Category: Connected Car

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps

Apps Are the Best Way into the Connected Car

By: Vince Kattoula

Last year, Gartner made the claim that by 2020, there will be a quarter billion connected vehicles on the road. We learned back in March that 72% of media executives anticipate moderate or massive digital disruption within the following 12 months. The logical outcome of this equation is that audio-based media is going to be heavily disrupted as behaviors in the car continue to change. So how do you future-proof yourself?

Apps are the best way into the driver’s car

Whether it’s the newest iPhone or the latest Samsung Galaxy, people experience media through the device of their choice. Not only have Apple and Google realized this, but they have capitalized on this by allowing this choice to be taken to the place where people spend hundreds of hours annually – their vehicle. That’s why we have introduced App EverywhereSM-Auto allowing our apps to make the trip to the dashboard seamlessly!
When promoted correctly, your apps effectively engage consumers through their mobile phones allowing them to carry a personalized selection of their favorite content wherever they go. Because of this, it’s not hard to understand why people are so loyal to their smartphones. So much so, that Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto are now available in more than 100 different models of automobiles. Virtually every vehicle rolling off the assembly line in the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Korea is now connected in some way. And what are these vehicles connecting to? Smartphones (and apps), of course.
The “key” to staying connected starts with us! Give us a call at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com in order to learn how you can stay connected.

Categories
Android Auto Apple CarPlay Connected Car Mobile Apps

CarPlay and Android Auto Have Taken over the Car

By: Bob Kernen

In case you missed our announcement earlier this summer, jacapps is now offering our apps with integration into Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto. As a company that lives down the hall from the connected car leaders at Jacobs Media, this has been a great tech adventure for us. Now that our first app, for WMMR – Philadelphia, is out in the connected car wild, I took the opportunity to go out and use these two systems in a variety of cars to really experience this new technology.
If you don’t know much about these systems are let me take a moment to explain. Connected cars on the market today have an 8-inch screen that is the car’s “control panel.” Each manufacturer has developed their own software system and user interface for these, and their quality and usability varies wildly. Because of the lack of standardization, both Apple and Google created their own software “layer” that allows the car’s native system to be overridden by an extension of your smartphone’s operating system. Apple’s is known as CarPlay and is rolling out in over 30 different manufacturers. Google’s is Android Auto and is rolling out in more than 50 brands.
If your car’s in-dash system supports one or both of these, you can bring your phone into the car and “connect,” accessing certain functions of your phone on the car’s touchscreen. Once connected you can make calls, access text messages and audio content – including our radio station apps. It’s a terrific concept: your phone truly “synced” to your car.
I tried out the two systems in over a half-dozen cars. Doing this was a little tricky since while most manufacturers have begun rolling out CarPlay and Android Auto support, it isn’t in every model, and even then not in every trim line. Typically, you have to have the top-end in-car navigation and entertainment system to get CarPlay or Android Auto.
When I did find the right model with these systems, I have to admit, it’s a real game changer – for both good and not-so-good. By bringing your phone directly to the car they succeed in making your car an extension of your iPhone or Android. The media, messaging, and mapping choices (the three M’s) in your phone are there in your car too. The connection is smooth and easy – practically seamless. The downside is that interacting with other features of your car, like the temperature control, and the radio can get a little more complicated.
But, if you’re someone who drives different cars from time to time, having the same in-dash experience no matter which vehicle you’re driving is fantastic. It’s easy to imagine how great this will be when most rental cars have CarPlay or Android Auto. No matter what car you drive, just hop in, connect, and you’re good to go.
As the smartphone becomes the essential Swiss Army Knife of modern life it’s inevitable that we will want other technology systems in our life to integrate easily and intuitively with our phone (the label “phone” seems woefully insufficient). So the car is here now, and reports from both Apple and Google indicate that your house is next as both companies are busy creating operating systems for that environment.
If you want to discuss how this mobile revolution is affecting, and will affect, your business now and in the future, give us a call at 248-353-9030, or email us at sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Radio

How Radio Can Stay Connected in the Connected Car

The car dashboard is the greatest programming challenge for broadcasters today. Although radio remains the dominant media consumed in the car, the big boys of tech are confident that they can change this. And for good reason.

Much of the hype around the connected car has revolved around Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto. With this technology, the driver is able to extend their favorite apps from their smartphone to their vehicle’s infotainment system. Apple and Google dominate the smartphone industry, and drivers are accustomed to using Bluetooth to connect smartphones to cars. So, it’s easy to understand their plans to enter the automotive infotainment industry. (There is even talk that Apple is designing a whole car!)

For as long as anyone can remember, the in-car media competition was between radio stations fighting for one of those 5 or 10 presets on the car radio. It’s a different story now as in-car competition includes on-demand streaming services, satellite radio, podcasts – in short, just about any audio media.

Listeners, increasingly, turn to their smartphones to access this content and research shows that consumers are more loyal to their smartphone than to their automobile. So that means that while each manufacturer has their own in-car system (Sync, InTune, Cue, MyLink, Uconnect, etc.) they really have to play nice with their customers’ smartphones.

Having WiFi in the car gives the driver all the more reason to pull out their smartphone in order to stream their favorite content, whether it be the latest Justin Bieber song or the newest podcast episode from Radiolab. So, what does this mean for your station? Simple – your mobile app is the way in. Whether it’s the in-car system, CarPlay or Android Auto, your mobile app makes sure that when your listener is in the car, your brand stays top of mind. And not just your main stream, but your podcasts, HD and digital channels.

The car is arguably the most important place for your station’s brand, and we can help you maintain your place there as this crucial ecosystem evolves.

If you’d like to learn more about how to stay connected in the car give us a call at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Radio

Surviving the Modern Dashboard

By: Vince Kattoula

Ginny Morris, Chairman & CEO of Hubbard Radio, said that she “worries more about connected cars than about streaming services.” After all the technological advancements radio has survived, the “connected car” may be the most challenging. For a while now, consumers have had the option to connect their smartphones to their vehicle via Bluetooth, and listen to music that way. The introduction of Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto into production vehicles means the app will be that much more central to people’s media consumption.

Apps are the best way to engage consumers through their mobile phone since it allows a variety of content (and content types like audio, video, text, etc.) to go with them no matter where they are. People experience media through the device of their choice, whether it be an Apple iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy (which runs on Android’s OS). CarPlay and Android Auto allow this choice to be taken to the place where they spend hundreds of hours annually – their vehicle.

So, what does this mean for your station? Simple – your mobile app is the way in. Not just your main stream, but your podcasts, HD and digital channels. At jacapps, we can help you sort through the connected car so your station is easy to find where it matters most – with the end user and in the place that matters most.

If you want to learn more about the connected car, contact us at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps

The OS in Your Car

By: Bob Kernen

At this late date in the digital revolution, most of us have made our decisions about the tech we like – you’re either a Mac person or a PC person, an iPhone person or an Android person. The new choice consumers are now being asked to make has to do with which operating system (OS) they want in their car.

Ford Sync was the first to market in 2008, but soon every major manufacturer had its own “connected car” system — Cue, Uconnect, lots of others, too. Usually with a touchscreen and a decidedly proprietary look and feel. Then in 2014, the big tech dogs announced that they were getting into the automotive game. Apple and Google both announced that they wanted a piece of your dash, too. Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto are now rolling out in new vehicles, and you only have to see a recent TV commercial for Chevy, or VW or Audi to see these systems in action.

So in spite of millions invested in proprietary in-car systems, most of the major manufacturers have conceded that people don’t want another choice, they want the choice they’ve already made (iPhone or Android) to work in their car, too.

There are some trade-offs. If you use CarPlay or Android Auto in your car, you may lose easy access to some of your car’s key functions – climate control, radio, etc. – but you will gain access to any apps on your phone that are enabled for these connected car systems. There are also still other in-car systems that you may bump into like SmartDeviceLink (Ford and Toyota), MirrorLink and even Panasonic’s One Connect.

So what’s a content provider or marketer to do? You have to add to your growing and ever more complicated digital strategy a plan for getting into this important environment. But it’s not entirely straightforward. There are lots of rules (you know, because safety) about what you can display on the car’s screen, and not every piece of content or functionality is going to make it to the dashboard. When thinking about it, think about the “3 M’s” – Media, Messaging and Mapping.

Your mobile app is the best way in, as your app can be enabled for any of these systems, and at jācapps we have focused on this crucial “connected car” space as part of our App Everywhere℠ strategy. We can help you to understand how to best deliver your content in this important, but highly restricted space.

In the future, maybe your car will become nothing but a giant “peripheral” to your smartphone, but as a car lover from Motown, I hope not.

To learn more about how to stay connected contact us at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps

The Connected Car and Why It Matters

Connected Car

By: Vince Kattoula

Today everything is connected, including your car.  Most cars built in the last 5 years are able to sync with the driver’s cell phone and keep them connected via the infotainment system.  Google’s much talked about driverless car promises to make the connected car experience even more rider-friendly.  However, the definition of the connected car can vary depending on where you are and who you are talking to.  According to Ben Cohen, Vice President & Head of Consumer Practice at Denneen & Company, “The connected car is not a single technology or functionality; it comprises a multitude of technologies and functionalities.”

Cohen isn’t necessarily all too concerned with what the connected car is but more-so with why the connected car matters.  And boy does it matter.  It provides marketers with another way to gain new insights into consumers’ behavior.  Connected car data can be valuable when researching what format(s) of content consumers are using, when they are using it, and how they access it.  It also offers marketers the opportunity to deliver new and better value to consumers.  They can leverage specific consumer data in order to better address consumers’ needs, wants, and pain points.  Lastly, the connected car is a platform for brands to communicate with consumers in a more relevant manner.  It allows marketers the ability to engage consumers with the “right offer at the right moment” while in the car.

With all this connected car talk it is hard to know where things will end up.  At jacapps, we can help you sort out the “connected car” so your brand is easy to find where it matters most – with the end user in the place where they spend thousands of hours.  Our apps are fully customizable and we will always support what we sell.

Click here to read more about Why Connected Cars Matter to Marketers.

To learn more about how to stay connected contact us at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Android Auto Apple CarPlay Connected Car Mobile Apps

Connected Car: CarPlay & Android Auto… & INRIX?

The average American spends roughly 38,000 hours of their life driving.  So it’s no wonder that automakers are investing heavily in “connected cars.”  Initially, the focus was on manufacturer developed technology like Sync, UConnect, Cue and MyLink.  But then the big boys of tech crashed the party, and since then much of the hype around the connected car has revolved around Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which allow drivers to extend apps from their smartphones to their vehicle’s infotainment system.  Apple and Google dominate the smartphone industry, and, drivers are used to using Bluetooth to connect smartphones to cars.  So the giants’ plans to enter the automotive industry was a no-brainer. But now, INRIX is here to say not so fast.

INRIX has been a leader of worldwide dynamic connected car services for over a decade now.  Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of INRIX says “Today, over half of the connected vehicles in the world use INRIX services.”  Their industry leadership is again on display, this time through the acquisition of OpenCar, which is a U.S. automotive software and services provider.  What stands out about this acquisition is that the OpenCar framework does not limit automaker-specific customization which allows for app deployment across different makes and models while still allowing each automaker to create a unique customer experience.

With all these connected car technology options it is hard to know where things will end up.  What this really means is that radio has to keep its eye on yet another platform, which can be frustrating.  At jacapps, we can help you sort out the “connected car” so your station is easy to find where it matters most – with the end user in the place where they spend those thousands of hours.  Our apps are fully customizable and we will always support what we sell.

To read more click here.

To learn more about how to stay connected contact us at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Android Auto Apple CarPlay Connected Car Mobile Apps

Connected Car: CarPlay & Android Auto… & INRIX?

The average American spends roughly 38,000 hours of their life driving.  So it’s no wonder that automakers are investing heavily in “connected cars.”  Initially, the focus was on manufacturer developed technology like Sync, UConnect, Cue and MyLink.  But then the big boys of tech crashed the party, and since then much of the hype around the connected car has revolved around Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which allow drivers to extend apps from their smartphones to their vehicle’s infotainment system.  Apple and Google dominate the smartphone industry, and, drivers are used to using Bluetooth to connect smartphones to cars.  So the giants’ plans to enter the automotive industry was a no-brainer. But now, INRIX is here to say not so fast.

INRIX has been a leader of worldwide dynamic connected car services for over a decade now.  Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of INRIX says “Today, over half of the connected vehicles in the world use INRIX services.”  Their industry leadership is again on display, this time through the acquisition of OpenCar, which is a U.S. automotive software and services provider.  What stands out about this acquisition is that the OpenCar framework does not limit automaker-specific customization which allows for app deployment across different makes and models while still allowing each automaker to create a unique customer experience.

With all these connected car technology options it is hard to know where things will end up.  What this really means is that radio has to keep its eye on yet another platform, which can be frustrating.  At jacapps, we can help you sort out the “connected car” so your station is easy to find where it matters most – with the end user in the place where they spend those thousands of hours.  Our apps are fully customizable and we will always support what we sell.

To read more click here.

To learn more about how to stay connected contact us at 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Radio

Radio & Cars – Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

American radio and the car industry have more in common than most people would initially think.  Throughout the 20th century there were many challenges both these industries faced but they have survived and thrived, proving they are both highly profitable legacy industries.  However, despite their ability to adapt, they are facing millions of Millennials who aren’t as interested in their products as older generations.  Both automakers and radio operators are watching them gravitating away from their respective businesses.

Digital technologies are taking over about every aspect of our everyday lives, and this is no different with automobiles and radio.  A new era in digital technology has emerged, leaving both automotive and radio to seek out new employees with skill sets that have nothing to do with their businesses historically.  With the rise in this technology comes a new set of competitors that automakers would have never thought to be opponents.  Companies such as Google and Apple are competing for a spot on the user’s dashboard, while radio broadcasters were slow to understand challenges posed by Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM.

One thing is for sure – things aren’t what they used to be.  And that’s why it’s fascinating for our company to watch what many automakers are now doing to face these challenges, while wondering whether radio couldn’t go down a similar road.  This is not to say the auto industry has it all figured out, because many of their executives will tell you that these next five years are as impossible to predict as the previous five.

To read more about the industry wide disruption, click here.

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Radio

Radio & Cars – Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

American radio and the car industry have more in common than most people would initially think.  Throughout the 20th century there were many challenges both these industries faced but they have survived and thrived, proving they are both highly profitable legacy industries.  However, despite their ability to adapt, they are facing millions of Millennials who aren’t as interested in their products as older generations.  Both automakers and radio operators are watching them gravitating away from their respective businesses.

Digital technologies are taking over about every aspect of our everyday lives, and this is no different with automobiles and radio.  A new era in digital technology has emerged, leaving both automotive and radio to seek out new employees with skill sets that have nothing to do with their businesses historically.  With the rise in this technology comes a new set of competitors that automakers would have never thought to be opponents.  Companies such as Google and Apple are competing for a spot on the user’s dashboard, while radio broadcasters were slow to understand challenges posed by Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM.

One thing is for sure – things aren’t what they used to be.  And that’s why it’s fascinating for our company to watch what many automakers are now doing to face these challenges, while wondering whether radio couldn’t go down a similar road.  This is not to say the auto industry has it all figured out, because many of their executives will tell you that these next five years are as impossible to predict as the previous five.

To read more about the industry wide disruption, click here.