MirrorLink’s Apps: Too Little, Too Slow
The Car Connectivity Consortium, which promotes the MirrorLink technology to connect smartphone with Dashboards, sent out today a press release announcing the first graduating class of “MirrorLink Fast Track apps“ (Airmotion, BringGo, Coyote, Glympse, miRoamer, Parkopedia, and Sygic).
On the paper that looks nice, but the reality is a bit sad. Searching in my mailbox I found the press release announcing the initial launch of the “Fast“ Track apps, that was in February 2014, 18 months ago!
When speaking - off the records - to some of these app developers it is clear that the certification process is everything (cumbersome, costly) but fast. It is therefore not a surprise to see so little apps certified for MirrorLink.
MirrorLink has been very good at getting automakers and smartphone manufacturers to agree on a standard. Furthermore, it has become the last bastion against the dominance of Google’s Android Auto, as shown by the Samsung Keynote at the IFA trade show in Berlin last month.
However, in the mobile world the hard currency is developers. You can have the greatest names in the industry agreeing on a platform, but if you have no developers you are dead.
For the time being Android Auto has not opened the gates to developers; thus far only two APIs have been shown to developers and they are limited to audio apps. There is therefore a window of opportunity for MirrorLink but this opportunity is shrinking day after day.
MirrorLink, its time to accelerate!
To learn more on this topic join us at the ConnecteDriver conference in Brussels on January 27-28, 2016.
Chief Technology Officer
9 年Ludovic, why do car dashboards look like they are from the '80??? The Mirrorlink UI is not really up to date.
Chef de projet
9 年yes, agree, I already have all in one iPhone : waze, coyote (because waze does not beep anymore in front of speed cam...), Facebook, flipboard, mail... When my iPhone connects automatically to the Dashboard through Bluetooth, the first thing I do is to disconnect it because then I can't hear the warning beeps anymore... Still a lot of room for technological improvment... The only advantage I would see is a repeater of iPhone screen on the Dashboard only if it is in a really fast way.
C-Suite, Inventor, Entrepreneur & Executive Consultant, Co-Founder of ROCS Global, Inc.
9 年The dashboard or any other UI in a car is just that, another access point for passenger and driver content and services. How hammy ways can you access that content or those services in a home, business, hotel room etc. think of the power of the cloud as well as providing potential for those in a vehicle for significant periods of time and wanting or needing to be productive, entertained or just informed. Thinking along traditional silos of use cases is what will more the more stodgy auto companies in their past, and not allow them to focus their attentions where best spent: in making better cars that are moreenergy efficient, safer, more comfortable to ride in, funner to drive (for now) and nicer looking (for some)....
Consultant, Analyst,Forensic Expert, specialized in Automotive Electronics
9 年In my personal view, the benefits coming to users from apps and integrators such as Mirror Link, Cloud Car, and even those adopting Android Auto and Car Play are likely going to be very disappointing. As you point out, the lengthy develpment/release timeline, and then the severe limitations on app availability and more importantly, functionality, will leave users saying, "Why bother?" Unless there is a full integration with the vehicle (and its many functions) that can integrate seamlessly and effectively with apps, voice, and other UI modalities, this space will collapse within 12 months of launch, (or less) in my opinion. EVERYTHING I've seen thus far (and I've seen quite a few) is a huge disappointment to me as a potential customer/user. I'd rather keep my iPhone stuck to the windshield with a sturdy RAM Mount, and either do "Hey Siri", or a 3 finger touch on WAZE to then verbally select pretty much anything I want to do. The audio out already integrates over Bluetooth, so I don't really need the screen integration...in fact, its potentially too problematic. Higher end vehicles that forgo AA or CP with full time connectivity, advanced voice, and seamless integration look like the only candidates that are worth the extra money from what I've seen to-date.
VP OEM @ Airnity, Auto Connectivity Solutions
9 年But .. is there a place / a need for apps "smart-phone like" in dashboards ?