The Connected Car Has Become The Next Battleground For Google, Amazon, And Apple's Mobile Platforms

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Platforms Race To Capture The Connected Car Market (GigaOm)
Apple has just secured a deal with Japanese car maker Honda that will lead to deep integration with Apple's iOS mobile operating system in the new 2014 Honda Civic.

The revamped HondaLink infotainment system found in the new Civic will allow users to access iPhone apps and give voice commands through Siri. The seven-inch monitor on the car's dash will also feature touch navigation similar to the iPhone, and recognizing gestures like swipes and pinches.

This does not mean Honda will not offer future support for Android devices. However, for now iOS is the big winner and Honda claims that Android users can access simple connectivity features like Bluetooth integration.

Meanwhile, Amazon's Cloud Player iOS music app, featuring its cloud music service, is now compatible with all connected BMW and Mini vehicles, a year after debuting in a few Ford models.

Connected cars figure to be one of the next big mobile markets, and it's clear that mobile platforms are starting to take notice. The race is on to see which platform will become most common on our car's dashboard. Last year, Google teamed up with Kia, and Mitsubishi recently worked with Nokia. Read >

In other news...

Mobile payments company Square has hired several key members from the team at Viewfinder, a former photo-sharing mobile app. (Square)

A new survey from Forrester ranks the mobile payments companies that consumers show the most trust in at this point. PayPal, Amazon, and the major credit card companies round out the top three, leaving perennial mobile players Google and Apple out of the picture. (VentureBeat)

To bridge the gap between mobile and desktop for its Chrome ecosystem , Google is building tools that will make it easier for developers to create Android and iOS versions of its Web-based Chrome desktop apps. The announcement is not yet official, but developers are already able to test out the tools. (The Next Web)

E La Carte, a tablet hardware and software provider, will supply 100,000 tablet devices to restaurant chain Applebee's to be used tableside by customers to place orders and make payments. (TechCrunch)

TechCrunch has a hands-on review of the first smartphone from Finnish startup device maker Jolla. (TechCrunch)

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