Apple Developing Car Navigation System?

[MacRumors]

German Magazine Focus is reporting (Google translation) that Apple is working on car navigation and sound systems. Apple is said to be working for an introduction in 2009, working with Mercedes exclusively for 6 months.

The system is reported to include "maintenance, communication, and navigation," similar to devices already on the market.

Focus is a popular German magazine, though its track record in Apple rumors remains unproven.

[P-Worm]

I can't really think of what Apple would bring to this market. Sure, you could make the thing more iPod like, but would that really matter?

P-Worm

edit: On second thought. All of those GPS navigation devices have the ugliest and hardest to use GUIs imaginable. I guess that's what Apple could bring.

[IEatApples]

I'd say it's an obvious "next step" for the iPhone.

[matthewHUB]

great... so you have to fork out $80,000 on a car just to get the apple features. i don't mind AT&T having exclusive rights to a service/feature, but i think it's unfair to let a top dollar brand have exclusive use. Would be better for Apple's sake to introduce their super-user-friendly GUI to a more consumer and wide base of clients.

just my $0.02US

[bigandy]

i can't wait, a car driven and controlled using a click wheel, and nothing else

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

It must be run by Mac OS X 'lite' like the iPhone, if this is the case..

But I see this as a car-mediacenter, instead of a GPS-thingy. Transfer music to your car, like having a built-in iPod, but with included GPS. Would be nifty. But how to transfer music, well... Over Wifi prehaps, or by using a laptop? O_o

Maybe it could automatically find free parking-lots/houses via the internet, or the closest gas-station/restaurant, etc..

But it certainly doesnt sound appleish.

[mk14]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

Focus's reliability is completely untested, therefore we hesitate to place too much stock in this rumor at this time.

Focus is a reliable German news magazine, though I don't know anything about its reliability regarding Apple rumors...

[hdasmith]

I'm calling BS. I've a Garmin Nüvi 300 and it's great. Touch screen everywhere (fewer hard buttons than the iPhone). To navigate a map, I simply press on it and move my finger around. How's Apple going to improve on that? IF they were to bring in GPS, I would expect it to be in a future iPhone, but doubt Apple are really interested in the market.

[voncheech]

makes sense, a computer for your car. who else would you want to make it.?
you will have one at home, you will have one in your pocket, so next step is the car. the iphone can bring it internet and it can bring the iphone a bigger screen, gps and a seemless sound system... sync between all three, never lost info... i just hope it is touch screen and has a itunes interface instead of the ipod interface.

p.s.
why would apple port safari to the pc, when there is no money involved..?
i bet it is too help open up the itunes music store as a webpage...
bring in buyers that don't want a ipod.......

[MrSmith]

Originally Posted by voncheech

makes sense, a computer for your car...

A very expensive backup drive on wheels? (Pun intended.)

[talktozachary]

I thought about this a couple of months ago. All of these luxury car companies are moving towards instrument panels that are more like computers, complete with touch screen UIs or selector-knob pointing devices (MB has one, BMW has iDrive, Audi has MMI). It seems like it would be possible for Apple to make a vastly better, universal system. This technology would eventually trickle down into lower priced models, giving Apple a large share of the in-car computer market.

However, I think it would be extremely difficult to maintain a universal system across the board for each car brand, as each brand would develop different technology to differenciate themselves.

Anyway, it is an interesting idea.

[mrkramer]

Originally Posted by voncheech

p.s.
why would apple port safari to the pc, when there is no money involved..?
i bet it is too help open up the itunes music store as a webpage...
bring in buyers that don't want a ipod.......

It is probably for developers to test iPhone apps if they don't use a Mac, but that is off topic for this thread, on the OP, I don't see any reason for this, the current ones work fine, and I dont see what Apple would bring that is needed.

[TheSilencer]

Hm, why no one noticed my post about this?!
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=315547

Well, think about it... If they include Google Maps this would bring car navigation to a new level! You do not need a huge mapfile on a internal storage, all comes over the air via - for sure - 3G + HSDPA or 4G, whatever.

OK, Apple didn´t say something about this. The information was leaked by Mercedes, maybe a internal roadmap found it´s way out.

[raggedjimmi]

This sounds entirely possible. I've got a TomTom Go910 with a 20gb HDD inside. If Apple do the same and stick an iPod in there, iPhone integration (send contacts across, BT hands free (though this is already in the 910)). Would be quite useful.

Though the 910 is basically full of every feature under the sun, even an MP3 player, an Apple interface and slimmer design would go a long way.

I believe it. In a strange leaping before I look sort of way.

[walangij]

Originally Posted by hdasmith

I'm calling BS. I've a Garmin Nüvi 300 and it's great. Touch screen everywhere (fewer hard buttons than the iPhone). To navigate a map, I simply press on it and move my finger around. How's Apple going to improve on that? IF they were to bring in GPS, I would expect it to be in a future iPhone, but doubt Apple are really interested in the market.

I wholeheartedly agree on this one, the current navigation systems are quite nice, but Apple could possible make money if they were the sole proprietor to high end car companies (which I will venture to say would be more likely to drop the extra cash for an option like this). I'm sure that many here would spend money for this option on other not so high end cars, but seriously, for those who don't use Navi yet won't want to buy one just b/c its from Apple.

I don't see how Apple could develop a system that can be used from car to car that would be better than whats currently out and what will soon come to the market. But lots of work can be done to improve the UI on systems like the iDrive and MB's system.

[puckhead193]

well if this rumor is true, which i doubt this will be one product i will not want/have cause i hate 'benz

[Kazr]

I can't see the logic if this rumour turns out to be true. I think there are plenty of things for Apple to do in their core business areas without branching into yet another sector.

Hopefully they're not planning on spreading themselves too thinnly.... But hey, what do I know?

[Turkish]

Not in a million years.

[kuebby]

Originally Posted by Turkish

Not in a million years.

That was my first thought too but most GPS systems now are not easy to use and could really use the Apple touch.

Or this may end up just being some sort of iPhone plug in. Think about it, Mercedes puts an iPhone dock in the dashboard that allows you use to use it as a GPS. It also routes your call audio into the car's speaker system, as well as playing your music. And if you have TVs in the car the iPhone video will play on them.

[dashiel]

Originally Posted by kuebby

That was my first thought too but most GPS systems now are not easy to use and could really use the Apple touch.

Or this may end up just being some sort of iPhone plug in. Think about it, Mercedes puts an iPhone dock in the dashboard that allows you use to use it as a GPS. It also routes your call audio into the car's speaker system, as well as playing your music. And if you have TVs in the car the iPhone video will play on them.

very true. japanese cars have fantastic GPS/nav systems; the acura, the infiniti, the lexus and even the toyota are all top notch, been very impressed with them.

up next would be american cars (chrysler), nowhere near as good as the japanese ones, but i'd give them a B-.

the euro's though are atrocious, at least the german ones. BMW's is only slightly better than not having a GPS, ditto mercedes. just complete junk. i got it for my fiancee because she gets lost easily and fell for the form over function -- everyone told me to buy the garmin, but i wanted it integrated... could have saved $1500 and had a much better system if not for my aesthetic requirements.

do take this with a grain of salt though, apple were rumored to be doing the same for BMW 12-18 months ago.

[twoodcc]

this would be nice.....but it's hard to believe. only time will tell

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by hdasmith

I'm calling BS. I've a Garmin Nüvi 300 and it's great. Touch screen everywhere (fewer hard buttons than the iPhone). To navigate a map, I simply press on it and move my finger around. How's Apple going to improve on that? IF they were to bring in GPS, I would expect it to be in a future iPhone, but doubt Apple are really interested in the market.

I'm looking at a GPS system from Pioneer (AVIC-D3) myself. I think your Nuvi is nice but it's pretty tiny (3.5: diagonal screen). I want a 6.5" screen minimum for my double DIN opening. I want touchscreen, DVD playback, and the ability to add a rear camera. Looking at the current market I see a lot of potential

Originally Posted by Turkish

Not in a million years.

People said that when the idea of Apple making a phone started cropping up.


Ok...since creativity and imagination are thus far missing in this thread here are some things that Apple could do with a GPS system.

1. Multi touch displays- The hardest thing about GPS systems is inputting data. Multi touch should make it easy to zoom into data or do address location input quickly and efficiently.

2. iTunes support. There's no need for me to bring DVDs along if I can playback my iTunes video content. Ditto for CDs and photographs.

3. Web access- A full Webkit runs on the iPhone. The car should be net enabled as well IMO. I should be able to do just about everything a laptop can do right in the deck. Touch and text input should suffice. With 3G, WiMax and eventually 4G coming the idea is to stop thinking about just GPS and start thinking about car communcation systems.

4. Wireless access- put 802.11n into the deck so that if someone wants to run a LCD to the back all they need do is purchase and LCD with 11n support . Thus there are no wires to run and you can add as many LCDs as bandwith allows. Imagine simply beaming music or photos or movies to dual LCD in the back of the car where each child/person has access to what they want.

5. Camera- give me a wireless camera as well that easy attaches to the back of the car and links to the deck so that when I backup the video automatically pops on the screen.

6. Voice Input...in addition to connecting my phone via voice input let me input voice commands as well to my Carputer to speak or navigate the UI.

7. Bonjour - using the Wide Area Bonjour technology for access your home computer files or delivering services. Great stuff

Apple brings some great technologies to the table.

Quicktime- for managing audio and video
Core Animation- for developing a great interface
Webkit- for excellent web rendering
Quartz for beautiful graphics
Bonjour for networking
iPhone for computing on the go

I think in the future of Broadband many people will just have one account and that account will follow them everywhere. It'll be in there phones, it'll be in their laptops and it'll be in their automobiles. Access to data is paramount. It's not just about GPS, it's about staying connected and being efficient. My job requires that I travel over 30 thousand miles a year on the road. When you're driving for 3 hour not only do you want to know how to get there but you're also succinctly aware that you're "out of the loop" regarding other clients. I don't want the connection to information to be broken so I'm willing to spend a bit extra for features that maintain the connections I need.

YMMV but there is indeed a lot of room GPS and more.

[Turkish]

People said that when the idea of Apple making a phone started cropping up.

Not really.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by Turkish

Not really.

How would you know? You're not the Intarweb God. :P

Stuff like this was popular back in the day

http://simonwoodside.com/weblog/2004/11/29

The smartphone business is already full of excellent products. Nokia is almost exactly like apple and has the same corporate character and sensibilities. apple can't compete against nokia. Nor can they compete against Sony-Ericsson, who make very pretty phones as well.
apple has no experience with making cell phone radios, and it's not trivial
cell phones are going to eat MP3 players anyway, but it's going to take some time, maybe a few years.

You have dig deep since there's so much new iPhone coverage but a couple of years ago the mere mention of Apple and Phone together was met with "they can't beat Nokia, they cant beat Treo, they can't Sony-Ericsson" etc

Right now GPS systems are ok UI wise but they could be a lot better IMO. Plus we really are going see cars become net enabled. That's a fact....jack

[CRAZYBUBBA]

Originally Posted by Turkish

Not really.

Yes really