external effects
Game On: Carplay, the Internet and More
WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER
Hate the Player à Get Connected What’s Going On: Forget Detroit.
In the next few years, Google, Apple, and other technology companies will be rolling out vehicles packed with the latest mobile connectivity features. That was the mantra and the wake-up call delivered at the 14th annual Telematics Detroit Conference held last month, June fourth and fifth. Vice President of the Automotive Industry Advisory Services at Gartner, Thilo Koslowski, said automak- ers need to step up their game in offering mobile technology or be beaten out by this new batch of rivals. How It Can Affect You: Technology is rapidly changing the auto industry
and how consumers are spending time in their vehicles. For mobile product manu- facturers and retailers, this is a defining moment. According to industry analysts, the self-driving car and Apple’s CarPlay are just the tip of the iceberg. A recent Gartner survey showed that 58 percent of consumers already believe car makers should let tech companies develop in-ve- hicle technology. If Automakers don’t step up and offer more connected features soon tech companies will earmark that valuable space on the dash and make it more difficult for the car manufacturers to stand out.
Curtains up on CarPlay What’s Going On: With in-car connectivity continuing to
generate its fair share of buzz these days, Apple took advan- tage of this to show off the new CarPlay entertainment system via one of the splashier automakers who has signed on this year. What better way to drum up hype than at Apple’s World-
wide Developers Conference (WWDC) held last month where the company parked a $300,000-plus silver Ferrari FF on the show floor of the Moscone West convention center sporting the new system. How It Can Affect You: Much like navigation systems—Alpine introduced the first one in-vehicle for Honda back in 1981—which took a while to gather mainstream accep- tance, these in-car technologies tend to gather steam gradually. The initial rollout is quite limited with Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo on board along with Honda and Ferrari for 2014. (Others, including BMW and Ford, have signed on to support CarPlay in the future). Later this year, CarPlay rolls out in select Pioneer and Alpine head units, too.
28 Mobile Electronics July 2014
What’s Going On: In the tech world, things may burn out, but they never really fade away. Take this mega brand from the ‘80s era that is experiencing a resurrection of sorts. Atari, a revolu- tionary video company and maker of the iconic Atari 2600 home game console, filed for bankruptcy protection last year with the ultimate goal of selling off its roster of games. When the games didn’t attract quite enough cash at auction, the company kept them. Atari emerged from bankruptcy last December and is now trying to revive itself. How It Can Affect You: Gamers are a loyal bunch. The category has seen new life due to digital and online platforms, so Atari may actually have a shot at getting back in the marketplace in a meaning- ful way. Globally, the gaming business is expected to grow to more than $100 billion by 2017, but not without some serious disruptions. Mobile games will outpace consoles worldwide as early as 2015, and even more provocative, physical store sales will diminish in 2015, drop- ping below 20 percent of the market in the U.S. All of this is according to Nether- lands-based market researcher Newzoo. Ultimately, the timing for Atari couldn’t be better. Frédéric Chesnais, a French game industry veteran and company CEO, is leading the effort with a focus on mobile and Facebook games rather than the volatile and competitive console market.
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