Why Apple's Next Revolution Should Be In Your Car

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Why Apple's Next Revolution Should Be In Your Car

Posted by Soulskill on Friday April 27, 2012 @07:07AM from the just-one-button dept.

New submitter eetc writes "This article surveys the sorry state of car makers' stereo and navigation systems: 'It's clear that most of the auto companies that offer more than a car stereo want to lock you into their interface and services — as awful as they are. The rest don't care. The aftermarket stereo and nav systems are no better. Stuffed with even more buttons and light-show gewgaws, they're sure to keep your eyes off the road and may not work easily with your stuff. Add to that mix the split focus of also having to use a separate GPS unit in most vehicles, and you have to wonder what keeps our roads so relatively safe.' The answer in one word: iCar. This is just the sort of broken market that Apple specializes in taking over."

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Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by bazmail · 2012-04-27 07:09 · Score: 4, Insightful

they said that about the living room a few years ago, what happened there?
1. Re:Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by imamac · 2012-04-27 07:24 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Just because Apple didn't help change your living room does't mean it didn't change a lot of others'. Between Apple and Netflix the cable company lost my business. And I'm not the only one.
2. Re:Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by bazmail · 2012-04-27 07:35 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It may well have changed living rooms, but it did not cause a revolution, which is what this sd post is about. It was late, crippled, under powered. The fact that it can show netflix movies is not revolutionary. My dogs water bowl can show netflix movies. As for dropping the cable company, many have done likewise but not necessarily because of apple.
3. Re:Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by King_TJ · 2012-04-27 07:59 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Umm... Apple never quite succeeded in that "changing the living room" promise not because of any real failure on their own part, but because of the content industry's stubbornness. When Apple first introduced legally purchasable digital music downloads from the iTunes store, they were able to talk the recording industry into (very tentatively at first) going along with them on it. In fact, just to get THAT much done, they had to code in concessions that frustrate users to his day (such as not being allowed to sync music BACK to a copy of iTunes FROM your iPod).
  By the time they were interested in TV content, THAT industry dug in their heels, determined not to lose control over some of their content and advertising revenue to Apple, who had now proven they could make BIG money off this stuff, once you gave them the opportunity.
  Netflix is another company struggling with the same issues.... If one of these streaming services REALLY took off (and Apple, of all people, might just be able to do it, since they're known for building devices easy enough to use so the average Joe wouldn't be intimidated by them), it would put an end to the entire cable TV industry as we know it. No longer could they FORCE you to take a bunch of channels you didn't want in a package to get others you wanted. No longer would people be content to pay for "premium" channels like HBO or Showtime. Instead, they'd just pay for specific shows they offered that they liked. (Sounds a little bit like what happened with music, doesn't it? People could just pay 99 cents for that one good single on an album instead of being forced to buy the whole thing for $13.99.) And don't forget - the satellite and cable providers currently make some nice extra revenue charging extra for additional boxes or boxes with DVR recording capabilities in them. That would all be taken away from them as well.
4. Re:Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by Vancorps · 2012-04-27 08:21 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  And those of us using XBMC have this functionality without the need to force everyone to use an iPhone. All of the major platforms have XBMC remotes, any other platform can use upnp to stream content in the exact same way as airplay. Naturally you can do this from any device with a web browser as well. Displaying a gate camera on screen while watching a movie when someone rings the buzzer? No problem! Press a key on the remote and you can even open the gate.
  The problem with the Apple way is that you have to do it the Apple way or it becomes much more difficult than the alternatives. There are way too many different configurations in the living room. As far as the car goes, there's certainly room for improvement and it's a problem Apple has shown they are capable of solving, since there are inherent standards in place they might be able to pull something off. I doubt they are that interested since most cars already support iDevices right off the lot these days. Navigation wise they have a long way to go to catch up but they also have a lot of money.
5. Re:Sorry to rain on Apples parade n all but... by curious.corn · 2012-04-27 08:32 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I just changed my mom's living room experience with a Roku box. I got her the extra fancy one that can play Angry Birds for $99, along with a year of netflix. I have to pay for a Hulu account for work, so I'll be setting her up with that, too. She's nearly 70 and didn't have a problem figuring it out.
  I've got a Samsung TV loaded with apps. Netflix, Vudu(not with Ultraviolet, so the stuff I buy isn't tied to a company), Hulu, etc... Using my Synology NAS and my Android phone, I can even remotely playback media through the TV using my phone as a remote.
  The cable company may lose a few more customers, but it won't be because of Apple.
  this comment sanctions the end of /.
  It's either a bad, bad, bad astroturf and brand crapfest or I just saw it pass by in a woosh: a generation of geeks replaced by one of geeky consumers. I am sitting in between, and I don't know who's the saddest of the lot :(
  ... and the language! oh boy, "experience" what is that, for $deity's sake...
  
  --
  Mi domando chi Ã il mandante di tutte le cazzate che faccio - Altan
Car systems need to be simple by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-27 07:12 · Score: 5, Insightful

What's wrong with getting a bit old fashioned - volume control know, tuning knob, slide controls or dials to control the heater (back to the '80's anyone).
Anytime you get buttons involved and a touch screen you need to look at it. Any buttons should have a unique "feel/texture" so you can differentiate by touch without looking.
1. Re:Car systems need to be simple by AngryDeuce · 2012-04-27 08:22 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Not only that, but when they fucking break (and they will), how much is that going to cost to replace? $2,000?
  A friend of mine had an SUV with a digital dash (think it was a Jeep but I don't remember), it was just so fucking cool...until it died on her. Then she took it in and found out the replacement alone was gonna cost a grand, not to mention how labor intensive it was going to be (probably another grand on top). It was literally more expensive than the value of the vehicle as a whole (she put a lot of miles on that car). She obviously said, "uh, no thanks" and, for a while, she literally had no instrumentation in her car at all and had to eyeball her speed, get gas every few days to make sure she didn't run out...
  While a car is under warranty, great, but some of us like to drive cars until they die, not trade them in every other fucking year.
Harder! Screw us harder! by jmorris42 · 2012-04-27 07:13 · Score: 5, Insightful

> It's clear that most of the auto companies that offer more than a car stereo
> want to lock you into their interface and services — as awful as they are.
Uh huh. So if Apple locked you into THEIR interface and services it would be insanely great and you would be lining up for it.
P.T. Barnum was an optimist.

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Democrat delenda est
Re:Apple will decide where you can and can't trave by ArcherB · 2012-04-27 08:00 · Score: 5, Insightful

How is this insightful? Funny? Yes. Insightful? No.
"Insightful" gives a better boost to Karma than "Funny" so a lot of mods use "Insightful" in its place.

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There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
Re:Apple will decide where you can and can't trave by MobileTatsu-NJG · 2012-04-27 09:39 · Score: 1, Insightful

"Insightful" gives a better boost to Karma than "Funny" so a lot of mods use "Insightful" in its place.
They shouldn't. It changes the tone of the post. If the comedians really want to earn a karma point they should say something insightful.

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"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)