Meant to be: Audi integrates the iPhone
With both Audi and Apple's minimalist design ethos, it was simply a matter of time before they joined forces and offered a way to integrate the new iPhone across the four-ringed lineup. Any Audi model equipped with Bluetooth will allow the iPhone to be paired with the vehicle, giving users the ability to make and receive hands-free phone calls, as well as providing a signal strength indicator, assigning specific names to numbers (Work, Home, etc.) and allowing access to call lists.
On the music front, the addition of the Audi Music Interface will give the vehicles MMI system direct control of all the iPod capabilities of the iPhone, allowing users to navigate everything from playlists to albums. The AMI is available as an optional extra on the A5, A6, A8 and Q7, although we'd expect the full line of Audi vehicles to allow integration sooner rather than later.
[Source: Audi]
PRESS RELEASE
Audi and the iPhone – high technology in a perfect design. Even at the time of its launch, the first mobile phone from Apple can be used in all Audi models. The big seller in the U.S. (more than 270,000 phones sold in the first 30 hours) is eagerly awaited in this country too. According to a survey, every third Apple fan would definitely like to buy the phone and, what is more, "right away".
Audi and Apple have been working closely to ensure that the full functionality of the iPhone is available in most Audi models. The only requirement is the mobile phone preparation with the Bluetooth interface, optionally available in all Audi model lines. Alongside the standard hands-free functions (accept/reject call/hands-free), the mobile phone preparation supports the display of the signal strength and the provider's name, in addition to the transfer of the telephone directory including the icons "Work", "Home", "Mobile" and the call lists.
In addition to making telephone calls, the Audi music interface (available as an optional extra for the A5, A6, A8 and Q7) allows customers to enjoy the iPhone's music playback function in supreme quality via the in-car sound system. What is more, thanks to the Audi MMI, customers can navigate conveniently through their music compilations by artist, track title, playlists and genre – in exactly the same way they are accustomed to from their iPod.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 10:05AM (8/14/2007)
It's nice that they've figured out to make Bluetooth work with the iPhone but with regards to music, how about a little effort on Audi's part to make a non-proprietary solution? Not all of us want to support the closed and proprietary Apple iPod or the monopolistic iTunes for that matter.
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Chintan Amin 10:16AM (8/14/2007)
So I guess you should buy one of those cars that have Zune interfaces. How does a new F150 sound?
Shawn 10:20AM (8/14/2007)
...monopolistic? There are many choices for you to download music from. There are many choices for MP3 player as well...phones for that matter. A monopoly is when you have no alternatives.
bill 10:31AM (8/14/2007)
Basically, this whole business of using any electronic devices that distract the driver from driving is bullshit. I cannot imagine anyone short of God who needs to be in continuous contact with other people.
Vehicle manufacturers are hanging their collective asses out the law suit window with all of this stuff.
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Paul 10:52AM (8/14/2007)
The first lawsuits will be interesting since actually the greater integration makes it less likely to be distracted (IOW, I'd think the target would be Apple and not Audi). I have an audio-only solution in my A3 and I am quite often distracted by fumbling around for my iPod and finding tracks, etc. Terrible, I know. Anyway, were it better integrated into the vehicle information system, it'd be far less distracting (at least no more so than say finding the right XM radio station).
Incidentally, no one has mentioned the utopian cordless solution that hooks the audio up via A2DP and controls the whole thing via Bluetooth (and thus allowing me finally to keep my phone/player in my pocket while driving). I know this is an Apple shortcoming at the moment (no A2DP), but I hope that this is on someone's near-term horizon...
Mallory 10:20AM (8/14/2007)
Actually there is no "Zune interface". Ford's Sync solution works with all music players, not just the Microsoft Zune. That why Sync is such a kickass technology - no more getting locked in.
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Ligor 10:45AM (8/14/2007)
I agree,
nothing new to post here, except the fact that it is Audi that has now (late I say) adding this interface in.
Sorry Ford has got the best of these systems around period.
P to the C 10:27AM (8/14/2007)
Wasn't Apple being sued by the EU for anti-competitive (i.e. monopolistic) behavior with regards to iTunes? I heard something about that a while ago but never heard if Apple made changes or if the case is still on going.
And as far as monopolies go, there are many alternatives to Windows but try telling anyone (or the gov't) that. With the Audi solution, it doesn't look like I have any choice at all if I want to integrate my music player. It's Apple or nothing.
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P to the C 10:57AM (8/14/2007)
How is fumbling with a music player worse than fumbling around with CD's, trying to find the right one, getting it out fo the case and inserted, etc? The whole point of integration is that there is no fumbling. You just load up your playlist and go.
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SOhp101 1:32PM (8/14/2007)
Audi is NOT known for a minimalist interior design philosophy. That's BMW, mister. I think BMW also offered iPhone integration the day it came out.
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simianspeedster 1:59PM (8/14/2007)
Here's a cool Audi feature that most people don't know about:
Audis with the Navigation system (at least on the A4, A6 & TT, maybe other models as well) have two SD card slots behind the LCD screen. The screen is motorized to allow access to the DVD player load slot (for the Nav DVD) and the two SD card slots.
I've used SD cards up to 2GB in each slot and they work fine. The only limitation is that there is a total of 512 objects (songs and folders are objects) that can be read from each card. I rip MP3s at 320KB/s which allows 7-9 albums on 1GB cards, so I never bump up against the 512 object limit.
My wife drives our A4 Avant and she prefers SD card playback to the CD changer, an 1/8" input jack or an iPod specific integration kit. She can control MP3 playback from the nav system or steering wheel instead of fumbling with an iPod or other external device, and loading/unloading is simple. To add music, we just slip the SD card into a USB card reader on her PC, drag and drop albums, and voila. Easy as can be with no vendor lock-in (only physical format lock-in, which is somewhat inevitable).
Sure, SD cards are being replaced by SDHC cards and MMC cards, but I think the SD card slots were a smart design decision on Audi's part.
-SimianSpeedster
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airport krishna 9:21PM (8/14/2007)
Praise to Audi for making this happen. Both brands have a great German design aesthetic. VW would pair nicely also.
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KenC 11:39PM (8/14/2007)
Monopsony, not monopoly. That's what Apple is in this case. No one is forcing you to buy into Apple's solution, it's just that the vast majority have CHOSEN to do so. This is far different.
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