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Ford has promised to bring CarPlay to its vehicles and is listed as one of Apple's CarPlay partners, but Ford executives say the company will also focus on compatibility with Android and its own Ford SYNC in-car infotainment system to give consumers as much choice as possible. In an interview with Re/code, Ford CTO Raj Nair explained that the company doesn't want people making car choices based on their smartphones.
CTO Raj Nair said part of the reason behind that is ensuring that car buyers have choice. "We want to make sure you are not pushed into a decision on a $40,000 car based on your $200 smartphone," Nair said.

Ford, like the other car makers, also sees its infotainment system, known as SYNC, as a key selling point. "The data shows SYNC has been a significant draw in the showroom," Nair said.
Ford's focus is on SYNC, but the company says that it is planning to support Android Auto and CarPlay and will look to integrate SYNC more closely with both systems. According to Nair, a customer who wants to use Google Maps but listen to Sirius radio using SYNC will be able to do so.

Despite not wanting to hand over control of its in-car infotainment systems to Apple and Google, Ford is eager to embrace new technology. At the meeting with Re/code, Nair was wearing an Apple Watch sporting one of the apps that the Ford team built in a week. A MyFord Mobile research app that links the PHEV Fusion Energi, C-MAX Energi, and Focus BEV cars to the Apple Watch was shown off on Twitter earlier today.

fordapplewatch.jpg
Image via Said Deep, Head of Ford North America Product Communications
Ford's upcoming SYNC 3 system is set to debut this summer with support for both CarPlay and Android Auto. Following the launch of the new system, Ford should be releasing vehicles with CarPlay support by the end of 2015.

Article Link: Ford Working With Apple on CarPlay, But Won't Give Up Control of the Dashboard
 

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
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I think that remote starting from your watch would be a cool app.

Proximity awareness to unlock doors would be another.

Maybe even a locate my car feature.

Put these in the watch app.
 
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happydude

macrumors 65816
Sep 2, 2006
1,196
794
a gasping dying planet
great. i love my ford cars, but HATE sync. it's nothing but a buggy, worthless "infotainment" system. i hope, but am doubtful, sync 3 will be backward compatible with previous generation cars?

besides that, i think it's smart of ford to try to integrate as much as possible across carplay, android whatever, and sync. the $40K car vs. $200 phone is a good point, i just hope they do it well. anxious to see what their results are.
 

lowercaseperson

macrumors 6502
Oct 5, 2006
294
87
Forgive my ignorance - but do the "Range 20 EV mi" and "Battery 80%" graphics indicate that at an 80% charge the car has a range of 20 mi? :confused: Seems really low.
 

DTphonehome

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2003
1,914
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Are they really this clueless? Sync is abysmal (and I've owned multiple fords). The sooner they "give up control" the better. Apple and Google are infinitely more competent at building user interfaces.
 

camnchar

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2006
434
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"We want to make sure you are not pushed into a decision on a $40,000 car based on your $200 smartphone," Nair said.

Yes. I hope that in-dash infotainment systems will be platform-agnostic in the future.
 

glhaynes

macrumors member
Jun 14, 2012
57
43
As a potential customer, I'd have been much more interested in hearing him say "we're giving over the design to Apple."
 

Yojimbo007

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2012
692
574
Dont give it up Ford... Allow the option for your customers.
My next car will have carplay.. Thats how important it is to me !
 

KdParker

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Oct 1, 2010
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Everywhere
Are they really this clueless? Sync is abysmal (and I've owned multiple fords). The sooner they "give up control" the better. Apple and Google are infinitely more competent at building user interfaces.

Weather it is clueless or not, SYNC has brand recognition and I can see them not wanting give the dashboard to google or Apple.
 

detayls

macrumors member
Mar 5, 2010
40
30
You better believe I will choose a car that fits my Cell phone.

I use my iPhone all day and a crappy Sync interface moved me from Ford to Toyota a year ago.
 

Luman

macrumors newbie
Feb 8, 2010
26
0
In a nutshell, all they had to do was build the new version of Sync on top of Blackberry's QNX OS/platform. Then it wouldn't matter if you were running Android, iOS, something else, or didn't have a smartphone at all, it'd just work. From the sound of it, Ford is over complicating something that should be a no-brainer.

/facepalm
 

ayala421

macrumors regular
Sep 21, 2010
122
11
You better believe I will choose a car that fits my Cell phone.

I use my iPhone all day and a crappy Sync interface moved me from Ford to Toyota a year ago.

Thinking about trading my F150 to a Tundra myself...if it has car play of course.:apple:
 

KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
You better believe I will choose a car that fits my Cell phone.

I use my iPhone all day and a crappy Sync interface moved me from Ford to Toyota a year ago.

So you would let a $800 phone dictate what $30k - $50k+ car you purchase?

If I like the car then Hands free and a way to doc would be good enough for me.
 

dtemp

macrumors member
Feb 19, 2008
49
24
I definitely agree that my next car should be available with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Competition and choice is good people! You wouldn't want your dream car to be Android-only.
 
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