Over 50% of US cars to be iPod ready
By Ronald O Carlson
It’s widely known that the iPod has cornered about 70% of the US media player market and that figure, unsurprisingly, holds true for music downloads, as well. But there are other metrics that can be used to judge Apple’s penetration and market direction.
Quoting iSuppli data, DigiTimes reports that 58% of car models to be sold in the US next year will be iPod ready, up from 39% this year. However, even more impressive is the expectation that 82% of all car models, up from 55% in 2008, to be sold in the US next year will offer Bluetooth connectivity.
“The automotive industry is at the point where in-vehicle technologies, or the lack of them, are influencing sales,” said Phil Magney, vice president, automotive research, iSuppli. “The charge toward greater technological integration has been led by car OEMs like Hyundai and Honda, which are making USB/iPod combination interfaces standard on many of their vehicles.”
“The influx of Bluetooth technology has blanketed the consumer electronics industry and this is spilling over into cars,” said Mark Boyadjis, automotive analyst, North America, iSuppli.
Bluetooth was invented (wikipedia) back in 1994 and is just now becoming truly ubiquitous, whereas the iPod is a much more recent phenomenon, first arriving in the marketplace in late 2001.
That said, one wonders whether iPod connectivity will continue the march to saturation or whether device agnostic technologies like Bluetooth will dominate.
Perhaps Apple’s already answered that question by including Bluetooth connectivity in its latest generation iPhone and iPod touch models. Although the current (v2.1) iPhone / touch software doesn’t allow for its use, Bluetooth’s in there.
Thereupon, practical wireless power (always just around the corner) would seem to be the only thing standing between the iPod and going truly tether free. Then again, why not separate power and communication, like cellphones?
Maybe there’s more to this iPhone thing than we originally supposed…
What’s your take?
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