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Apple Announces iPod Airplane Integration

Well, this is pretty cool.

Is there going to be some downside to this, like a fee or (worse) ads? (Much worse, if the ads can't be skipped or easily ignored.)

Well, a fee isn't really that bad, come to think of it. I mean, it's got to be paid for, whether directly or through the price of the ticket or ad revenue.

This is a really nice passenger perk.
 
I agree that's a great idea. Apple once again on the forefront of thinking great things.
My concern comes when an inividual brings a x-rated(porn) content on their iPods and choose to see on the seat screens. That will cause a furor!:eek:
 
iSee said:
Well, this is pretty cool.

Is there going to be some downside to this, like a fee or (worse) ads? (Much worse, if the ads can't be skipped or easily ignored.)
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I think the integration could be used as enticement for customers to use a particular airline over another. It doesn't matter if everyone eventually adopts the technology, as you've built up a reputation and some customers.

Ads or a fee aren't needed as your attracting more revenue, ads and additional fees would be more likely to push people away.

autrefois said:
Sounds great to me! Did anyone here anything about Zune intergration in planes? I didn't think so. :p
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I'm sure Microsoft could pay the airlines enough to install it at no cost just to push their brand.
 
This is yet another one of those things that makes you think: damn, the iPod is huge.
 
And here people were hoping something would come along and topple the iPod. I had to check the Zune out for myself, it's basically dull-finished 1st Gen iPod clone. And now with iPod friendly skies, the bastardized iTurd will have very rough waters venture through. Go Apple. :D
 
adzoox said:
Not legally ... Apple owns the patent to the iPod dock connector. Any commercial or retail use is strictly against Apple patents. Developers pay a small percentage to Apple for every product sold that uses the iPod dock connector. While it has been hacked and many home brew adapter guides have been on the internet, these items are also not for sale. So, I doubt we WILL see such an adapter.
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Of course, what you're implying, but not saying explicitly, is that Apple would never license the dock connector to a product that would be an adaptor to Zune. I'm not so sure that's true. Look at it this way, what's the best way for Apple to make sure that companies don't go putting Zune connectors in their cars and on their airplanes? Allow there to be a way to connect a Zune to an iPod dock connector. It's very magnanimous of Apple, but it means that Zune users will have one more bit of inconvenience compared to iPod users.

So, I stand by what I said. I believe it will happen... legally.
 
This is great news for Apple and for iPod-owning travelers. I can't for the life of me imagine why 5% of people who voted determined this news to be negative, but I often have this problem with the polling system. :rolleyes: Anything that entrenches the iPod for the consumer and the marketplace will only be good for Apple and its product line. One could argue that market domination might preclude innovation, but I don't see that being the case with Apple so much as it is with Microsoft and Dell. The iPod is well on its way to becoming ubiquitous (sp?) -- which will mean greater access to media for us iPod owners.
 
Snowy_River said:
Of course, what you're implying, but not saying explicitly, is that Apple would never license the dock connector to a product that would be an adaptor to Zune. I'm not so sure that's true. Look at it this way, what's the best way for Apple to make sure that companies don't go putting Zune connectors in their cars and on their airplanes? Allow there to be a way to connect a Zune to an iPod dock connector. It's very magnanimous of Apple, but it means that Zune users will have one more bit of inconvenience compared to iPod users.

So, I stand by what I said. I believe it will happen... legally.
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Good point (truly) ... but I stand by what I said too. I think if your scenario wwas true then we would see Creative Zen adapters or SanDisk Snasa adapters on the market - at least they have proven marketshare against the iPod. Still ... it will be interesting to see how this will pan out.

What i wonder is if the Wifi the Zune uses for file transfers will be banned on planes. If it's not, then i want to be able to use Wifi for any device on a plane.
 
I am sure there will be adapters that would convert normal RCA connectors to an ipod dock connector, then you could connect any mp3 player (zune) to the airlines ipod system. But still, more of an inconvenience to a Zune user :)
 
Cool, but....

This is pretty sweet, and a good deal for apple, but i'd rather see airlines spend the money on putting standard outlets at each seat. Then i can charge my Macbook Pro, iPod, cellphone, camcorder or bring along a big firewire drive to get a start on my video editing with, ect. From the airlines point of view, i think it makes more sense to install something that most passengers would find useful instead of something that only Apple users find useful.

If this does happen tho, good for apple.
 
Maccus Aurelius said:
And here people were hoping something would come along and topple the iPod. I had to check the Zune out for myself, it's basically dull-finished 1st Gen iPod clone. And now with iPod friendly skies, the bastardized iTurd will have very rough waters venture through. Go Apple. :D
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Wouldn't that be a mTurd? :D
 
chabig said:
United is the ONLY airline that does this.
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No they're not. I've listened to ATC transmissions on Delta and Alaska Air too... Then again, it's been a few years since I've flown anyone other than United, Southwest and Frontier and of those three, United is the only doing it.
 
OK, now that we'll have iPod integration on flights from major airlines... And there's talk of broadband access in-flight at some point in the near future. Hmmm... I can see it now. Steve's plan is to have the iPod integration in place so that the next time I'm on a 14 hour flight, I have nothing to do but play with my iPod and shop the iTunes store. ...World domination, one small step at a time.
 
AppliedVisual said:
OK, now that we'll have iPod integration on flights from major airlines... And there's talk of broadband access in-flight at some point in the near future. Hmmm... I can see it now. Steve's plan is to have the iPod integration in place so that the next time I'm on a 14 hour flight, I have nothing to do but play with my iPod and shop the iTunes store. ...World domination, one small step at a time.
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Buying a movie or music while in-flight would be very cool!
 
adzoox said:
Good point (truly) ... but I stand by what I said too. I think if your scenario wwas true then we would see Creative Zen adapters or SanDisk Snasa adapters on the market - at least they have proven marketshare against the iPod. Still ... it will be interesting to see how this will pan out.

What i wonder is if the Wifi the Zune uses for file transfers will be banned on planes. If it's not, then i want to be able to use Wifi for any device on a plane.
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You currently are not allowed, by law, to broadcast any signals on airwaves on an aircraft while in the air. Bluetooth, WiFi, phone, etc.
 
autrefois said:
Sounds great to me! Did anyone here anything about Zune intergration in planes? I didn't think so. :p

It still amazes me that so many cars in the US are iPod friendly. Now the skies are becoming iPod friendly, too! Next stop, the space shuttle.
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Well, let's see... the Zune comes out today. The iPod has been out for about 5 years (?) now. So it took Apple 5 years to have them integrate with airplanes. Shame on Apple for not innovating quicker. Shame, shame, shame. And shame on MS for not innovating quicker too. The Zune's only been out, what,... a few hours and it still can't integrate with planes? Shame on MS. :rolleyes:

Seriously.... what's with all this Zune bashing? This story isn't even about the Zune, yet someone just had to post something about it. I'm not defending MS or anyone. It's just that I get's pretty redundant when everyone praises Apple and bashes on everyone else (especially MS), like Apple can do no wrong. I bet you haven't even played with a Zune yet. It's like people who say they don't like Japanese food or something. And when asked if they've tried it, they say no. How the hell do you know whether you like somethinig or not when you haven't even tried it yet?

Apple fan boys...... :rolleyes:
 
Their Seatbacks?

six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.
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that's stupid! why would the person behind me want to watch my videos!? They shouldn't put the video on the seatback of iPod connected passengers, they should put it on the seatback of the passenger in front of them!!
 
too bad not available now...

I'm flying Delta NYC to Madrid next week - too bad it's not available now.

Domestically, I basically only fly Jet Blue so I guess no iPod integration for me...
 
donlphi said:
I guess this means no TRUE VIDEO iPOD before Christmas. That is a let down.
:(
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While I think there will be no vPod this Christmas, I don't see why the airplane integration would imply this one way or the other. Even if you had a vPod, wouldn't you prefer to be reclining comfortably, looking at a video screen on the back of the seat in front of you? Personally, that seems to be more comfortable than having to hold the vPod in my hands for 2 hours while I watched the movie.
 
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