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Japanese auto makers connect to iPod

by Martyn Williams, IDG News Service, Playlist Magazine

Three major Japanese auto-makers will offer car stereos in 2006 models that can be hooked up to Apple’s iPod digital music players, Apple said Thursday.

“We work very closely with automobile manufacturers because your car is a great place to listen to your iPod,” said Steve Jobs, chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple, at a Tokyo news conference.”We’ve worked with a lot or automobile manufacturers and I’m very happy to report that next year, in 2006, over 1 million cars in Japan will be offered either factory-installed or dealer-installed with a way for you to directly connect your iPod right into the stereo system.”

The stereos will be available from Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp. and Daihatsu Motor Co. and can be connected to an iPod to allow the driver to both play songs through the car’s audio system and also control the music player from the car stereo.

Similar audio systems will be offered in BMW, Mini, Smart and Alfa Romeo vehicles. Car stereos that hook up to an iPod are also available from Alpine Electronics Inc., Clarion Co., Kenwood Corp. and Pioneer Corp., Apple said.