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Apple's CarPlay Requires 'Relatively Light' Integration for Third-Party App Partners

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple announced CarPlay earlier this week at the Geneva Auto Show, bringing Siri-powered messaging, voice calling and streaming music to the car dashboard. Brian Lakamp, president of Digital for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, talked with Michael Grothaus of Fast Company about iHeartRadio's experience as an early adopter of Apple's new in-car technology.

iHeartRadio is an internet radio service that pulls music programming from 800 Clear Channel radio stations across the US along with other sources. It was one of only four streaming music products that Apple selected as a launch partner for its CarPlay service.
"Apple is pretty selective about how they disclose information," says Lakamp. "Apple made us aware of the opportunity. We were enthusiastic to participate and then worked closely with them to build the demo that they just demoed in Geneva."
Click to expand...
iHeartRadio, along with the other launch partners, had early access to Apple's private CarPlay API. Lakamp didn't provide a timeframe for how long it took the company to add CarPlay integration to its app, but did confirm the process was "fairly quick." He also noted that it could add CarPlay to its existing iOS app without having to create a new app dedicated to the Apple technology.
"The way that Apple constructed this is a relatively thin layer that we need to build to copy existing apps that move some of the control and command structure to the console," Lakamp says. "Then the console simply acts as a remote control to your app. It was a relatively light integration." [...]

"Apple provided twin lanes for the UI and a framework for the UI to operate within, and so made that part of it relatively easy as well. It's a relatively straightforward directory structure and a player structure that has a limited set of controls, or limited set of things you can do. They've got a consistency of feel on the platform, as you might expect from Apple, and a simplicity around how you browse through a menu of choices," says Lakamp.
Click to expand...
Clear Channel, which owns and operates terrestrial AM and FM media stations, is not afraid of the competition presented by Apple, even if CarPlay does provide "a simple, clean, elegant approach" to connecting an iPhone to an automobile. These new technologies are "additive, and they've extended the opportunity."

Apple's CarPlay initiative is supported by several major automobile manufacturers, including Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai and others. It will debut in select 2014 models and will work with any iOS device that has a Lightning port, including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5.

Article Link: Apple's CarPlay Requires 'Relatively Light' Integration for Third-Party App Partners
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/06/apple-carplay-iheartradio/
M

madsci954

macrumors 68030
Oct 14, 2011
2,725
658
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I'm more excited about this:

http://9to5mac.com/2014/03/06/mercedes-benz-working-on-aftermarket-carplay-installations-for-older-vehicles/
 
D

dansix

macrumors member
Apr 17, 2012
84
2
Another great idea with mediocre execution. Carplay should be 99% Siri and the display only secondary as a UI for navigation, A/C, etc. Better yet, integrate the display into the windshield so that when you're navigating, you don't even have to take your eyes off the road. You could also have the windshield/display identify pedestrians or collisions. Apple - just hire me.
 
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AngerDanger

AngerDanger

Graphics
Staff member
Dec 9, 2008
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Just wait until Rovio gains access to this API and we can play Angry Birds Go while driving.
 
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T-Will

T-Will

macrumors 65816
Sep 8, 2008
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Good to know it's relatively easy to add CarPlay functionality to apps. But I'm more interested to hear about aftermarket receiver support. Since CarPlay sits on top of QNX, does this mean any aftermarket receiver that runs QNX could easily integrate CarPlay?
 
J

jake0112

macrumors newbie
May 29, 2012
24
0
I'll assume Apple will set strict guidelines on approving apps which utilise the API; just to prevent a heap of 'flappy car' apps distracting us while driving.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
Do the "twin UI lanes" refer to resistive vs. capacitative interfaces? The former being old and unpleasant but still ubiquitous (Ferrari!) and the latter being modern and feeling more iOS-like.

Designing CarPlay interaction somewhat separately for both cases and acknowledging the difference (including things as basic as scrolling) seems like the right approach if that's what they're doing. A necessary evil that gets the best experience into both types of vehicle system?

Forking it into more than two directions would just be an ugly compromise. I hope the car makers don't get Apple to go that far.
 
P

petsounds

macrumors 65816
Jun 30, 2007
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Breaking your NDA with Apple by revealing technical details of a system that hasn't even been released yet is probably not a smart thing to do. Tim is a lot more lenient than Steve, but I can't see him being happy about this.
 
R

Ralf The Dog

macrumors regular
May 1, 2008
192
0
Radio said:
I can see the headlines now

Distracted driver mows down family while playing with CarPlay
Click to expand...

Manny elements of a car are distracting to drivers. This is why Congress is trying to pass a law making the speedometer only work when the car is not moving.

"When you are driving, look at the road, not the dashboard."
 
A

avanpelt

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,956
3,877
MacRumors said:
Clear Channel, which owns and operates terrestrial AM and FM media stations, is not afraid of the competition presented by Apple, even if CarPlay does provide "a simple, clean, elegant approach" to connecting an iPhone to an automobile. These new technologies are "additive, and they've extended the opportunity."
Click to expand...

Why would Clear Channel be afraid of Apple? The Clear Channel app is one of the few that will compatible with CarPlay at launch, right? Thus Clear Channel's advertising will be able to reach a much wider audience thanks to having easy access to their app right from the dash of Mercedes, Volvos, Ferraris, and more around the country. Seems like a win for Clear Channel's advertising department.
 
osofast240sx

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,539
16
Radio said:
I can see the headlines now

Distracted driver mows down family while playing with CarPlay
Click to expand...
I gess you do not have a car with a premium infotainment system. If you had you would understand how much of a distraction already exist. CarPlay will actually have the opposite effect.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,124
31,156
Radio said:
I do

And it's a distraction

How is this not a distraction?!

Get real
Click to expand...

Who's fault is that? If people don't have enough brains to focus on driving it's not Apple or the automakers fault.
 
bpcookson

bpcookson

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2012
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I'll be looking forward to cool apps that harness the iPhone's gyroscope to do wonky things with your audio. :D
 
mdelvecchio

mdelvecchio

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Sep 3, 2010
3,151
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petsounds said:
Breaking your NDA with Apple by revealing technical details of a system that hasn't even been released yet is probably not a smart thing to do. Tim is a lot more lenient than Steve, but I can't see him being happy about this.
Click to expand...

ah so youre an attorney for them and have read the NDA youre talking about? or....no, not at all, actually.
 
B

Born Again

Suspended
May 12, 2011
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Norcal
Rogifan said:
Who's fault is that? If people don't have enough brains to focus on driving it's not Apple or the automakers fault.
Click to expand...

What world are u living in ?!

Apple may be simplifying the distractions but they are distractions

Lipstick on a pig is still a pig.

Apple is the lipstick
 
X

xVeinx

macrumors 6502
Oct 9, 2006
361
0
California
Do we really know enough to assume that Siri isn't playing a big part? The demo didn't focus on it, but I have to assume that the interface can be navigated by voice as well.
 
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