Ford has expanded availability of SYNC AppLink to 3-million additional vehicles in the U.S. Owners of qualifying 2010-2013 model year vehicles with the first-generation SYNC system can simply download the AppLink software off their home computers and install in their cars using a USB stick.
Ford first showed the first SYNC software back in 2007. Back Edge networking (G2) was the fast lane of cell Data. Today we have LTE (G4)!
In 2011 Ford debuted a new feature of SYNC called AppLink giving consumers the ability to control smartphone apps using their voice…an industry-first…helping drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
Today there are 70 AppLink-compatible smartphone apps running on iOS and Android devices. In that mix are Spotify, NPR, MLB.com At Bat, Tunein, Allergy Alert and WSJ Live to name a few.
According to Strategy Analytics, consumers all over the world are using smartphone apps while driving: 78% of smartphone owners in China, 48% in the U.S. and 37% in Europe. There are more than 70 AppLink-compatible smartphone apps running on iOS and Android devices.
Today, there are more than 10-million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road around the world with 2.4-million of them running AppLink. With today’s announcement, another 3-million cars will soon do the same.
Ford hopes to grwo the system give more. Forad has contribution AppLink software code to the open source community through the GENIVI Alliance where it is known as SmartDeviceLink.
Plus Ford plans to host multiple hackathons around the world this year to grow the app ecosystem even further especially in new categories such as health and wellness, connected home, productivity and mobile payments
