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Technology Stocks : Apple Tankwatch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: pyslent who wrote (21867)	9/16/2012 9:24:15 AM
From: sylvester80	2 Recommendations Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 32692

Apple Lightning Adaptor Kills iPod Out on BMW, Mini Models By Damon Lavrinc Email Author September 14, 2012 \| 6:17 pm \| Categories: Infotainment wired.com Would-be iPhone 5 owners are in store for disappointment when they connect their shiny new Apple device into their BMW or Mini model. The new Lightning connector and the adapter necessary to convert the nearly decade-old 30-pin arrangement to the new 8-pin setup won’t work with the vehicle’s iPod Out functionality. iPod Out allows drivers to get a familiar, iPod-like interface displayed on the in-dash screen if they equipped their BMW and Mini models with the feature. The new Lightning connector eliminates the analog video signal required to transmit that display to the screen, so iPod Out functionality is dead … for now. BMW spokespeople made it emphatically clear that owners will still be able to listen to music, podcasts and other audio over the built-in stereo, along with accessing BMW Apps and Mini Connected features using the combination of the new Lightning adaptor fitted to the existing 30-pin connector and the duo of USB and 1/8-inch audio jack supplied by both BMW and Mini. So yes, the tunes will continue to flow, but the automaker’s PlugIn feature – enabling video playback while stationary and the mirrored Apple interface – is officially out. According to BMW spokesman Dave Buchko, “There is a lot we still don’t know, but BMW has a long history of finding compatibility solutions for iPods and smartphones where none existed.” Tags: BMW, iphone 5, lightning, lightning adaptor, mini Post Comment \| 55 Comments and 395 Reactions \| Permalink

To: pyslent who wrote (21867)	9/16/2012 9:38:59 AM
From: sylvester80	1 Recommendation Respond to of 32692

Change in Apple iPhone 5 dock connector irritates consumers Posted September 16, 2012 at midnight commercialappeal.com CUPERTINO, Calif. — A dock connector may not seem like a controversial feature, but for some consumers it could be the difference between buying the new iPhone 5 or not. Apple Inc. is losing the 30-pin connector that has been the standard on the smartphone since the original iPhone was introduced five years ago. It says the new eight-pin connector called Lightning is necessary to keep making thinner devices. But longtime Apple fans say Lightning is just adding to the cost of an already expensive smartphone. "I have an iPhone 4 and I've bought a lot of these connectors and cables and things like that, and the idea of having to go out and buy them all again doesn't exactly appeal to me," said Chris Lee, 45, a Web developer from Lake Arrowhead, Calif. "It doesn't seem necessary." Nikhil Kumar, vice president of technology delivery at a software company in Austin, Texas, said he was "definitely annoyed and disappointed" with the connector change. "It's got people like me wondering if I'm going to upgrade," the 40-year-old said. Apple has "figured out how to help their partner ecosystem make a ton of money, which is great for them, but not great for the consumer." Businesses, too, such as hotel owners who bought iPhone-compatible docking radios for guest rooms, are also grappling with whether to keep the soon-to-be outdated devices or buy new ones. On the flip side, the Lightning connector is a boon to accessories makers, who are hoping to cash in with new products to fit the smaller dock, such as car chargers and speakers. The accessories market for gadgets is huge and growing fast. Aftermarket accessories for mobile handsets are estimated to total $36 billion in worldwide sales this year, said Michael Morgan, senior analyst for mobile devices at ABI Research. Of that, as much as $7 billion will be spent on accessories for the iPhone. Dave Gatto, chief executive of Apple accessory maker Incase, said the smaller connector is the "kind of change that always seems to create opportunity." Mark Sabbagh, co-founder of iPhone accessory maker Good Call, noted that 30-pin accessories currently on store shelves won't go obsolete. All five previous generations of the iPhone use the larger dock connector, and millions of consumers are still using the iPhone 4 and 4S. "This is only going to be better for us at the end of the day," Sabbagh said. Despite consumer grumbling, the new connector isn't expected to affect iPhone 5 sales. "I imagine people will buy it despite the modest headache you'll get out of it," said Amit Daryanani, an equity analyst at RBC Capital Markets. Daryanani, who attended the iPhone 5 launch in San Francisco, said hype for the latest iPhone iteration was unprecedented. The iPhone 5 will be released Friday, and analysts have estimated the Cupertino, Calif., company could sell as many as 10 million in the first 10 days. After announcing Lightning, Apple said it would sell dock converters starting at $29, which consumers can use to connect their iPhone 5s to accessories with old docks. But some accessories won't be compatible with the adapter. And many current iPhone owners complained that the company should give out converters for free instead of reaping big sales from consumers forced to buy them.

To: pyslent who wrote (21867)	9/16/2012 11:04:14 PM
From: zax	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 32692

>> I do know for a fact that the Lumia 920 won't work with my car stereo, so I son't think it's a better option for me. Your car doesn't support bluetooth audio? My G37X supports it. If you can pair for calling, you can do bluetooth audio. The car also has a standard USB port, good for charging, among other things. USB cables literally cost pennies. Thats really unfortunate, that the capability is lost in your BMW due to Apple's switch from one closed standard to another. But this sort of thing is really quite typical when one moves from mainstream standards to proprietary standards. There is a very real cost factor as well, initially concealed from iThing purchasers, in the form of "IP fees" passed on to the manufacturers of the limited subset of peripherals available.