iPod shuffle chip not DRM-related

The hot topic in the Apple portion of the internet this weekend has been the discovery of a chip in the iPod shuffle headphones. It seemed the intent was to lock in users even more by only allowing playback with this chip. The concern was that headphone manufacturers would need to pay Apple for use of the chip, thus passing the cost down to consumers. On top of that, consumers would have a smaller selection of headphones to choose from, as not just any headphone set would have the appropriate chip.