Who said it was an infotainment device? That's as short sighted as calling an iPhone "just a phone."
The point is, if you make the full data stream and some controls available, people will step up with interesting ideas.
Beyond nav, music and phone calls, why not have these very tasks integrate with the hardware as you would like?
•Control the radio with your device.
•Displaly extra info on what's playing on the radio
•Phone calls through audio system (obviously)
But why stop with these?
•Change mirror and seat settings (cars that do this usually only remember two people.)
•Why not read your vehicle's trouble codes with your "infotainment device"?
•Why not choose a custom display of engine performance or instantaneous gas milage?
•I'm sure people who love to hack the subtleties of engine performance would love to use an iPhone or iPad to record data and make adjustments (this gets into the safety issue, but people can do with their car as they please.) NASCAR could sell an app to their fans.
•How about an app that gives feedback on driving performance in terms of safety, economy, shifting choices, or whatever?
"If you build it, they will come." Until it's built though, nobody knows what people will want to do with it.
I know what you're saying, but I just don't see it. Having to use a unified central universal control device to check my fuel economy is more hassle than just pressing the dedicated button on the signal stalk. Even if its not, the need just isn't there. I've never heard anyone complain that they need a big-screen GUI to display oil temperature. It's a solution to a non-existent problem.
A car does not have a music library built in. A car does not include a communication device. Those are roles well satisfied by a third-party device. There's no need to reinvent the wheel for stuff the car already does just fine without a third-party computer. Of course someone will, but I don't think car buyers will care.
Do these in-car systems really a long term future? Just like car phones went the way of the dinosaur once we had individual phones, passengers can just use their individual devices for entertainment.
The only reason to have a computer in the car itself is for self-drive. Even navigation can be done by your personal phone these days since it has it's own GPS.
Should Apple be concentrating on making an in-car system or on replacing it as much as possible with iPhone apps?
Comments
Who said it was an infotainment device? That's as short sighted as calling an iPhone "just a phone."
The point is, if you make the full data stream and some controls available, people will step up with interesting ideas.
Beyond nav, music and phone calls, why not have these very tasks integrate with the hardware as you would like?
•Control the radio with your device.
•Displaly extra info on what's playing on the radio
•Phone calls through audio system (obviously)
But why stop with these?
•Change mirror and seat settings (cars that do this usually only remember two people.)
•Why not read your vehicle's trouble codes with your "infotainment device"?
•Why not choose a custom display of engine performance or instantaneous gas milage?
•I'm sure people who love to hack the subtleties of engine performance would love to use an iPhone or iPad to record data and make adjustments (this gets into the safety issue, but people can do with their car as they please.) NASCAR could sell an app to their fans.
•How about an app that gives feedback on driving performance in terms of safety, economy, shifting choices, or whatever?
"If you build it, they will come." Until it's built though, nobody knows what people will want to do with it.
I know what you're saying, but I just don't see it. Having to use a unified central universal control device to check my fuel economy is more hassle than just pressing the dedicated button on the signal stalk. Even if its not, the need just isn't there. I've never heard anyone complain that they need a big-screen GUI to display oil temperature. It's a solution to a non-existent problem.
A car does not have a music library built in. A car does not include a communication device. Those are roles well satisfied by a third-party device. There's no need to reinvent the wheel for stuff the car already does just fine without a third-party computer. Of course someone will, but I don't think car buyers will care.
Do these in-car systems really a long term future? Just like car phones went the way of the dinosaur once we had individual phones, passengers can just use their individual devices for entertainment.
The only reason to have a computer in the car itself is for self-drive. Even navigation can be done by your personal phone these days since it has it's own GPS.
Should Apple be concentrating on making an in-car system or on replacing it as much as possible with iPhone apps?
You won't be eating pixels thats for sure. But the idea is not far fetched, it will most likely be Google who eventually partners with Musk.
Yep. That I can see....