Evidence of possible Apple-branded car kit found in iPhone OS 4
The pre-release beta of iPhone OS 4 contains a new application that could be used to simply control the device when used in an automobile.
A source contacted TUAW to reveal that the new "iPod out" feature included in iPhone OS 4 can be used with the iPod Accessory Protocol in automobiles. The tipster said the application includes strings entitled "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonNotification" and "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonTypeKey."
The source said that the information suggests the iPod out feature "might be used in an Apple-branded car kit, where the user docks his iPhone or iPod touch and gains access to the onboard audio libraries (no video at this time). The car kit could include both a video screen to show the menus and custom physical buttons that would produce the notifications to allow the user to move through those menus and select from them."
The report also noted that the application also has a potential reference to hands-free phone navigation with the string "kCTCallStatusChangeNotification," suggesting the feature could route incoming calls to the handsfree system and allow a driver to answer without touching their iPhone.
Some third-party car kits are already available for the iPhone and iPod touch, though they do not add a great deal of features to the devices. The most high-profile releases were from navigation company TomTom, which released hardware meant to boost the GPS reception of the iPhone, and add GPS capabilities to the iPod touch.
The user also provided a video of what the current interface with the iPod out feature:
The iPod out functionality was one of more than 100 features revealed last week by Apple, when the Cupertino, Calif., company introduced its forthcoming iPhone mobile operating system software update. The first major and likely most anticipated feature introduced was multitasking.
A source contacted TUAW to reveal that the new "iPod out" feature included in iPhone OS 4 can be used with the iPod Accessory Protocol in automobiles. The tipster said the application includes strings entitled "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonNotification" and "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonTypeKey."
The source said that the information suggests the iPod out feature "might be used in an Apple-branded car kit, where the user docks his iPhone or iPod touch and gains access to the onboard audio libraries (no video at this time). The car kit could include both a video screen to show the menus and custom physical buttons that would produce the notifications to allow the user to move through those menus and select from them."
The report also noted that the application also has a potential reference to hands-free phone navigation with the string "kCTCallStatusChangeNotification," suggesting the feature could route incoming calls to the handsfree system and allow a driver to answer without touching their iPhone.
Some third-party car kits are already available for the iPhone and iPod touch, though they do not add a great deal of features to the devices. The most high-profile releases were from navigation company TomTom, which released hardware meant to boost the GPS reception of the iPhone, and add GPS capabilities to the iPod touch.
The user also provided a video of what the current interface with the iPod out feature:
The iPod out functionality was one of more than 100 features revealed last week by Apple, when the Cupertino, Calif., company introduced its forthcoming iPhone mobile operating system software update. The first major and likely most anticipated feature introduced was multitasking.
Comments
Not sure what this is a video of, looks like standard iPod screen.
Looks like a video out to me. I didn't notice any touch controls on the display.
Just curious because it's not fully explained in this article.
What shows it could be an Apple branded carkit?
Just curious because it's not fully explained in this article.
This...
A source contacted TUAW to reveal that the new "iPod out" feature included in iPhone OS 4 can be used with the iPod Accessory Protocol in automobiles. The tipster said the application includes strings entitled "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonNotification" and "IAPSSimpleRemoteCarButtonTypeKey."
just thought i'd throw that out there if anyone is considering buying one... they are still shit and plagued with problems. This one was manufactured in week 9 of this year.
Just bought a brand new iMac i5... DOA
just thought i'd throw that out there if anyone is considering buying one... they are still shit and plagued with problems. This one was manufactured in week 9 of this year.
Check this poster's history. He/she has never had anything good to say about Apple, labeled Snow Leopard a disaster, and has gone on and on criticizing every move Apple ever made. Do you really expect us to believe that you ran out and bought a new iMac?
Trolldom has sunk to a new low.
Just bought a brand new iMac i5... DOA
just thought i'd throw that out there if anyone is considering buying one... they are still shit and plagued with problems. This one was manufactured in week 9 of this year.
a) What the heck are you complaining about when you use the term 'DOA' and then say 'plagued with problems'? Can you be more specific, so that there is some useful information content to your post?
b) What does this have to do with a car kit?
Just bought a brand new iMac i5... DOA
just thought i'd throw that out there if anyone is considering buying one... they are still shit and plagued with problems. This one was manufactured in week 9 of this year.
No problem dude, Apple will replace it immediately. Assuming you bought it from an authorized dealer.
No problem dude, Apple will replace it immediately. Assuming you bought it from an authorized dealer.
Maybe it's actually a Dell, but he was wishing really, really hard that it'd turn into a Mac.
Just bought a brand new iMac i5... DOA
just thought i'd throw that out there if anyone is considering buying one... they are still shit and plagued with problems. This one was manufactured in week 9 of this year.
Take a picture of it with your left hand in front of it making the "ok" sign and post here or you are full of it and will close your account -- deal?????
There is NOTHING out there that really works for a car kit with my 3GS... my old 2G used to work OK, but it really is pretty bad now... why do we need 2 plugs? Just one (ipod connector) should be adequate.
Check this poster's [rain] history. He/she has never had anything good to say about Apple, labeled Snow Leopard a disaster, and has gone on and on criticizing every move Apple ever made. Do you really expect us to believe that you ran out and bought a new iMac?
Trolldom has sunk to a new low.
Totally agree.
Amazing that these guys think that we are so stupid that we can't spot them.
I was "this close" to buying the TomTom cradle simply because they claim to handle all that and nav.
Could you elaborate?
I got the TomTom Car Kit and everything they claimed works.
Actually, I am amazed how good it really is. Use it all the time particularly with Dragon Dictation Great combo.
Could you elaborate?
I got the TomTom Car Kit and everything they claimed works.
Actually, I am amazed how good it really is. Use it all the time particularly with Dragon Dictation Great combo.
not OP but I sort of feel the same. I had FM transmitters and such that cannot charge my 3GS (the whole fw/USB thing) so I was looking at a good dock, hearing great things about the TomTom dock. But I want more than just NAV, I would like one similar but designed for iPod Out, Hands Free, etc. I would love for other companies to make a full featured dock. The 3rd party device controls are already there, so maybe now with these new iPod out APIs (and the new multitasking) they can do more.
Could be just an API for others to make the kit and connect to.
Totally agree with you 8 Core.... There's nothing in here that points to a car kit from Apple... What would be a HUNDRED times more poweful, would be APIs that anyone could use.
Could you imagine?! You're in you car, and instead of fumbling with your iPhone to control the music.... The cars dashboard interface could control everything..... Skip tracks, load playlists.... Search for songs.... I know BMW has done a lot of work with Apple... Haing some kind of standards for this would be SO powerful though.....a seemless experience.
Ford's SYNC technology (that uses a microsoft back-end platform) works well with iPod's but there are plenty of other features that they could expand to. Also with thier new MyFord Touch technology, I'm sure that these API's offer better integration for such features and expand that of the rear-entertainment systems of vehicles and allowing such third party systems to see graphic artwork.
I tend to think that these new API's are for these features... Especially since SYNC is occasionally experiencing indexing issues with some of the iPod Touch and iPhones out on the market. Ford's universal direction to expending on the technology forefront in thier vehicles and integration with third party vendors are where this realy stems from.