Apple and BMW?

so, this seems very very proprietary. Anybody think we'll see a solution for the rest of us anytime soon?

If so, how would it work?

Even if it is proprietary, it suggests that:

a) BMW sees the iPod and the AAC format as trendsetting and the way to go for getting (non-CD) digital music into cars; and

b) Apple is at least talking with car companies to extend the reach of the iPod. And frankly, BMW is a great company to start this with -- there is probably a good synergy between the BMW target consumer profile (and brand image) and that of the iPod.

jesuscandle said:

so, this seems very very proprietary. Anybody think we'll see a solution for the rest of us anytime soon?

If so, how would it work?

Click to expand...

Wasn’t there something with the new VW Bugs a couple of years ago?

Anybody out there have one? If so, how did it work?

nsb3000 said:

Wasn’t there something with the new VW Bugs a couple of years ago?

Anybody out there have one? If so, how did it work?

Click to expand...

You could get a free iPod if you bought a beetle, but there was no interface.

While the iPod is a great product, just building interfaces so you can use the iPod any ware (ie, in your BMW with this product, in your living room with airtunes...) is not necessary the best solution. Apple really should build some other audio players, such as a living room system and a special car audio system that build off of the great interface of the iPod while building new features that would be possible with these new form factors. Imagine if your car synched wireless with your computer every time you pulled into your driveway, for example...the possibilities are endless.

montecristo said:

Even if it is proprietary, it suggests that:

a) BMW sees the iPod and the AAC format as trendsetting and the way to go for getting (non-CD) digital music into cars; and

b) Apple is at least talking with car companies to extend the reach of the iPod. And frankly, BMW is a great company to start this with -- there is probably a good synergy between the BMW target consumer profile (and brand image) and that of the iPod.

Click to expand...

Agreed on both points. That said, I think there are plenty of honda civic drivers and VW Passat drivers and, heck, even KIA drivers out there who have ipods.

I'd easily buy a BMW if it came with a new iPod interface or iTunes Satellite edition!!

I wonder if they [apple] chose bmw because they claim to be the bmw of the computer industry (< 5% market share). They better also work out deal with other car manufacturers ... steve did say we are working with "several" folks on that.

alpine said they are working on a after market car stereo to do the samething. I usually upgrade my car stereo anyways.

nsb3000 said:

Wasn’t there something with the new VW Bugs a couple of years ago?

Anybody out there have one? If so, how did it work?

Click to expand...

The VW bug solution was just the lame cassette interface. So the VW owner had to have a cable hanging out of their cigarette lighter and their cassette player just to use the iPod.

I'm supirsed Apple has not worked with makers of in-dash car cd players. All the iPods that support the Apple dock could be slid into the dash horizontally just like cd and then the screen and interface on the dash would take over. That would not be too difficult, would it?

Would it use a dock? Like a dock to play the music etc through to the speakers? Oh, and what about an AP card to sync wirelessly?

works in almost every car

http://www.densionusa.com/x/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=79

- Doc

If this will come true, my first car will be a BMW...

AndrewMT said:

The VW bug solution was just the lame cassette interface. So the VW owner had to have a cable hanging out of their cigarette lighter and their cassette player just to use the iPod.

I'm supirsed Apple has not worked with makers of in-dash car cd players. All the iPods that support the Apple dock could be slid into the dash horizontally just like cd and then the screen and interface on the dash would take over. That would not be too difficult, would it?

Click to expand...

You wouldn't think it would be too tough, I mean pull out the CD drive and you have a ton of open space to shove an ipod in there... I think something with a flip down face would be pretty cool, so you can hide the iPod behind it. As long as the deck itself looks good.

Very cool - two quality companies joining forces! Although this may indeed only tailor to a niche market (i.e. only people who buy BMWs) it's still good to see regardless - it could be the start of something big if other car compnies take notice and want to jump on board as well.

jesuscandle said:

so, this seems very very proprietary. Anybody think we'll see a solution for the rest of us anytime soon?

Click to expand...

Ironic use of those words, "for the rest of us." Remember how Apple used to be "the computer for the rest of us?" I guess nowadays "the rest of us" means "those of us left over after you filter out all the po' folks." Not that the slogan ever had anything to do with financial resources. I guess I'm just growing a little disappointed by Apple's growing "upscale" image. But I digress.

If Apple really wanted to get iPods into more cars, they'd stop pandering to the 2-3% (just guessing, based on approximately 6% of US automotive market share devoted to ALL European imports, according to Edmunds) of drivers who own BMWs and develop a standard car-stereo sized interface akin to, say a cassette deck. Slide your iPod in, use faceplate controls as you would a CD player. Just a thought.

Edit: Oops, davecuse beat me to the punch.

nsb3000 said:

Apple really should build some other audio players, such as a living room system and a special car audio system that build off of the great interface of the iPod while building new features that would be possible with these new form factors. Imagine if your car synched wireless with your computer every time you pulled into your driveway, for example...the possibilities are endless.

Click to expand...

That's a cool idea, but it would entail purchasing both a device for the car and a device for personal use. Using the iPod as the basis of the car system means you only have to buy (and sync) one device.

ipod/bmw

Perhaps this is a synergistic tie-in?
control your ipod via your bmw, plumb the bmw's radiator fan and water cooling pipes into your ipod to liquid cool the updated ipods G5 processor?

Macrumors said:

Appleinsider provides some more information that Apple and BMW may be partnering to allow new BMW owners to interface with their iPods.

The integration is said to allow the iPod to connect to the BMW, allowing drivers to control the iPod, view playlists and charge the iPod.

A partnership between BMW and Apple was first reported in March 2004.

Click to expand...

Interesting since BWM's iDrive is widely panned as the worst human/auto interface ever, which is no surprise as it is a MS Windows CE application. iDrive Press

Not content to create lousy interfaces for the home, Microsoft now takes it on the road...let's see:

Trapping people in cars

One pan

Another pan, and a really interesting article about Jef Raskin (he of Mac interface creation) and iDrive

Hopefully, this will lead BMW to work with Apple on the next version of the iDrive interface.
Cheers,
hughdogg

must be nice

carletonmusic said:

I'd easily buy a BMW if it came with a new iPod interface or iTunes Satellite edition!!

Click to expand...

Damn I need a new job.
It must be nice to be able to afford a BMW. I'm still saving my pennies for my G5 3.0GHz. Thanks to someone, I have more time still wish they were here now though.

Other than charging, why have a proprietary interface to begin with? Why haven't car makers ever bothered to add a simple input jack that you could plug anything into?

hughdogg said:

Interesting since BWM's iDrive is widely panned as the worst human/auto interface ever, which is no surprise as it is a MS Windows CE application.

Hopefully, this will lead BMW to work with Apple on the next version of the iDrive interface.
Cheers,
hughdogg

Click to expand...

The iDrive system is horrible to use. When i bought my 3 series i was looking into getting the navigation and everything, but it was more aggravating than helpful.

Hopefully this will happen. I have been longing to connect my ipod to my car, but i dont like any of the options except for the icelink and it isn't that great because of the mounting and cable routing that has to be done.

This could be a nice excuse to trade my car in.

Spades said:

Other than charging, why have a proprietary interface to begin with? Why haven't car makers ever bothered to add a simple input jack that you could plug anything into?

Click to expand...

BMW has this already--you can buy an adapter that basically adds a line-in jack using a standard miniplug. So it's not like you can't use your ipod fairly easily.

What would make it better is three things.

1) A cable connector that plugs into the FW port on the ipod (like the dock connector) and has line out and power in for charging.
2) integration with the buttons on the steering wheel to control track forward and back
3) integration with the radio display to scroll the name of the song.

1 is really easy, and can already be done by splicing cables, but a neater solution would be better. Surely 2 and 3 aren't too complex, and require some sort of software interface.

BMW and iPod

Le Big Mac said:

BMW has this already--you can buy an adapter that basically adds a line-in jack using a standard miniplug. So it's not like you can't use your ipod fairly easily.

What would make it better is three things.

1) A cable connector that plugs into the FW port on the ipod (like the dock connector) and has line out and power in for charging.
2) integration with the buttons on the steering wheel to control track forward and back
3) integration with the radio display to scroll the name of the song.

1 is really easy, and can already be done by splicing cables, but a neater solution would be better. Surely 2 and 3 aren't too complex, and require some sort of software interface.

Click to expand...

BMW will hopefully build an iPod dock or a cable port
for direct interfacing with the iPod...

most of the mac people i know drive vw's and the others wouldn't be caught dead in a bmw. at least my designer friends.