Samsung, Audi Introduce Mobile-to-Car Stereo Technology

Seoul July 1, 2005; Kim Sung-jin writing for the Korea Times reported that Samsung Electronics and German automaker Audi have teamed up to introduce Bluetooth technology that enables users to listen to MP3 music files from their mobile handsets in Hi-Fi stereo over the car’s stereo system.

The world’s third-largest mobile handset maker said yesterday that it has developed a new mobile handset by adopting Bluetooth stereo technology called Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), which allows MP3 music files in mobile handsets to be transmitted to an A2DP capable car stereo system.

Samsung Electronics and Audi have invited some 130 journalists from U.S. and European news media to Audi headquarters in Germany between June 22-28 to showcase the new A2DP technology with Anycall SGH-D600 and Audi A6 Avant Quattro.

The electronics giant plans to expand A2DP supporting cellular phone models in the future, including the i300 smart phone that comes with a 3-gigabyte hard disk memory.

Foreign automobile makers plan to further integrate Bluetooth technology into automobiles. U.S. digital jukebox maker Apple Computer is expanding partnerships with global auto nameplates, such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, to incorporate MP3 players into their latest luxury models.