Apple today announced it is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between iPod and in-flight entertainment systems. These six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.
“There is no better traveling companion than an iPod, and now travelers can power their iPods during flight and even watch their iPod movies and TV shows on their seat back displays,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing, in the press release. “We’re excited to work with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to offer iPod users an even better in-flight experience.”
In-flight iPod connectivity will be available to Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United passengers beginning in mid 2007. Additionally, Apple is working with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring even more leading airlines in-flight iPod connectivity in the future.
The iPod ecosystem continues to flourish with more than 3,000 accessories made specifically for iPod that range from fashionable cases to speaker systems, and more than 70 percent of 2007-model US automobiles currently offer iPod connectivity.
iPod and iTunes are leading the digital music revolution, providing the best way to listen to music on the go, at home, in the car and now on an airplane. With nearly 70 million iPods sold, the iPod is the world’s most popular digital music and portable video player and the iTunes Store is the number one online music store with over 1.5 billion songs purchased and downloaded worldwide. The iTunes Store features over 3.5 million songs, 65,000 podcasts, 20,000 audiobooks, 5,000 music videos, 250 television shows and over 100 movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films.
I bet this is only for business class. They don’t even offer power plugs to the cattle car passengers.
But will my Zune work with it?
And with one fell swoop of the pen, Apple eviscerates what was left of any reason to get a zune.
As seen on another web site:
-Why did M$ choose: “Welcome to the Social” for the zune marketing phrase?
-Because: “I want an iPod” was already taken!
zac
dammit what about me and my brand Zune !!!!!!! lol
Now everyone can watch my porn.
I’d put the Zune where it belongs – in the airplane toilet.
This just in:
“ZUNE FEVER GRIPS ABSOLUTELY NOBODY”
This is only the beginning
Zune media players will not be allowed to play on planes due to the inherent risk for Windows PC viruses infecting the planes cockpit computers.
This will give AAPL a boost.
Wall Street are always impressed with anything to do with airlines.
Ragu,
You are assuming anybody was stupid enough to allow Windows to run flight-critical operations…
Yup, just taken a look, in pre-market quotes AAPL has already hit $85.
First cars, now planes…what’s next?
A Boeing 747 has to be the ultimate iPod accessory!
I love it!
Steve Jobs has gone from strength to strength.
What a sense of timing!
Okay… Where is American Airlanes, British Airways and Finnair?
Balloonknow.. next Virgin Galactic
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http://www.virgingalactic.com/
MDN Magic Word: Year, like this year perhaps?
$85.22 in pre-market trading!
Introducing the worlds most expensive iPod accessory..
A Boeing 777.
Sweet.
Now I gotta go to the Lavatory to take a Zune.
Finland has an airline?
Finnzune.
SCHWIIIIINGGGGG!
Ah, Zune, we barely knew thee….
So, Apple while you’re at it, let’s get power connectors at EVERY seat for us Mac toting travelers!
MDN Magic Word: comes…. I ain’t touchin’ that one…
What about Amtrak?
Here’s a thought.
I think Microsoft is REALLY frightened about Apple/iPod/iTunes.
Zune is a last ditch attempt to try and stop, or even just to slow the train a bit.
I think they know more than anyone what impact Apple’s leadership in digital media is having on the mindset of consumers. Make no mistake people are switching to Mac bigtime, and the Macs credibility is being taken to new levels by iPod/iTunes.
So, the threat to MS is not just in lost online sales, but the much bigger game of their global Windows tax. It is under threat for the first time.
And Apple will win.
Winning line from Mac4life: “Introducing the worlds most expensive iPod accessory ..a Boeing 777. “
Another thought, this news is more than enough to negate any semblance of positive press about Zune. Apple didn’t even need to role out a new iPod…
This just proves Apple doesn’t need to release another iPod to compete and seem like they are scared of Microsoft or anyone else. They come out of left field with an announcement that few could have predicted and STILL blow the zune out of the water on opening day.
Anyone else notice that that Ballmer announced yestrday that the zune would eventually have a phone and movies? He said that “just in case” Apple did announce the awaited iPhone or video iPod. They were expecting something like that (because that’s would they like to do to others), but this announcement caughtt them offguard and with no response.
Good one, Apple! That’s how to stay on top.
Why is M$ only releasing ZUNE in the US?
Is it because they fear it will be a failure and it is better to have it fail locally, where they can just put it down to a stupid move, rather than a WORLD WIDE flop where they may lose a lot more than they would have otherwise.
It costs a lot of money to distribute merchandise to multiple destinations OS.
I think they know it has already failed?
A few commentators on US News networks, who were pretty excited about this thing have started to yawn after finding out the nitty gritty on the specs.
One commentated today on how lame it is that a ‘squirted’ song will only last three plays or three days and openly said he would stay with his iPod.
Me too.
Leo