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Apple Launching 'iOS In The Car' Next Week With Ferrari, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz

Friday February 28, 2014 4:27 pm PST by Jordan Golson
Nearly a year after it was announced, Apple appears ready to introduce launch partners for its "iOS in the Car" initiative, according to a report in the Financial Times. The piece claims Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari -- where Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue is a board member -- will be Apple's initial partners.

Though it does not mention iOS in the Car by name, the article claims drivers will be able to use Apple Maps for navigation on the car's in-dash screen, as well as watch movies, listen to music, make calls and send text messages through the system with full Siri integration.

The FT says the announcement will be made at the Geneva Motor Show next week, one of the premier motor shows on the calendar.

iOS In The Car
The technology group will next week launch its first in-car operating system with Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo as it attempts to take the lead in a fierce race to dominate tomorrow’s smart cars.

[...]

The deal marks the first time that Apple is embedding its software in devices other than its own branded products. The choice of the Ferrari, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz is seen to be in keeping with the US tech group’s high-end phones.
Apple executives have said in the past that iOS in the Car is "very important" to the company and is an essential "part of the ecosystem". At it's WWDC keynote last year, Apple claimed it was working with a number of partners including Honda, Nissan, Chevrolet, Hyundai, and more, in addition to Ferrari, Volvo and Mercedes. It was reported earlier this year that iOS in the Car had been plagued by organizational issues but, if the FT report is accurate, it would appear the project is quickly moving towards a public launch.

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wikiverse
71 months ago
Great. Now we won't just have Volvo drivers, we'll have Volvo drivers using Apple Maps.
Rating: 16 Votes
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Eduardo1971
71 months ago
I hope that BMW follows soon. They are one of the initial auto companies under the initiative.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Nevaborn
71 months ago
Aftermarket head units are needed for this to work. Bundling it with a new Ferrari aint going to be a big earner.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Fattytail
71 months ago
Drivers will be able to use Maps in the car. Are they sure that's a feature they want to tout? :rolleyes:
Rating: 6 Votes
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Sky Blue
71 months ago
7.1 next week?
Rating: 6 Votes
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MICHAELSD
71 months ago
Great to know they only chose cars I can afford.
Rating: 5 Votes
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herocero
71 months ago
Every cars' software (user facing) has been terrible. From the beginning of time. Tesla finally has something half-way decent. iOS in the car is good for the industry and helps cars differentiate themselves. Great move. Hope it works super well and they start to expose things like Siri to other apps, etc.
Rating: 4 Votes
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Paulshaqz
71 months ago
lets get lexus next!
Rating: 4 Votes
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akm3
71 months ago
Finally a good reason for me to pull the trigger on a Ferrari. (!)
Rating: 3 Votes
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wikiverse
71 months ago
"The deal marks the first time that Apple is embedding its software in devices other than its own branded products."

No it doesn't. Apple had a clone licensing program with System7 in the 90s that was terminated in 1997 when Jobs returned to Apple.

Apple even paid $100Million for Power Computing Company in order to shut down the clone business which they established.

UMAX still was licensing OS8 from Apple until 1998.

Seriously, I often think that most articles about Apple are written by people who didn't know apple existed until the iPod.
Rating: 3 Votes

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