Volkswagen has prepared a special Beetle for Apple fans – this is the Volkswagen iBeetle, which makes it’s world debut at Auto Shanghai 2013.
It’s essentially a regular Beetle but with an integrated Apple iPhone docking station on top of the dashboard in which you just snap your iPhone in. To make the integration truly useful, you’ll have to download a special App called “Volkswagen Car Net The Beetle”, which then allows your car’s entertainment system to access the following features:
- Spotify: lets users stream media such as new songs, customized playlists or online radio stations into the Beetle. Those who wish can post their favorite music directly to friends. In addition, users in the Beetle can switch between Spotify and iTunes at any time.
- Expert: offers five functions which make the iPhone an extended on-board instrument of the Beetle, such as a G-Meter (for measuring lateral acceleration), oil and coolant temperature gauges for the engine, a chronometer, and a compass.
- Trainer: can be used to compare driving times, distances, and fuel economy values for different routes between any two destinations. Here, too, tips can be posted via social networks like Twitter and Facebook—such as which route is faster to the office.
- Reader: lists the latest messages from social networks like Facebook, and reads iPhone messages aloud.
- Postcard: Sends the current location of the Beetle to friends as a digital postcard with a map motif.
- Photo: Sends photos taken inside the car to numerous social networks. Simply activate it, and the app does the rest.
- Milestones: Available when the smartphone is undocked. Rewards its users with virtual “milestone stickers” for the Beetle when certain tasks have been completed.
Other than the dock, other special iBeetle features include door mirror housings and side trim panels finished in Galvano Grey, 18-inch “Disc” alloy wheels, and a chrome trim package. The new iBeetle can be ordered in the colours Candy White, Oryx White Mother of Pearl Effect, Black Monochrome, Deep Black Pearl Effect, Platinum Grey or Reflex Silver – all very Apple-esque colours.
Volkswagen will eventually roll out such iPhone 5 App integration services to the rest of the Volkswagen line-up instead of just limiting it to the iBeetle, which will be the first model to feature such integration.
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Finally, one car manufacturer gets it and soon, believe me, all other manufacturers will follow suit. My biggest question is – why didn’t the car AV giants like Alpine, Nakamichi, Clarion, Pioneer implement this idea? I thought it was a no-brainer to have a unit that essentially allowed docking of your smartphones (be it Android or iOS) and have it integrate with the car’s sound system and even access other features just like the iBeetle here
Let me answer for you. From the picture above, the phone itself is an iPhone 5, then what about previous generation iPhone owner? The connector and size is totally different. Then about Android smartphone, it’s quite impossible to make a dock for Android smartphone. The size differ is too huge, from a small 2.55 inch X10 mini to a huge upcoming 6.5 inch Galaxy Mega. And the connecting port is differ from each phone to another. And then, the iBeetle used an 4 inch as a external display. But imagine yourself, an iPhone at the centre of the car, can you read ant text or see any image clearly? Usually best is 6-7 inch. Then the extra features, some of them are integrated into their ICE. Some ICE even runs Android too. In my opinion, the best solution is USB connect for power and transfer file via Bluetooth or Cloud system.
If this is an apple car, then will it have windows?
Lame -_-
The iPhone dock on top of the dash looks like a sore thumb sticking out but I guess its the cheapest way to integrate it into the car.
A better (and more expensive) way for phone integration is like the iDrive from BMW where the phone is tucked away in a good place.
Still…a good move from VW, we have a car that matches our iPhones and MacBooks hehe…now all we need is an iHouse/Home eh?
i thought nowadays people using android..
since android has mny sizes, they cn make an adaptor to suit all android phone
Yep.. step in the right direction. People are already sticking their phones onto their cars. This is just a more integrated approach. The AV giants are probably afraid of losing dash board space.