“Can the iPhone help automakers sell cars? Or will cars help Apple sell more gadgets?” Doron Levin reports for Fortune.
“Perhaps both,” Levin reports. “Apple recently said it is working with a number of automakers, including General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Hyundai to integrate its new iOS 7 operating system into cars. The product is called, not shockingly, ‘iOS in the Car.’ The car’s screen might look like an iPhone’s, allowing Siri voice commands control navigation, entertainment choices, phone and functions such as heating and air conditioning.”
Levin reports, “Digital features have become a more important consideration – crucial for some – when choosing a car to buy. What’s unclear is whether broader digital and wireless capability in cars will add to driver distraction or, conversely, increase safety by letting drivers keep their eyes on the road while letting Siri read them texts and email. In any event, it’s a sure thing that iPhone’s most avid fans will be attracted to car models that emulate Apple’s digital feel and experience. With some 600 million Apple devices in customer hands, automakers have a huge audience with which to connect. ‘The advantage of a common interface is self-evident,’ said one auto executive, who asked not to be identified because of industry competition. ‘You only have to learn one format for your car and smartphone, rather than two.'”
Read more in the full article here.
Sounds like the auto industry may be finding out what Apple have been building for quite some time… Make it simple and make it work the same over a broad range of products.
Easy to use and the driver will know how to use the controls without a week to readjust to another vehicle.
Every time I see articles about this, Toyota is so obviously missing? Are they anti-Apple, ignoring them for now, or secretly working on something with Apple? It is odd that they’re missing.
Well odd or not I own a Toyota and love it and will not consider buying another with this feature missing. I’m sure I’m not alone so Toyota is losing customers.
Rented a Camry last week. Display kept saying “bluetooth connection failed”. Impossible to make it tether with my iPhone. Foot-operated parking brake; how quaint. Toyota, meh. Accord is better. Sports car handling. But Kia Optima is in bed with the devil.
unless you buy a Ford.
Fis Or Reboot Daily
I know my criteria for buying a new car (soon) will more importantly need Apple in the equation just as a starting point. No Apple iOS7 system, no car considered in contention. I think many will have this in their thinking so car manufacturers need to stop dilly-dallying as they have in the past being glacially slow to implement technology or suffer lost sales to a competitor hip to this new requirement. Looks like Microsoft will be kicked out of this new paradigm with its lame Sync system being a casualty and victim of poor upgrading solutions and crashing annoying service. BSOD in a car is not a workable situation!
Sounds good.