Apple iPod integration coming to Ford, GM, Mazda

While factory integration for Apple's iPod was already a commodity found on some vehicles, it has remained noticeably absent from many of the dashes of America's most financially-unstable automakers. Apple has now inked a deal with Ford, General Motors, and Mazda that could make iPod owners hold off just a bit longer before throwing down for those new wheels, though. Now the iPod will have integration in every single 2007 US Mazda and the "majority" of '07 Ford and GM vehicles as well. While less-than-ideal options have long been available for getting your iPod to function within the confines of your ride, the ability to pump tunes directly from the 'Pod to the speakers without hissy FM transmitters or elaborate wiring schemes is certainly a fresh alternative. According to the statistics, this move will ensure that "70 percent of US automobiles" have factory iPod integration right off the showroom floor. Apple hasn't been in danger of losing its grip on the digital media player market (although a certain corporation has other plans), and giving Ford, GM, and Mazda drivers this functionality should do nothing but good things for those quarterly sales figures. Nevertheless, Steve can't bask for too long in the glory of this deal, for he has a lot of explaining to do come Monday -- starting with all the wondrous possibilities that are already being envisioned due to that damned banner.

[Andrew L. @ Aug 3rd 2006 9:56PM]

Wow, it only took Scion a.k.a Toyota to show that the future in car audio is with mp3 or ipod integration

[Dolomite @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:08PM]

yet one more nail in the Zune's soon to be sealed coffin.

[G Money @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:15PM]

eff all this new crap. Apple gave us investors wonderful news this evening about stock option irregularities. POS was down 6% tonite and is going to get a nice 10% haircut tomorrow i imagine.

Way to go steve!!!

[Kevin M. @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:20PM]

Ugh. Proprietary bastards. Couldn't they use a standard headphone jack? Yes, it's not as good as far as sound quality, but when you use MP3s, sound is not a priority for you. Unless you use a device that supports FLAC.

[mr.frigglz @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:20PM]

question:

does this mean the cars will breakdown & need to be replaced after a year like the crapod?

[FMB @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:22PM]

Took 'em long enough
Oh yeah Dolomite, just curious, is this a big enough deal to really help kill the Zune?

[Raider @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:26PM]

Forget Ford/Mazda (since Mazda is a Ford brand). Ford's sales have slumped by 20% this year, with a 45% decrease in SUV/truck sales. They need to get past Scion and go for the full blown Toyota, which has had an 10% increase in sales, while OUTSELLING Ford in July. It might continue to do so if Ford can not change its luck.

On the other hand, GM is a good move. Since GM IS the largest automaker, even though their sales are decreasing also.

Watch out American car companies (but made in Mexico), the Japanese are still coming for the top spot.

[brian @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:28PM]

dude, MINI's have had ipod controls since they were released in 2002, i think. and besides, the "control" that you get is really crap:
http://www.factoryofinfinitebliss.com/?p=615
you're better off just getting the aux input and getting one of these: http://www.sik.com/imp.php

line level input and no crappy playlists

[Finished.Law.School @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:40PM]

How about that? A US car company figuring something out like this - what a fluke!
It would have happened quicker if Ford and GM were not being continuously raped by the UAW...

[dave95 @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:46PM]

Another wasted opportunity for Microsoft!!

Zune Zune Zune!!

lalalalalala

Zune Zune Zune!!

lalalalalala

[Jeff @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:01PM]

"POS was down 6% tonite and is going to get a nice 10% haircut tomorrow i imagine."

Shut your piehole. Your stock's up 50% over the last year. What did you do, buy yours yesterday?

Kevin M - the iPod supports Apple Lossless, which is, as its name implies, lossless.

[Torontoguy @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:11PM]

Sounds like there is money to be made by the first person to come up with an connector that will adapt the iPod plug to allow decent music players to be plugged into these short-sighted iPod only gadgets. Then we can kill this once and for all.

[Josehunder @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:28PM]

Crap! I just bought a Mazda 3... I wonder if the dealership can install it aftermarket? Unfortunately, it probably wouldn't work with my crappy Dell DJ anyway.

[SHOCKWIRE Sports @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:35PM]

What an awesome time in the world. Having a way to connect your IPod to your car will finally stop limiting the amount of car break ins.

[Alex @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:57PM]

How about a f***ing 1/8" connector?! It'd be just as useful and it'd sound just as good (unless you're using amazing lossless compression or something which, funnily enough, isn't available in the iPod), and it'd be compatible with every mp3 player, CD player, TV, and electronic device with a headphone jack.

[brad @ Aug 4th 2006 12:11AM]

a headphone jack would sound just as good regardless of what youre using. I don't see how you guys could think any differently. Audio is just electricity, and the headphone jack is just a connector. I use 1/8 in. headphone jacks to connect my computer to my $3000 home stereo, and as somewhat of an audiophile, i say it sounds pretty good. but then, clearly i should get some kind of digital connection soon...

[Zombie Flanders @ Aug 4th 2006 12:21AM]

All it ever took was an 1/8" input. Then any player with headphone out could plug into the car stereo. How cheap are the automakers? Answer=very.

[Cameron @ Aug 4th 2006 12:28AM]

Huh... well, I guess it is more convenient to keep all your crappy technology in one place

[vindictaphone @ Aug 4th 2006 12:34AM]

Alex: If you'd bothered to read the previous comments, you'd see that you're dead wrong about the iPod not supporting a lossless format.

[mint @ Aug 4th 2006 12:37AM]

You guys are missing the fact that:

a) there will likely be integrated media controls as well as displays on the dash or steering wheel or wherever else, made possible by that proprietary matter, and

b) it means you can charge the damn iPod while driving and listening to your tunes.

Now I wish they'd whip out support for those with non-apple DAPs, particularly the usb-stick types. Just plug that little thing in the front of your car deck which is able to treat it as a removable drive and read the media on it while charging it...

[Chris szostek @ Aug 4th 2006 1:37AM]

I picked up a Honda Fit Sport in late May. They have the option for an iPod adapter, I think it was around $200. You can get them aftermarket and intal it yourself for much cheaper. I didn't get it for 2 reasons. 1. The sport comes with a standard 8th inch stereo input, i really don't mind having to use the iPod to control my tunes instead of the stereo control. 2. The iPod is great for ME right now, but in the next 5 years a new type of DAP may come out that I like more. So investing $200 for a convenience feature just wasn't worth it seeing as the device will work fine with the audio jack.

BTW, the jack is standard on the sport not on the base, however aftermarket dealers are working on a DIY version.

Either way, when it comes to autos upgrading to MP3 DAP players, they shouldn't limit themselves to iPods. The best way is to have and audio in and have the iPod jack as a standard at no charge or as an option (for less than $200).

-C-

[Taylor @ Aug 4th 2006 2:51AM]

We get a fair few GM vehicles here in Australia thanks to exports, so it'd be good to see if we get iPod integration (though I myself use a PSP).

But, I agree with #3. The Zune is doomed. Even if it's a gaming-cum-media machine, it's screwed. Though it'd need to find an efficient media for video. UMD is going down the crapper.

[tekdroid @ Aug 4th 2006 3:11AM]

Proprietary connection = bad news for all

[teo @ Aug 4th 2006 8:56AM]

This is great. The big 3 can put useless entertainment features into a vehicle to pretty up the pig, but can't seem to increase fuel efficiency by even an extra 5 mpg.

What a waste of money. All flash and no substance with these 3. No wonder they are tanking.

[forefun @ Aug 4th 2006 9:11AM]

The interface in my CooperS (BMW) works great, but does not have the ability to show what is playing, it only plays 6 playlists. A dock would be the best way, since if you don't remove the iPod on HOT days, it fries in the glovebox. OUCH

[glacia00 @ Aug 4th 2006 10:19AM]

As long as it's not standard. I've seen some of the photos of them. They put what is essentially a halfsize glovebox in the middle of the dash. They're eyesores and I would pass on any car that had one standard.

I agree with others that something universal would make much more sense and having an integrated system with removeable/upgradeable memory would be perfect. But auto engineers like to stay 20-30 years behind the technology curve.

[Gordy @ Aug 4th 2006 11:24AM]

I can't speak for the rest of GM, but I look forward to purchasing my next Cadillac STS with iPod integration. Using SmartDeck now. Sick of the wires.

[G. Snyder @ Aug 4th 2006 11:24AM]

A lot of you are really not using your brains. You can't have everything. If you want it to be universal, you can forget controlling it through the factory stereo or charging it. All of you whining nerds need to go down to the book store and buy an economics primer book. You can argue all you want about why the iPod is somehow not as good as yourC Creative/Rio/Archos/SanDisk/Sony whatever - the fact of the matter is that the iPod is BY FAR the most prevelant DAP on the market with no signs of slowing. If I were an auto manufacturer, I know who I would side with. The other thing is that an iPod interface does not preclude having a mini-jack line-in either. A lot have both. So chill out and use some sense.

[finsprings @ Aug 4th 2006 5:47PM]

Let's hope it works, unless the Honda Music Link. I had it taken out of mine, because it is absolutely ass. Unusable junk!

[FrontPage @ Aug 6th 2006 4:40PM]

1st graph: Honda Fit woes
2nd graph: Auto options

When I first got the Honda Fit, I was excited about the possibilities of integrated audio (that Honda MusicLink). You know, I think whoever designed the piece of junk was a Microsoft user; the menus I hear take so long to load, especially with the more files you have in your iPod. I trashed the thought of installation when I read about some guy waiting almost an hour for his menus to load! Hate to say, but as long as nitwits design the functionality of auto integration, who will wind up buying based on this design flaw?

So it leads me to where I am now: I have a Harman Kardon plug+play that I don't want to install in my car. Reason? That oversized LCD screen needs to be mounted somewhere. I moved it all around the cabin, but all I saw was an object that some thief might mistake as something that can be stolen, which equals broken window and damaged unit (and/or dash). My search so far has led me to the Neo Ion, which I read in another forum pointing to mp3yourcar.com. The unit sells for around 200 beans and it plugs into the CD changer input of a stock or after market head unit. They claim steering wheel controls, as well as stereo controls, with a single cable design. And they also say that all the iPods are compatible, from nano to video. Until then, I've been simply burning some mp3-laden CD's and playing them in my Fit. I have since used the $200 to buy a bi-HID headlight upgrade.

[Los Angeles Orange County Ford Chevrolet bmw San Diego @ Aug 30th 2006 7:50PM]

It's late comings like this with american auto manufacturers like Ford and Chevrolet that keep us too far behind in the auto industry. When toyota comes out with it's 2009 prius that get's 90mpg or so, I'm really hoping this doesn't completely tork US auto makers.

[Jay @ Sep 5th 2006 9:41AM]

Screw the Fit's iPod integration - the Scion tC has steering wheel-mounted controls that will operate your iPod when connected to the optional iPod-enabled stereo.

Of course, they offer a aux-in on the base stereo as well, so everyone's happy.

Added bonus - the stock deck plays mp3 and WMA, so you could just burn a few $.10 discs to get the storage of a $250 Nano.

[Jesse J. Anderson @ Mar 20th 2008 2:55AM]

Surprisingly, I got a brand new 2008 Mazda3 and it did not come with iPod integration... it came with an audio jack for any mp3 player but it does have any ipod control integration in the stereo at all, it's simply an audio input.

I'm keeping a watch for articles on how to get better iPod integration with your Mazda at http://www.mazda-ipods.com if any other mazda users are frustrated by this and want true ipod integration.