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This is great news... but how long will it be before other car makers follow suit ?

Cool!

And BMW, your reponse please?

All car makers should include at least, AT LEAST, a stereo input jack on all new car radios.

But many of them won't because they have a XM Radio deal they want to sell you.

FM transmitters quite plainly $uC$.

And tape cassettes are nearly gone.

Audi first... Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda next?
Where is Porsche?
What is Mercedes doing?
What about BMW? AAPL owners needs to buy new BMW´s for the iPhone?

I need a new car and it has to have the iPhone connectivity.

"All car makers should include at least, AT LEAST, a stereo input jack on all new car radios."

Almost all now do, except they don't call it that. They usually call it an "iPod Interface" or something grand like that.

I am truly amazed at the lack of imagination with iPod accessories. For example:
Try to find a good iPod holder for the car. There are several that use cup holders but they are pretty lame. A few that clip onto vent grills but they are not very stable (I currently use one of those). Kensington has final come out with something that can be stuck down.

Try to find a car power chanrger with a line out jack. I use the Belkin one but that one generates a slight hiss that is not due to the iPod. There is only one other available that I've found.

However every tom dick and harry makes umpteen FM transmitters that are total shit in terms of quality. A lot of new cars and after market receivers have audio inputs. So why bother with FM transmitters at all.

As Apple users, we don't want the "low end" of the market. People who buy GM, Ford, or Chrysler are not our "kind of people".

Please, let's hope that iPhone integration only shows up in high end cars. We can't be supporting "junk" and the scum who buys it.

I've used a Tonino Lamborghini case with some Velcro to mount the iPod to my dash. The product is nice/classy/inexpensive and the cover is removable. This way I can take the iPod with me or hide it in the center compartment when parked.

I use a regular cassette input with one as a backup as they do indeed fail eventually. FM transmitters totally suck.

I won't buy my next new car unless it has a stereo mini input jack. I really don't like iPod integration as Apple changes things so often anyway.

I like being able to grab the iPod off the dash, scroll through my 300 or so playlists to select one just before I hit a tree. I can just imagine listening to my favorite band while I ponder my death.

http://www.jr.com/JRSectionView.process?N=27612+402116

that was QUICK. wow.

Why don't you all just swap out your stereo to a nice Pioneer deck with an aux input for the iPod or an iPod control interface? You can pick them up with an aux input now for about 60 bucks on eBay, 70-100 bucks in stores.

Just what we need, more distracted drivers on the road. People are bad enough drivers as it is. It has been shown that the act of talking on a cell phone is as dangerous as drinking and driving. It does not matter if it is hands free or not.

Music to crash your car to

If you really want to take full advantage of your iPhone, take transit instead of driving. You won't be stuck with the ugly interface in the Audi. You can also watch movies, text and browse the web, all things you should not be doing while driving if you want to out live your iPhone contract.

For those that keep asking, BMW announced compatibility on Launch Day. See here: http://www.bmwusa.com/owners/iphone

Alas, Audi is late to the party.

As Apple users, we don't want the "low end" of the market. People who buy GM, Ford, or Chrysler are not our "kind of people".

There's a difference between a $1200 iMac and a $200,000 Bentley, sir.

Although I will say for all their desire to recapture the "youth market", you'd think Detroit would be knocking down doors in Cupertino to get full Apple integration.

No A4s or A3s?

That's odd.

Have a new BMW X5 -- full integration with the iPhone and iPod

BMW announced a month or so ago that it's iPod adapter was fully iPhone compliant.

But do the breaks work?

No, but I bet the brakes do.

Looks pretty similar to the Merc's nav display. The absence of the new A4 due in 2007 is puzzling. Notice the selected album is called Badmotorfinger. MW: "service."

I generally have a couple of playlists I listen to in the car. Usually set on random. If I don't want to listen to a song I just skip to the next one.

Currently I have the iPod at the same height as and next to the steering wheel. I would prefer the iPod to be a bit higher to be more in line with the driving line of sight. So I've placed an order for the new kensington mount.

Having a display in the center column could be distracting especially if you are searching for songs etc.

"Currently I have the iPod at the same height as and next to the steering wheel. I would prefer the iPod to be a bit higher to be more in line with the driving line of sight. So I've placed an order for the new kensington mount.

Having a display in the center column could be distracting especially if you are searching for songs etc."

Where's the iPod heads up display?

Damn! I just ordered my Q7 which is being built this week. I hope this is a part of what I already ordered. There's no way in hell that I'm paying $60,000 and not having this!

"Where's the iPod heads up display?"

I think Saab have that integration in their jets! Of course with those you don't have to worry about rear ending the guy in front of you.

"Where's the iPod heads up display?"

Why doesn't Apple borrow the Speech voice recognition from OS X?

"iPod, tell me a joke..."

No A3 and A4 because those cars don't have the MMI system in them.

Although I will say for all their desire to recapture the "youth market", you'd think Detroit would be knocking down doors in Cupertino to get full Apple integration.

Yes but Detroit doesn't make elegant, gorgeous cars like BMW, Audi, and Bentley. The iPhone is too good for American made cars. As you always hear here at MDN, Apple doesn't want or need to low end of the market.

Perhaps Chevy could add some trim to it's models and raise the price for a compact up to about $50,000. Of course, they wouldn't run any better but who cares???? They would be just gorgeous!!!! Then we could think about iPhone Integration...

Wooooo Hooooo Steve!

"As you always hear here at MDN, Apple doesn't want or need to low end of the market."

Not exactly true. Apple will go for the low end market when it makes sense, they can make a profit and the product is of high quality.

The iPod Shuffle is the best example. It's competitive with similar products and probably accounts for a sizable chunk of iPod's unit sales.

Car integration is as simple as putting in an MP3 jack. Problem is is that how do you justify a 6 disc CD changer and satellite when all you really need is an iPod. The car manufacturers use high end sound systems to sell their expensive cars. The Audi example is a good one. The A4 is a 30K car and you can't have the high end sound system.

@GlassHollow,
You're going too fast, you're going too fast!!!

Perhaps Chevy could add some trim to it's models and raise the price for a compact up to about $50,000.

Chevy already has a $50k compact, the Corvette.

As far as market segments go, I have to wonder what happened to the REAL old-school Mac users. The ones with $500 cars and $5000 computers...

The iPhone is too good for American made cars

The iPhone isn't too good, it just hasn't gotten noticed by some automaker bureaucracies.

See, certain automakers are so hell-bent to make their built-in phone and satellite radio options successful, they can't (or don't want to) see the real picture. Kinda laughable when you consider these makers would be better off if they killed their money-losing services and made Apple docks standard.

IMO the auto-911 feature when your airbags go off should be mandatory. Everything else can be replaced by a dock.

Just got my 09 A4Wagon and yes it has MMI as well as the IPhone/IPod integration package!!!!! Handles pretty good too!!!