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The OnStar system in GM’s upcoming Volt might be switching to Android according to rumours, which would certainly enable its handheld app to work even better with the in-car dashboard. Right now, the OnStar mobile app will let owners start the Chevrolet Volt remotely, pop the trunk, schedule charging for the electric motor, and reviewing mileage statistics, the kind of functions pioneered by Viper SmartStart.
One of the key differentiators between OnStar and Ford’s Sync system is that Sync was geared heavily towards mobile app developers, while OnStar was relatively closed. If GM were to make the jump to Android, that situation could completely reverse, enabling a new market of car-specific applications. Right now GM’s only in preliminary talks with Google over the possibility, so we wouldn’t see anything until 2011 at the earliest. Still, Android preloaded in cars through a major manufacturer could substantially expand the horizons of the mobile OS.
[via MotorTrend]
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
