Apple hopes CarPlay will drive further success
Apple is calling the technology, CarPlay. That’s a change from its original name, iOS in the Car, given last June when Apple announced its plans to make its mobile operating system more compatible with cars.
Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are previewing CarPlay this week at a car show in Geneva. Other car makers plan to adopt CarPlay, too.
CarPlay requires Apple’s latest software, iOS 7, and an iPhone 5, 5C or 5S.
The system permits users to make calls, use the Maps function or select music through touchscreen zcontrols or through voice commands to Siri.
Apple is launching CarPlay as an alternative to Mirrorlink, the technology that reproduces the interface and features of Android or Windows Phone devices on in-car displays.
By making smartphones work more seamlessly with automobiles, both Apple and Google are hoping to immerse their services even deeper into peoples’ lives.
In doing so, the companies expect to make money by selling advertising, applications and upgrades on their smartphones.
“IPhone users always want their content at their fingertips and CarPlay lets drivers use their iPhone in the car with minimised distraction,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPhone and iOS product marketing.
