BMW and Apple? [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

MacRumors

Mar 21, 2004, 11:56 PM

Autospies 05-06 BMW 3-series update (http://www.autospies.com/article/index.asp?articleId=2742&categoryId=11) provides a small rumor about BMW and Apple working on a deal.

The last item in their report notes an unconfirmed rumor:

Audio system will finally have CD/MP3 capable playback and an interface connection to 'ipod-like' devices... we've even hearing rumblings out of Palo Alto Technology office regarding a potential deal in the works with Apple

The blurb warns that this rumor is unconfirmed, but could potentially add to a list of partnerships Apple has forged with many companies over the past few months.

ryanw

Mar 21, 2004, 11:58 PM

Anyone think apple could ever OEM OSX to other vendors ever again? It would be interesting if IBM put out a PPC 970 desktop or Laptop with the option to run PPC Linux or OSX ...

neutrino23

Mar 21, 2004, 11:59 PM

It would be great if they could build in the controls into the steering wheel.

iJon

Mar 22, 2004, 12:05 AM

this is good news. right now im using a blitzsafe adapter in my jeep for my ipod. but later this summer ill be upgrading to the 7" in dash alpine tv screen deck with the ipod hook up, so then ill be totally set.

iJon

Kagetenshi

Mar 22, 2004, 12:07 AM

Definitely liking the sound of this. Aggressive marketing is what we need; well, that and aggressive deployment of new products.

~J

iGuy

Mar 22, 2004, 12:27 AM

Marketshare....

For those of you not quite awake yet, I'm saying that this is possible because of Apple's influence in the portable music industry (file format and devices) which is a direct result of their marketshare.

This is a good thing and underlines the value of marketshare.

A BMW as an accessory for an iPod. Not bad. Now if only I could buy a BMW for the price of an iPod. :)

~iGuy

Sped

Mar 22, 2004, 12:33 AM

This is fantastic news. I have a 93 BMW 325i and am going to purchase a new 3-series in 2005. Learning that I might have a little Apple integration with my Bimmer makes it more exciting!

mustang_dvs

Mar 22, 2004, 01:40 AM

So what?

My '87 635CSi (http://members.roadfly.org/mustang_dvs/SHARKD/sharkd_GWp.jpg) has iPod integration...

(...that I added on my own initiative.)

And, being an '87 model (http://members.roadfly.org/mustang_dvs/SHARKD/sharkd_GWm.jpg) it has the added benefit of pre-dating Chris Bangle (http://www.petitiononline.com/STOPCB/petition.html)'s design influence (read: it looks like a BMW coupe (http://members.roadfly.org/mustang_dvs/SHARKD/sharkd_Jeff.jpg), not a Chrysler Sebring (http://www.majood.net/ger/bmw/645ci/645ci.jpg).)

A BMW as an accessory for an iPod. Not bad. Now if only I could buy a BMW for the price of an iPod. :)

Does this mean I can get an M3 with a developer hardware discount (~20-30%) factored in? (I'd be willing to settle for a 330Ci (PP) (http://media3.motorcities.com/04A19321801949A.jpeg).)

vpalvarez

Mar 22, 2004, 02:42 AM

It would be great if they could build in the controls into the steering wheel.

I thought about this myself and its extremely possible. I have friends that are custom car installers, they said that with carefull wiring it could happen. The only problem is the screen. No one could figure out if a heads up display on the windshield was possible. No one wanted to take their iPods apart to test their ideas iether. But I can understand that

tomdavies

Mar 22, 2004, 03:08 AM

BMW already have iDrive as the user interface of their cars. Apple should have sued :-)

The current interface is poor: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040315.html -- perhaps Apple could help with more than the audio?

Dahl

Mar 22, 2004, 04:04 AM

Good link, tomdavies.

A iPod player with a detachable inteface would be nice, not just for BMW's but all cars. :)

MCCFR

Mar 22, 2004, 06:02 AM

The sad thing being that BMW's use Windows Automotive for telematics and other things.

Still at least you'll be able to listen to music reliably, whilst your iDrive recovers from BSOD :D

peterjhill

Mar 22, 2004, 07:00 AM

I can almost guarantee that the BMW that we will see with an iPod dock will be the Mini. It makes sense. People who buy the Mini are people who would want an iPod. What I would like to see are some iPods that have Mini influenced designs. Racing stripes :-D

daRAT

Mar 22, 2004, 07:10 AM

The november issue of Car and Driver (I think, or Motor Trend), reviewed the new Ford GT 400, in the article they mentioned a high end "Macintosh" stereo system would be an option when the GT was due out (2005). I did a search for "Macintosh" car stereos, and got no hits.

orion123

Mar 22, 2004, 07:13 AM

fixyourthinking

Mar 22, 2004, 08:06 AM

The BMW plant here in Greenville SC recently got a special section of Apple dedicated to them to get price discounts:

http://store.apple.com/AppleStore/WebObjects/BEPPStore?qprm=125726

My next door neighbor is head of the IT department there - he's asked me several times about iBooks for his work there. BMW recently made a contract with me to "upgrade" to Macs/Powerbooks.

I asked him and he said he thought it's going to be "A 2 Mini Options" promotion. iPod mini inside a BMW mini :D

http://www.bmwusa.com/About/Manufacturing.htm

whooleytoo

Mar 22, 2004, 08:19 AM

"Moving pictures. Moving sound. Moving the industry"

A video iPod in a "moving" car? ;)

Vector

Mar 22, 2004, 08:29 AM

This is good news, but i wish they had just put a simple audio in port on the head unit in earlier cars. I have a 2002 325 and there is no good way to attatch my ipod without going to the back of the unit and having to cut a hole.

Swinny

Mar 22, 2004, 08:41 AM

... the added benefit of pre-dating Chris Bangle (http://www.petitiononline.com/STOPCB/petition.html)'s design influence...

Lets leave Mr. Bangle out of this...he got one design (http://www.imovie-user.com/swinny/coupe/PICT1035.jpg) very right indeed!

I've been hoping for the "in-built iPod slot" announcement for a while and makes a lot of sense to go for the high-end of the market...sounds very good to me.

Juventuz

Mar 22, 2004, 09:27 AM

They misspelled it. It's a high-end audio brand.

http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/

McIntosh makes some GREAT stuff, their designs aren't necessary my cup of tea but it's great stuff. Not to mention I live less than a mile from their labs.

ShermDog

Mar 22, 2004, 09:32 AM

BMW already has an auxillary audio input that they can install at the dealership. It's available on all BMW cars and Minis. This isn't iPod specific, but can be used with any portable device that uses a minijack. Here's a link (you can find it under the accessories section at bmwusa.com):

http://www.bmwusa.com/BMW2003/Templates/Vehicles/Series/Model/ModelAccessories.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fvehicles%2f3%2f325ciCoupe%2faccess%2ehtm%3fdNav_loc%3d_root%2ec3%2ec325cicoupe%2eac cess&NRNODEGUID=%7b1315CD28-36D6-477B-85C7-4AF70AD0C3BC%7d&NRCACHEHINT=Guest&dNav_loc=_root.c3.c325cicoupe.access

I have a feeling that they will simply add steering wheel control of the audio device, whether it be an iPod or any other portable audio device.

spencecb

Mar 22, 2004, 10:03 AM

This goes back to a post I had a while ago, and one that another has posted in this forum. I think it would be great if Apple and BMW teamed up...I just wish they would have done it before I bought my MINI this past May...an iPod mini in a MINI Cooper would be awesome. Somewhat like the New Beetle and New iPod promotion. Maybe the minis would be included in the MINI, and the larger capacity iPod's would be included in the BMW's...just a thought

Trimix

Mar 22, 2004, 10:55 AM

[QUOTE=mustang_dvs]So what?

My '87 635CSi (http://members.roadfly.org/mustang_dvs/SHARKD/sharkd_GWp.jpg) has iPod integration...

(...that I added on my own initiative.)

Nice car dude, good camera angle
Greetings :)

joemama

Mar 22, 2004, 11:04 AM

Question is what TYPE of interface for the iPod?

Really all that is needed is a Firewire-in port on the the headunit/dashboard and control buttons there too as well as on the steering wheel.

This would me simply AMAZING!

oh, and USB for those PC users...

Trimix

Mar 22, 2004, 11:13 AM

I feel that the comments regarding the suitability of the Mini are correct -
Mini and Apple, cult brands, - or how about the VW beetle ?
Anyhow whatever works for Apple is great - now there is a thought
Apple and the Yugo-fanclub :p

patrick0brien

Mar 22, 2004, 12:05 PM

This is what I've been waiting for!

wdlove

Mar 22, 2004, 12:47 PM

[QUOTE=ShermDog I have a feeling that they will simply add steering wheel control of the audio device, whether it be an iPod or any other portable audio device.[/QUOTE]

The steering wheel control device is a great feature. My wife has it on her Volvo S360.

Digital Hybrid

Mar 22, 2004, 01:01 PM

I wonder if the BMW's will come with one free iTMS song too :D

sethypoo

Mar 22, 2004, 01:36 PM

Apple seems to have their fingers in many pies.

Although, they sometimes get burned (McDonalds).

vpalvarez

Mar 22, 2004, 01:49 PM

To have factory ready in car intergration with iPods will be great. This means that iPod will become an even greater part of peoples lives, starting with seamless intergation with cars I can only imagine what's next.

jsw

Mar 22, 2004, 02:15 PM

The steering wheel control device is a great feature. My wife has it on her Volvo S360.

Does the S360 have controls that work on external devices, or just the more-standard volume/channel/input device selection buttons that are on a lot of cars these days?

I think the idea of controlling song selection from the steering wheel is great - bordering on necessary - but how would one propose doing it? Simply having a standard next-song/previous-song interface (like for the radio/CD)? Or something more exotic, likely necessitating more buttons and possibly a display?

Of course, it needs to work with the iPod, but no car manufacturer will make something that works only with the iPod.

MacFan25

Mar 22, 2004, 03:48 PM

I'm interested in how they will be integrating this into BMWs. Somehow integrating it into the steering wheel would be pretty cool.

I'm glad to hear Apple making deals with more companies also...

DaBuzz

Mar 22, 2004, 04:26 PM

BMW should take this a step further and have Apple work on their GUI for GPS, etc. I love my 2000 540i, but man the in-dash interface SUCKS.

sinisterdesign

Mar 22, 2004, 04:40 PM

i use my iPod in my '04 330Ci convertible, but i would love it to actually be INTEGRATED. i had to have BMW parts technician connect an input to the existing AUX IN in the rear of the head unit, run a wire into the glove compartment, run a wire out into the passenger area where i connect my iPod. it's a little kludgy, but the iPod DOES fit nicely into the ashtray right in front of the 6speed stick shift, so i can click >>| next pretty easily.

i used one of the radio transmitters (iRock) in my last convertible, but it couldn't pump out enough volume when the top was down & i hated that my already compressed MP3/AAC tracks were transmitted in FM quality. sounded like poop.

no idea how you could integrate the iPod's display into the BMW stereo, but i feel sure they would have a better understanding of that than me. even if the head unit could read the artist/track name & display it, that would be pretty sweet.

iJon

Mar 22, 2004, 04:43 PM

BMW should take this a step further and have Apple work on their GUI for GPS, etc. I love my 2000 540i, but man the in-dash interface SUCKS.
i really like the new interface in the new 04 7 series.

iJon

Vector

Mar 22, 2004, 04:44 PM

i use my iPod in my '04 330Ci convertible, but i would love it to actually be INTEGRATED. i had to have BMW parts technician connect an input to the existing AUX IN in the rear of the head unit, run a wire into the glove compartment, run a wire out into the passenger area where i connect my iPod. it's a little kludgy, but the iPod DOES fit nicely into the ashtray right in front of the 6speed stick shift, so i can click >>| next pretty easily.

So the only hole that was made was into the glove compartment? I wanted to do something similar, but i couldn't find a good way to get the connection from the back of the unit to the front without making an hole.

techmangonewild

Mar 22, 2004, 07:23 PM

They already have this adaptor that is available at the dealership for about $45 installed. Ask for the "Auxiliary Audio Input". You'll have a female connector inside the glove compartment and will need a male/male cable to connect to the iPod. You'll need to buy the male/male cable. I got a 4' cable from Monster Cable for about $10 with gold plated ends. Don't get one any longer than this, they are tough to manage in the car. Also, don't get one without gold plated ends. They make a scratching noise through the sound system when you move the iPod. Hope this helps someone out there...

Vector

Mar 22, 2004, 07:35 PM

sinisterdesign

Mar 22, 2004, 08:03 PM

So the only hole that was made was into the glove compartment? I wanted to do something similar, but i couldn't find a good way to get the connection from the back of the unit to the front without making an hole.

yeah, they cut a little hole into the side of the glove compartment interior to install a minijack jack. that way i just plug a mini jack "extension" cable into the jack and run it into my iPod. i would like to come up w/ a clean way of running that cable out of my glove compartment, but i'm leary of popping panels off the new car to run wires around!

Nugget

Mar 22, 2004, 08:16 PM

Joining the club, I did this to my car (http://nugget.livejournal.com/70494.html) too. I sure wouldn't mind it being a factory option in the future, though.

Day Tripper

Mar 22, 2004, 09:09 PM

Check out the ice<link. You can find it at http://www.densionusa.com

Tailwind

Mar 23, 2004, 12:15 PM

ICE-Link for iPod and BMW, Mini (among others)

http://www.drbott.com/prod/db.lasso?Code=5173-IBMW
http://icelink.densionusa.com/
http://www.motoringfile.com/2004/02/09/dension_ice-link_review

Yes, a BMW-Apple promo would be clever for both.

Too bad the Bangle BMWs are so ugly and soulless. (Kind of like the Amelio years for Apple...)