So long, OEM CD players

THGL

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Automakers shedding CD players
By msnbc.com news services
CD players in cars look set to go the same way as the dodo bird, according to a report in industry trade publication Automotive News.
With content and computing power migrating to smartphones, which can now channel music, navigation and other applications to relatively simple and low-cost onboard infotainment systems, CD players are becoming increasingly irrelevant in cars, the report says.
Automakers also want to get rid of optical drives -- that is, CD or DVD players -- because they are expensive and appeal mainly to older motorists, according to the report.
Indeed, the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS, which debuted this week at the Detroit auto show and will go on sale in the United States this summer features an optional MyLink infotainment system that lets motorists make hands-free phone calls, listen to MP3 music and get route guidance by linking their smartphones to the vehicle's infotainment system. But no CD player, Automotive News said.
?We asked potential Sonic and Spark customers what they were looking for in infotainment,? Sara LeBlanc, MyLink's global infotainment program manager, told Automotive News. ?They were very worried about cost. They said to us: ?Get rid of the CD player. We don?t use it.??

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/10/10096404-automakers-shedding-cd-players

The only part I disagree with is using one's smartphone for the navigation system. Yes, it'll work, but the owner could face usage charges from their carrier. I think buyers shouldn't have to rely on any third-party product for their car to work.
 
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/10/10096404-automakers-shedding-cd-players

The only part I disagree with is using one's smartphone for the navigation system. Yes, it'll work, but the owner could face usage charges from their carrier. I think buyers shouldn't have to rely on any third-party product for their car to work.
Not all navigation software uses data and I don't see how navigation usage is any different from any other data usage (web, email, streaming services) you are paying for that why not navigation? Also keep in mind that navigation systems are optional equipment and its much cheaper to use a phone you already own with data plan you already pay for anyway than getting a $2,000 option that might lack many features you want. As an example my friend's 2010 Camry has a DVD based navigation system....
 
Next they'll be saying eight-track is on the way out.
 
Not all navigation software uses data and I don't see how navigation usage is any different from any other data usage (web, email, streaming services) you are paying for that why not navigation? Also keep in mind that navigation systems are optional equipment and its much cheaper to use a phone you already own with data plan you already pay for anyway than getting a $2,000 option that might lack many features you want. As an example my friend's 2010 Camry has a DVD based navigation system....

Most people have data caps in their plan, not unlimited, so you're right, it definitely matters if folks use a big chunk of their monthly data allocations for streaming navigation data (live traffic updates, etc) during their daily commutes.

I just use an aftermarket Garmin unit with free unlimited traffic reports and avoid the whole problem altogether.

Next they'll be saying eight-track is on the way out.

Remember the last car your parents owned with an 8 track player? I remember mine, it was an 80s Volvo DL.

volvo-240-1985_3117_4.jpg
 
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While I agree that the future lies in smartphones and the likes, e.g. my Fiat is equipped with a system called Blue & Me which offers the same features as described in the article, and it works a lot better then I expected it to, I wouldn't call optical media a thing of the past yet. I find myself using my 'old' CDs quite often when in the car, and only few of my friends actually have smartphones at the moment.
 
Remember the last car your parents owned with an 8 track player? I remember mine, it was an 80s Volvo DL.

The MGB my dad bought a couple years ago. :p
 
Most people have data caps in their plan, not unlimited, so you're right, it definitely matters if folks use a big chunk of their monthly data allocations for streaming navigation data (live traffic updates, etc) during their daily commutes.
The most I ever managed to pull down was just over a gig that was using Pandora radio every time I drove, I'll check this months usage since I been watching Hulu+ quite a bit. I don't necessarily think that traffic data would make a huge difference, now if you have something that has to download maps live (some navi software does that) then you will be burning through that plan pretty damn quick.
I just use an aftermarket Garmin unit with free unlimited traffic reports and avoid the whole problem altogether.
They are pretty good but they are still limited in all the ways [most] optional OEM navigation systems are as far not being able to just Google for something then click "take me there" and still needing an address or intersection (POIs get outdated quickly and I never had good luck with them) and its another device to buy.

To me the main benefit of a smartphone is that its an all-in-one type of thing, music, video, games, internet, navigation and you already own it!
few of my friends actually have smartphones at the moment.
Three points:
1 - Adoption rate is quite high so this will not be a case in the next 5-10 years
2 - Feature phones had MP3 playback for years (most can take an SD card as well)
3 - MP3 players are still around and much cheaper than smartphones (no monthly plan)

Just no reason to use optical media for music anymore.
 
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The most I ever managed to pull down was just over a gig that was using Pandora radio every time I drove, I'll check this months usage since I been watching Hulu+ quite a bit. I don't necessarily think that traffic data would make a huge difference, now if you have something that has to download maps live (some navi software does that) then you will be burning through that plan pretty damn quick.

Just remember many ppl are cheap and using their smartphones on family plans so the collective data usage is shared amongst all the family members. Those of us who pay for our own plans don't have to worry about that.

iPhone google maps is not great as an on the fly nav system but works ok in a pinch, plus when I'm driving the screen is too small for me and I only used it before I bought the standalone unit. I will admit that smartphone integration with apps like yelp is very nice when it comes to all in one integration. Right now I am looking up restaurant business addresses on yelp mobile app and plugging them into the garmin nav which is cumbersome yes, but the visibility on the larger screened windshield nav unit works better for me.

I will admit the Android OS google maps is an excellent app (which kind of makes sense) especially on the monster sized smart phone screens.
 
The MGB my dad bought a couple years ago. :p
That doesn't count, it'll have been after-market! :p

I don't like the fact my car has a CD player, I'd much prefer MP3 support, or even a cassette deck, at least you can get MP3 to cassette converters that work decently. But I also don't really own a smart phone (my 2nd hand Blackberry is far from smart), all I want is a damn aux port or a USB connector dammit!
 
I swapped in a Kenwood stereo into my truck and use my old iPod as a file tank. Works great.
 
I take a certain stupid pride in the fact that I have never used the cd player in my Mini since I bought it back in 2004. It's still a virgin. :D
 
Maybe it's broken? You should find out! I'm sure you wouldn't allow something to be broken on your Mini right? :p
 
Just remember many ppl are cheap and using their smartphones on family plans so the collective data usage is shared amongst all the family members. Those of us who pay for our own plans don't have to worry about that.

iPhone google maps is not great as an on the fly nav system but works ok in a pinch, plus when I'm driving the screen is too small for me and I only used it before I bought the standalone unit. I will admit that smartphone integration with apps like yelp is very nice when it comes to all in one integration. Right now I am looking up restaurant business addresses on yelp mobile app and plugging them into the garmin nav which is cumbersome yes, but the visibility on the larger screened windshield nav unit works better for me.

I will admit the Android OS google maps is an excellent app (which kind of makes sense) especially on the monster sized smart phone screens.
Not sure about other carriers but ATT you have to get separate data plans for each line so not really an issue. I tend to use Waze if I need to use my iPhone for navi duty since its a real turn-by-turn navi. With Google Maps I tend to just memorize a couple of way points ahead :) One of the greatest things about my Pioneer unit is that I have an app that searches Google Maps for POIs and then saves them to the phone, I can then access them over BT from the navi itself this way I don't bother typing anything in :)
 
As long as there is either a USB or 3.5mm plus for an MP3 player I'm ok with it. We can just rip our old CDs--which are probably already done anyway--and use a USB thumb drive.
 
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Good riddance. I haven't used mine once since I yanked it apart and added in iPhone support.
 
Up until a year or so ago Lexus still offered tape decks, so I don't see CD players going away any time soon, especially in luxury cars aimed at older buyers.
 
Up until a year or so ago Lexus still offered tape decks, so I don't see CD players going away any time soon, especially in luxury cars aimed at older buyers.

You make a good point about the type of demographic a car is marketed towards and what types of technology they would adopt. I know of no one in my parents generation who listen to music on a portable digital player, they all still use CDs and probably will until they have no choice to switch (i.e. when they completely do away with CD players). So companies like Lexus are smart to keep it as a feature since its pretty low cost for them and having a CD slot and mp3 player plug are not mutually exclusive.

I still like the option of having that slot to play DVD or DVD-R based media on my headunit.
 
Fun fact - we've never owned a sat-nav, we use Nokia Maps on dad's Nokia C7 :)

The Nokia doesn't use GPS signals partially to help navigate, like Android and iOS phones? Because if it does, then technically you are still using sat nav, just not a dedicated automotive version.
 
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