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iPod teams up with Ford, GM
Automakers will integrate the iPod into their car audio systems starting in 2007, giving the iPod compatibility with more than 70 percent of the cars sold in the US.
At this point, who doesn't want to sidle up to the iPod/iTunes juggernaut?
iPod targets the car.
On the heels of its deals with corporate giants Nike and Coca-Cola, Apple said today it has inked deals with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Mazda Motor Corp. to integrate the iPod into their car audio systems.
Under the terms of the deal, GM and Mazda will offer iPod integration on all of their 2007 models, while Ford will do so for its Ford and Lincoln Mercury cars later this year and allow for an iPod dock in the glove box in 2007 for those models.
The Ford integration will be a dealer-installed option called "TripTunes Advanced," allowing the driver to control the iPod via buttons on the steering wheel or on the car stereo. GM is calling its device the "personal audio link" and is charging $160, plus installation fees.
"We're delighted that Ford, General Motors and Mazda will support iPod connectivity in nearly all of their new models," Apple's Greg Joswiak said in a statement.
The deal with the auto giants--GM and Ford are the nation's top two automakers--add to the lengthy list of car makers that integrate the iPod, including Acura, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Nissan, and Volkswagen. The new deals give the iPod compatibility with more than 70 percent of the new 2007 model vehicles sold in the US, Apple said.
Earlier this year, BMW stepped up its previous iPod integration with a deal that calls for an iPod dock to be built into the glove compartments of several of its models.
Ford also said today that it will add auxiliary audio input jacks on the car stereos of nearly half of its models, allowing drivers to plug in other portable media players, cell phones, and portable gaming devices like Sony's PSP. The move would eliminate the need for additional adapters.
The iPod holds about a 75 percent share of the portable player market in the US, according to May 2006 data from NPD Group.
Shares in Apple rose $1.69, or nearly 3 percent, to $69.85 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq.
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