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Jaguar taps RealVNC for BlackBerry-integrated infotainment

RealVNC announced at the BlackBerry World Conference that it will be supplying Jaguar and Land Rover with a smartphone-integrated infotainment system.

Liane Yvkoff
Liane Yvkoff is a freelance writer who blogs about cars for CNET Car Tech. E-mail Liane.
Liane Yvkoff

RealVNC announced at the BlackBerry World Conference this week that it will be supplying Jaguar and Land Rover with a smartphone-integrated infotainment system.

RealVNC demonstrated the Connect and View system using a BlackBerry smartphone connected to a RealVNC Connect and View infotainment system connected to a BlackBerry smartphone in a Jaguar XJ head unit. When linked with a BlackBerry device, Connect and View uses Terminal Mode to replicate music and navigation applications on the car's in-dash screen.

A few automotive manufacturers such as GM, Toyota, and BMW are using similar technology in their vehicles. So far, some manufacturers have permitted Pandora, Stitcher, Mog, OpenTable, MovieTickets, iHeartRadio, or Bing app integration. BMW is the only manufacturer to allow BlackBerry e-mail integration.

A Jaguar spokesman said that the company's new entertainment system will permit more functionality than has been seen in the market, but couldn't confirm which features or applications would be allowed, citing further work on determining which apps would meet safety guidelines. If Jaguar integrates navigation apps, it would be the first manufacturer to do so.

2012 model Jaguar XJs and Range Rovers will be the first vehicles to receive Connect and View. Jaguar confirmed that only BlackBerry phones will work with the new multimedia interface. RealVNC's platform works with nearly all smartphones on the market, but it is up to the manufacturer to determine which mobile devices to support.

Source: RealVNC via Telematics News