon Radio.

PortalPlayer said it will integrate its PP5022 audio chip family with CSR’s UniFi Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller. It will demonstrate a reference platform based on the combined technology next week at the 3GSM show in Barcelona.

The company’s pitch is that the integration will allow PortalPlayer-based gadgets to use Bluetooth stereo headsets and reach out to computers’ music archives via the wireless networking technology, and to connect directly to music download services through Wi-Fi hotspots.

reghardware.co.uk