iPhone “Snap-In” Car Radio Update

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Some iPhone car radios—the kind where the iPhone snaps into the face of the radio–fare better online than at the car stereo specialist, according to some suppliers and retailers.

iRoc
iRoc from Jackson Electronics

The iRoc radio from Jackson Electronics draws 70 percent of its business through online sellers including the iRoc web site, said the company.

Boss Audio iPhone radio
Boss Audio 810DBI.

Boss Audio will ship in the next couple of weeks a $199 iPhone snap-in radio that it believes will win much of its sales online, or in catalogs. The  CD-less AM/FM radio with USB and Bluetooth, has an SD card slot, built-in mic and aux in jack.   It can function without the phone as a “CD-less” car radio. It’s called the model 810DBI.

Dash
Dash faceplate for its car radio lets you snap in a phone.

You may remember Devium, which launched the “Dash” iPhone radio on the web site Kickstarter to raise money to fund the project. It received over $73,000 in backing and more than 250 pre-orders online.  As of last month it was on track to ship its $300 iPhone/radio in July.  (We were unable to reach Devium this month).

The Dash has interchangeable faceplates to work with Android or iPhone smartphones.  It has a built-in HD/AM/FM radio, and 3 preamp outputs at 4 volts.

As for the iRoc by Jackson Electronics, CEO Michael Gagliardi expects to see a spike in sales in various retail channels when an iPad adapter for the radio is released.   The adapter, originally due at the end of this year, has been delayed most likely until late in Q1 next year, as the device awaits approval from Apple.

Source: CEoutlook

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2 Comments

  1. I think IRA, pretty much nailed it, but I will respond as too why the internet is successful, and retailers are not:
    1) These products are produced at a much lower price-point than the major players, which attracts internet buyers that can only draw a comparison based on “specifications” and “price”. Ironically, if the end consumer where to have used only these two comparison methods when they purchased their phone, they wouldn’t have an iPhone. Apple is one of the main brands that taught consumers that the “experience” should be the most important thing when it comes to electronic devices, and this is difficult to get online.
    2) Consumers immediately identify with the iPhone, and assume it is what they are looking for because they have an iPhone.
    3) The end user doesn’t have the chance to get a solid demonstration of a competitive product and all of its features; I doubt anyone would buy this, if they got a demonstration of almost any one of the more popular brands, that integrate well with the iPhone.

  2. It seems to me that manufactures who deign their products for or around another companies products and are completely dependent on those products are totally off base and are only reactive to current short term trends.

    The radio manufacturer or for that matter any manufacturer who does not have control of another manufacturers products and who makes products solely around the product that they have ZERO control of is doomed.

    We have watched this play out time and time again, when design, foot print, connector, protocol and technology changed that show us that this model does not work.

    Any manufactures who design’s their products solely around another manufacture’s products does not understand this historic fact and history does repeat it’s self.

    Ira Marlowe
    Blitzsafe Advanced Technologies

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