GM Looking Into Creating App Store For Vehicle Infotainment Systems
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General Motors is considering creating an app store for the infotainment systems of its vehicles, GM Authority has learned.
According to industry insiders, the idea within GM is currently in a nascent phase but could come to market “very quickly” if given the green light. The proposed app store would offer downloadable applications for GM’s new infotainment systems, including Chevrolet MyLink, Buick and GMC IntelliLink, as well as Cadillac CUE.
From a technical perspective, the apps would provide an “exchange layer” between the vehicle and the apps running on the user’s smartphone, offering the ability to control a smartphone app using voice commands or — when safe — the vehicle’s color touchscreen. The app store would expand the availability of “perfectly compatible” apps such as Stitcher and Pandora, both of which are currently built into GM’s new series of infotainment systems.
For instance, an Apple iPhone user wishing to use popular social media app HootSuite would be able to launch the app, listen to the social stream, compose, and then send a message/update to a social network — all using voice commands. Another potential example involves a shopping app such as Amazon.com’s, which could allow the driver to search for a product using voice commands (Nike Free Running Shoes) and then have the system read out the results and lowest price; from there, the driver could order the item or continue shopping by adding items to the cart — all without taking his hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
Furthermore, GM Authority sources say that the question internally is who, exactly, would build the apps for GM’s app store. In effect, the app “exchange layer” that would provide the functionality and translate the smartphone app into something that’s recognized by the vehicle won’t be directly visible to the driver, thus potentially decreasing its value.
For many software developers, the proverbial carrot is the revenue (and profit) made from the widespread sale of the app. GM, however, questions the level of appeal that developing an exchange layer would be for developers — since the app would be less visible to end users.
Some within The General are proponents of the idea while others contend that it’s simply not up to GM to provide this kind of functionality, instead leaving it to smartphone makers.
The GM Authority Take
If released, this would be an industry first. While Ford’s SYNC is already capable of similar functionality, what’s being discussed here is much more involved, much more useful, and quite different — from the usability point of view.
Needless to say, the car is the next frontier of modern infotainment innovation — and it would be great for GM to lead the way in the space, from the get-go. But the dilemma of attracting developers must be fully strategized before moving forward — otherwise, the GM app store may not achieve its highest potential.
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Well, Well, Well…..They are Reading our Post cause I said this about a Week and a Half ago that they should Invite Developers to Write Apps for the Cadillac Cue an Whalla……..It;s gonna Happen…..so you Actually Heard it here First!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Also, why is the Focus Always on what iPhone User can do with something when Android is Blowin Up the iPhone??? My take is Stop Alienating Customers and use the term “Both iPhone(If you Have to Mention it First) And Android Users” can do whatever to the system cause the way you Sounding, one would Think it’s for iPhone Users Only!!!!
We’ve actually have been “sitting” on this story for quite a while, so it may be possible that it’s just a coincidence, as much as I’d love to think otherwise 🙂
In regards to the iPhone, the general term used in the article is “smartphone”, since just mentioning Android and iPhone would lead Windows Phone, Blackberry, Symbian, etc. users to wonder if it’s just for Android and the iPhone. The specific example is to be understood as just that — an example — since the item we’re talking about here isn’t even “real” in the marketplace!
PS: when you say “Android is blowing up the iPhone”, did you know that the iPhone is the #1 best-selling smartphone in the world?
Actually its Not cause Samsung just over took Apple as the #1 in Sales!!! But your Point on the Smartphone Issue is well Taken…..we want Everybody to Buy GM Vehicles and have an Awesome Experience!! 🙂
Actually, the iPhone is still the #1 best-selling smartphone.
I develop for and support the four smartphone platforms during the day (iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone) and still nothing comes close to the user experience and precision of an iPhone. Androids are half way there, so it’s surprising to me why so many people buy them. I guess cheap wins.
By the way — I think I saw a Caddy ATS mule here in Canada doing cold-weather testing. Too much camo to figure out how it would look…
An ideal app would read the calendar location field and allow tapping on it to initiate directions from the on-board nav system or On Star turn-by-turn.
Don’t build an app store, just let android or apple make apps. make it to where you can logon to your apple or google account, and off you go.
But therein lies the rub. Apple or Android don’t make apps except for the ones that ship with the actual devices. The store here would much different from a “regular” app store since it will actually provide an interface layer between the vehicle’s infotainment system and a smartphone. Apple and/or Google wouldn’t have much of an interesting in building something like that, I think.
Sorry, i know that Google and Apple don’t make all the apps – developers do. I meant that GM should use their respective app stores instead of making their own and Google and Apple should unleash developers to make fantastic apps for the cars.
Ah yes, I see. The only issue with using the actual “platform” app stores is that the apps in question need to run on the vehicle’s infotainment system. In effect, the user launches Amazon (for example) on their MyLink/IntelliLink/CUE and then the on-board app integrates with the proper app on the smartphone.
In effect, the apps couldn’t reside in the Android Marketplace or the Apple App Store since they would run “on the car” (as the device) rather than a handset.
Oh, and the latter part about Apple and/or Google not having much interest. I don’t know about Apple, but Google at their last I/O convention were showing off how the Android platform in the near future is going to proliferate throughout the house. They had an example of how you could schedule your lights to come on and off; Music will be controlled; Refrigerator would tell you when you’re low on milk – all sorts of things you would be able to sync up with your mobile device. I’m actually excited about it. 🙂
Very cool indeed. The appliances (fridge, AC, etc.) would all need to be connected and running some kind of a connected (and hopefully upgradeable) OS — I only know of a single fridge from LG that does this today on a limited basis.
The fridge has an app (for Blackberry, ironically) that one uses to control it. I imagine many appliance makers will jump on board and “connect” their products to the web (via WiFi) and put them behind a signal delivery network (like Apple’s Push services), allowing them to be controlled via apps.
The Mylink infotainment system looks promissing. I have a 2011 GMC Terrain with the NAV infotainment system, will there be an upgrade to the new MyLink system?
Steve
As far as we know, there won’t be a way to update existing (pre-MyLink) units to MyLink/IntelliLink; it’s the latter that you would get in a GMC or Buick nowadays.
They’re totally different systems with different hardware and software… Sorry to be the bearer of bad news 🙁
This was very interesting read brother!
ALso, try to this do as of now! is good.
But, always better to get a protection these days! Because none knows the past or future.
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I like your post…..its very informative