Apple and BMW Group today announced the BMW iPod Adapter, the first seamless integration between iPod and a car audio system. The new system developed by Apple and BMW enables drivers to seamlessly use their iPod in BMW’s 3 Series, Z4 Roadster, X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and MINI Cooper by simply plugging their iPod into a cable located in the car’s glove compartment. With the iPod safely located in the glove compartment and powered by the car’s battery, drivers can now enjoy high fidelity sound through their car’s stereo system and control their iPod using the standard buttons on their BMW or MINI steering wheel.
“One of the next frontiers for a seamless digital music experience is the car,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO in the press release. “We all spend a lot of time driving, and now this elegant solution lets iPod users enjoy their entire music collection in their BMW or MINI.”
“With Apple, we’re bringing the ultimate digital music experience to our customers,” said Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO, BMW of North America in the press release. “The BMW iPod Adapter provides our drivers with virtually endless miles of music without their hands ever leaving the steering wheel.”
The seamless integration of iPod makes it effortless for drivers to control their music through their existing audio system and the multifunction steering wheel. The BMW iPod Adapter enables drivers to easily access their entire music library, shuffle songs, skip between tracks and adjust volume — all of this with no loss of sound quality or driving control. Drivers can also create up to five unique “BMW playlists” to listen to while on the road enabling them to enjoy their favorite songs at the touch of a button. The BMW iPod Adapter integrates Apple’s iPod and iPod mini through a direct connection in the glovebox, providing outstanding sound quality and constant power to the iPod.
The rollout is being supported with a dedicated website, [url=http://www.ipodyourbmw.com]http://www.ipodyourbmw.com[/url] (not online as of this article posting), for customers to learn more about this groundbreaking marriage of music and car, as well as a marketing campaign that includes print, outdoor, online and television advertising.
The BMW iPod Adapter is available for the MSRP of $149 (US) plus installation cost, and will be officially available for customers to purchase at BMW centers as of July 12, 2004 for 2002, 2003 and 2004 BMW models: X3, X5, Z4 and 3 Series. The MINI Cooper iPod Adapters will be available later this summer. Consumers should check with their BMW or MINI centers for specific application restrictions or log onto [url=http://www.ipodyourbmw.com]http://www.ipodyourbmw.com[/url] Installation is performed by authorized BMW and MINI centers only. iPod and iPod mini are available in the U.S. through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod mini is available for a suggested retail price of $249 (US); $299 (US) for the 15GB iPod, $399 (US) for the 20GB iPod and $499 (US) for the 40GB iPod.
Someone put me out of my misery already! Anyways, first post but bad links at ipodyourbmw.com
THe site have just being registered, what means that soon it will have contents. Meanwhile, you can go to [url=http://www.bmwusa.com/ipod]http://www.bmwusa.com/ipod[/url]
Come on?! I don’t have a BMW, I need one for a Chevy.
my honda begs for one
iPodYourBuick hmm not quite the same
Put me down for an iPodYourChrysler…
it’s all very expensive isn’t it?
No 5 Series? Also no 30 Gig iPod?
>>Meanwhile, you can go to [url=http://www.bmwusa.com/ipod<<]http://www.bmwusa.com/ipod<<[/url]
Better yet, check out the apple website for the Quicktime ad promotion:
http://www.apple.com/ipod/bmw/ad/
It totally rocks. Too bad it does not work on the 5 series. We are being punished for having CD-Changer installed
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Site is now working. Great commercial! Blows away the lame Pepsi commercial.
so how is this any different from the iceLink?
iPod for your Kia. Anyone?
Koko: nutting for free.
i dunno about buick and GM and the other PoS. Leave that for the Dell DJ.
See today’s dealmac.com for a blurb on adapters for other cars available at smalldog.com. They are called IceLink as noted above. They run @$200.
Gary
According to BMW, you can disconnect the CD changer and connect the iPod.
It’s interesting, but yeah, a solution that let me install an aftermarket stereo that was, in addition to being a radio, a docking station for my ipod, would be great. Then it would be a solution for “the rest of us” who prefer to splurge on computers instead of automobiles.
“so how is this any different from the iceLink?”
It doesn’t appear to me that icelink integrates itself with the stereo, consequently you need a mount to allow you to see the view screen of the iPod so you know what is playing, etc. I have something similar in my Liberty and it only cost $70. Locking it away in the glove compartment and getting full control from the faceplate of your stereo would be a better solution
Since buying my ipod earlier this year I find I no longer use the CD stereo units at home, at work or in our cars except to run the ipod through them. The CD unit in the cars in particular were a pain in the arse as they’d skip and jump when you’d hit the odd pot hole or whatever.
This is an interesting first step in what may become the elimination of CD players and stackers over time. By the time I can afford a BMW hopefully this approach of listening to music will be available in every car.
They should just include an iPod when you purchase a BMW.
My Mini is only 3 weeks old and I got the regular audio adaptor. Looks like I’ll be back in later this summer to install this sucker.
I think they should do a second commercial – iPod Mini my Mini!
I’ll take one for the Mustang 460 Aux port. Thank you.
I have a 5 series with navigation and also in the UK seems I will be left out. Good pr for Apple though.
Integration with the steering wheel controls is cool…. what is lame is a generic track 1, track 2 etc on the display…
I want to see the song being played so I guess my Belkin cup holder is still better….
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hmm… I’m due for a service soon… but the glove compartment is a bit of a stretch.
Will one be available for an old skoda??
Maybe Chevys and Buicks only work with WMA
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