JupiterResearch: iPod as a platform - Part XXIV

Michael Gartenberg offers his take on Apple's (AAPL) deal with Ford, GM and Mazda to provide iPod integration in new cars at the Jupiter Analyst Weblogs. Gartenberg writes:

Let's see, before today, it was 6 out of 10 new cars in the US would be offering some sort of iPod integration. This is good news for Apple, not so good for the other folks out there. Let's face it, you buy a new Mercedes with an iPod connector and you can control it via the steering wheel, how likely are you to buy something else... like a Zune?

One reporter asked me why it took so long to get Ford and GM on board. The real question is how did Apple manage to get this done so quickly. Auto vendors are notorious for long lead times and being slow to integrate stuff like this. Ask Microsoft's auto folks how long they've been trying for something simple like getting USB into cars, much less a proprietary connector. This story just gets more and more interesting.