The "iPod tax"$$$$$$$

For automakers, this seamless integration comes at a cost. Apple exerts tight control over accessories for its music player through its "Made for iPod" licensing program. Dashboard integration with the iPod requires the ability to plug into the iPod's special dock connector -- and that, in turn, requires a license from Apple.

"Made for iPod" may be quite lucrative for Apple, with accessory makers reportedly paying 10 percent of the wholesale price of their wares for a license. Some observers have dubbed the license charge an "iPod tax."

http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/12/tech...ex.htm?cnn=yes

 

Doesn't make sense. Scion has iPod integration.

 

Lexus probably figured the percentage of Scions buyers that own an iPod would be much higher than that of IS. Same reason you can accesorize Scions with things like neon lighting kit, shift ****, decals, etc. It's a different demographic group.

 

I don't think that's an accurate or valid assumption. With 45M iPods out there, it's almost as pervasive as cell phones in our society. Look at the other autos supporting iPod integration.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipodyourcar/

Audi, MB, BMW, Infiniti, Ferrari, Volvo. Those would certainly not have iPod support based on your statement.

 

Hate to say it, but by the time Lexus's lawyers got done crippling full iPod integration, it wouldn't be worth having. Who wants song titles that disappear from the screen as soon as the vehicle starts moving?

 

Although it would be nice to display your song titles with IPod intergration. Just be happy for what you have already.

1. Mini jack to plug your ipod in.

2. MP3 capabilities

With these two, is full ipod intergration really that neccesary? I mean come on, use the mini jack to listen to your songs through your car stereo and be happy...or since you have all of those Mp3s on your harddrive anywyas, just burn it to a DVD or a CD and play it in your stereo.

 

I think the real reason why we don't have direct iPod integration is so that they can leave it as a new feature for future releases.

 

DVD is only an option if you have ML.

 

I hate to say it, but I think you're probably right.

 

why should people be forced to buy IPOD integration? I am getting more and more annoyed by Apple monopoly over personal music player market. It is one of the biggest and baddest monopolies out there. If MS was doing what Apple is doing with their players, they would all be rotting in jail by now.

Scions offer ipod integration as an addon, not standard.

You have miniplug, you have nice mp3 integration, you can burn several cd's worth of music - which is at least 1,000 high quality songs, and do you really need more than that?
Thankfully, they didnt make Lexus owners pay Apple tax on their cars.

 

i dont have an ipod...

 

iPod integration isn't very robust and isn't very slick either. My cousin has it in his Land Rover LR3 and it's a pain to go through his collection. It's much easier to interface straight with the iPod.

The best solution in my mind is using that iJet remote to control your iPod in our cars.

 

I'm with you on this one. I recently had opportunity to listen to iPod in my friends car. I thought the sound quality wasn't as good as cds.

 

Lets say this tax does infact exist and toyota gets no break, I think they figure that generation Y has embraced the iPod and it adds to the young "hip" image that Scion is designed to emulate. Toyota may have figured that not as many people will be looking at iPod integration as a major factor in purchasing the IS whereas it's a great marketing tool for the young Scion brand.

Maybe it wasn't that at all. It could just have been how it was designed and no one really thought about it.

I am pretty bummed we dont have full ipod integration, even if the titles will dissapear when we start driving. I do see a benefit for those without iPods as you can hook up any aux device to it. That's cool too.

 

that's because of the bitrate, probably just 128k. if it's higher bitrate like 320k or higher, it can get pretty darn close to cd