August 3, 2006 8:18 AM PDT
Carmakers race to accommodate iPods
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Owners of Ford, Mazda and GM cars who want to take their iPods on the road may no longer have to worry about purchasing quirky add-ons like the iTrip or chargers that plug into cigarette lighters. Apple announced on Thursday that it has teamed up with the three car companies to incorporate "seamless integration" into new 2007 models that will let iPods be controlled within cars' audio systems and charged whenever the ignition is on.
An internal study by Ford determined that the demand for incorporating digital audio players into consumer vehicles is rising fast: The auto manufacturer predicts that 2009 sales of digital-music players will more than double those in 2005. The market for such devices, despite competition, remains thoroughly dominated by Apple's iPod.
The plans and infrastructure for iPod integration differ among the three manufacturers. Ford, for example, will be incorporating audio input jacks compatible with the iPod and other MP3 players into a majority of 2007 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. For an additional price, beginning early next year, Ford dealers plan to begin selling a system called TripTunes Advanced that will enable an iPod to be stored and recharged in a vehicle's glove compartment while the driver or passenger directs its functions using controls on the radio or steering wheel.
GM, on the other hand, has developed an iPod-specific device called the Personal Audio Link. This gadget, the size of a deck of cards, synchronizes the music player with the car's XM Satellite Radio band so that the XM interface can be used as controls--including displaying the song and artist information on the XM screen.
Like Ford's TripTunes Advanced, GM's iPod integration system will be located in the glove compartment and will also be able to charge the iPod while the ignition is running. The Personal Audio Link will make its debut this October in the 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet HHR sport utility vehicles; the carmaker will then gradually introduce the hardware into all 56 of its new car and truck models sold in the United States--mostly by the end of 2007.
GM's device will be an opt-in feature, retailing for about $160 plus installation charges. According to a statement from GM, a subscription to XM Satellite Radio will not be required for the Personal Audio Link to work.
Mazda, which will be introducing iPod integration into all of its vehicles worldwide, was not available for a comment on the specifics of the technology used.
A number of other car manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, have already accommodated some or all of their new models to allow for iPod integration--among them are DaimlerChrysler's Jeep, Volkswagen, BMW and its Mini, and Honda Motor. With the addition of Ford, Mazda and GM, Apple estimates that more than 70 percent of new cars sold in the United States by the end of 2007 will have some kind of iPod integration technology.
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I love my iPod Video, I dropped it on a concreet floor once by accident from 5 feet and nothing, still works perfectly, had my iPod for a year now.
I got the 60 and 30 gig Video models, both work beautifully.
And if consumers insist on these things over fuel efficiency they deserve the gas guzzling monsters they get.
I am not talking about weed that you smoke and get high.
HEMP is the only plant capable of saving this planet.
A current age Porsche (similar can be said for most any German car these days) not loaded up for bear with endless, head-scratching acronyms...jus' ain't a Porsche.
http://www.zunescene.com
- supply and demand
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by yikes31
August 4, 2006 1:58 PM PDT
- these car companies are (if a little slowly) simply reacting to
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See all 28 Comments >>consumer demand. No one wants to have to rip out their new
CD player in a brand new car to get to some wiring behind it so
that they can get some add on. No one really wants to listent to
their ipod over a crackly radio station. If they wanted that, they
would have stuck with the radio!
People want to be able to plug their ipods straight into
something that 'just works'! If you look a little closer at the
article, some of these companies are simply adding a 3.5 mm
jack plug that is compatible with all mp3 players. That should
suit all those that have creative oor zune or ipods.
I applaud the car companies for doing this as it is a consumer
driven response.
With regard to the comments about not caring for the
environment, producing gas guzzling cars etc, these same
companies are noticing that with gas prices at around the $3/gal
mark, they are getting harder and harder to sell.
Several new models have been released in the USA that are
available elsewhere that are being aggressively sold based on
their mpg performance. Again, supply and demand.
I assure you that anyone that doesnt have more money than
sense is going to choose a vehicle that only gets 15mpg because
it comes with an ipod jack over a more efficient vehicle that
doesnt. If that is the choice they make, then I wish them luck
and councelling!