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Not to be out-done by Ford, BMW has launched two apps for iPhone. One is for their Mini lineup which displays fuel status, sends Google directions to your car, link up web radio to the local stereo system, and keep tabs on RSS feeds. One of the cooler features is what they’re calling the Minimalism Analyser; basically, it scores your fuel efficiency based on how you drive, and compares you to other Mini drivers (though there’s probably a different app for comparing yourself to Minnie Driver). The other BMW app released is for ConnectedDrive cars (like we’ve seen work with BlackBerry), though supporting vehicles won’t be available until March. When plugged in via USB, an iPhone with the ConnectedDrive app installed will be able to display Twitter and Facebook updates as well as stream internet radio.
These are some pretty solid offerings and if it weren’t for Ford’s connectivity with other third-party apps in Sync, BMW would be providing something really comparable with these two apps. I’m curious to see if the OnStar app for the Chevrolet Volt will be beefed up beyond battery charge monitoring in order to meet the rising competition.
In any case, you can find the new BMW iPhone apps for download at the iTunes links below.
[via TUAW]
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.
