Apple On The Go

Apple recently announced their newest product in a completely different line then they've ever delved into before. This new product is Carplay, in other words, iOS 7 in the car. Right now it is only in a few models from Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. This is the first step in anther form of complete integration of technology into our lives. Its an amazing step forward in efficiency, and just the first product which is sure to become as booming a market as the many other integrated technology products that have come out recently.

Carplay is a replacement of the dash board, essentially. It varies a little bit by manufacturer, but the basic idea that comes with each is that you connect your iPhone into your car, and that's where the magic happens. You can answer calls, play your music, and get phone navigation. The idea behind it is that Apple is accepting the fact that people are using their phones in the car, so they are attempting to make it safer to keep yourself connected while in the car. I'm personally excited about this for two main reasons: it consolidates a lot of separate technology into one user interface and it foreshadows the entrance of other companies into the same realm.

First: the consolidation. Carplay combines the traditional GPS unit into an auxiliary chord, a call-answering system, and a satellite radio. Those are rough estimates, as everything is slightly different, but the main idea is that Carplay, despite the higher cost of the car, actually saves you quite a bit of money. You're looking at at least $200 to get something equivalent for a "normal car". What I am looking more forward to though is that the introduction of Carplay almost guarantees the emergence of other companies into the integrated car technology market, As always, I am most looking forward to a Google system with android, especially because I myself do not have an iPhone anymore. I think that an android product will create the competition needed to really develop this market into something that is built into every single car.

Integration into our lives has been inevitable in the spread of technology over the years. The latest is Carplay, which aims at bringing together separate technologies and making technology in the car safer. I realy like the idea of this technology, and I really want an android system to match. Time will only tell is this kind of integration survives, but my personal opinion is that it will stay and it will grow to become a staple of our driving experience.