Is Apple Too Late in Launching iOS for Cars?

Apple Inc. aim to roll out the automotive version of its upcoming iOS 7 operating system next year, but the entry may be "way too late," says Frost & Sullivan.

A car using the platform, dubbed iOS in the Car, would enable the driver to connect a smart phone to the car's audio system and use Apple's highly regarded Siri voice recognition feature to make calls, read e-mail messages, display Apple's Maps app and more.

The market consulting firm notes that Apple's platform offers a standardized interface for multiple brands of vehicles and a relatively quick and inexpensive way for a carmaker to add a sophisticated infotainment system.

But adopting Apple's platform also would challenge a carmaker's ability to differentiate its system from competitors who use the same platform. Frost & Sullivan questions whether producers who have already formed telematics partnerships and invested heavily to develop their own infotainment systems would switch to Apple's platform.

Even so, researchers say that Apple's timing is good for partnering with tier one suppliers that want to use iOS 7 to integrate their infotainment systems.

Last year Apple announced EyesFree, a voice-activated system primarily for smart phones. It predicted nine carmakers would soon adopt it. So far, only General Motors, Honda and Mercedes-Benz have done so, according to Frost & Sullivan.

The iOS 7 platform, which incorporates EyesFree capabilities, is due next year. Apple says it will be adopted by Chevrolet, Ferrari, Hyundai-Kia, Infiniti, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Opel-Vauxhall and Volvo.

Frost & Sullivan says the potential market for Apple's platform is difficult to assess because the company hasn't made its intentions clear. It concludes that Apple has taken "the right baby steps" to test industry interest. If the company's aim is to become a system integrator, the researchers add, "then Apple has made the perfect opening move."