iOS 7 could put Apple Maps and Siri inside cars, report says
In today's terrible news, Apple is reportedly looking to get Maps and Siri into vehicle navigation systems.
Bad news, drivers -- fresh rumours suggest Apple is looking to get its atrocious Maps app into real-life vehicles, and Siri too.
Car navigation systems could be hooked up to Apple's Maps app via a connection port on the cars centre console, 9to5Mac reports, citing 'multiple people familiar with the initiative'.
Once hooked up, the car's GPS screen would mirror Apple's Maps service, while Siri would handle voice controls. The system is tipped to use technologies from iOS 7, which is expected to make its debut on 10 June.
Uh oh
The thought of putting Apple Maps into car navigation systems isn't a particularly heart-warming one. Apple's own-brand Maps app proved so shockingly bad that company boss Tim Cook offered a public apology.
That said, in a brief test I found that Apple Maps' turn-by-turn navigation wasn't quite as horrendous as the rest of the app, and this new car tech could still be a long way off, so it should give Apple much-needed time to gets its mapping service up to scratch.
With iOS 6, Apple announced it was working with car makers including BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover, Toyota and Honda on an 'Eyes Free' service for cars, which would bake Siri into car voice control systems and let you ask questions without any distracting on-screen action.
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple used its WWDC conference in June to talk about new in-car features that iOS 7 makes possible.
iOS 7 is tipped to be a significant redesign, giving Apple's iconic operating system a 'flat' look. Apple's new software boss Jony Ive is in charge of the interface for the first time, so it'll be interesting to see what changes have been made.