GoGoGadgetMachE

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Isn't it also a "good thing" Sync 4A on the Mach-E is built upon HTML5? Should mean easier porting to something like an Android OS in the future?
this is a really good point. I'm personally focusing on the low levels because that's what I focus on because reasons, but it's an excellent callout that moving the existing app layer over probably is the easy part.

but ... would the current UI make any "sense" in that scenario, with Google Maps etc. involved? It's a very interesting question.
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Jimrpa

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Given google’s complete disregard for user privacy, this is really disturbing. I thought Ford, particularly Bill Ford, said that they took security and data privacy seriously? I guess not? ?
 

Jimrpa

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Google promises not to track you. Privacy go brrrrr....
Remember, YOU are the product Google is marketing to their customers. That’s why google is making their services so enticing for you to use and wants so little oversight. This is a troubling decision.
 

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Well, I would think this means Google has lost the Cloud war to Amazon and Microsoft, and Ford got a bargain basement price for cloud services as they struggle to find customers. At least maybe Android Auto will get some love now.
Microsoft partnership with Ford was a bust on previous Sync models, I think
 

sockmeister

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I may be an outlier here, but I really don't care if Google "tracks" me. I have had a Gmail account since they've been in beta. I use a Pixel phone. Google already knows absolutely everything there is to know about me. And I have to say... It's probably pretty boring.

I guess my advertisements will become even more relevant. ?‍♂

That being said, I'm not an idiot. I take privacy seriously where it matters. But the kind of data they're going to collect about me with this car -- location? Music stations? Frequent searches? Miscellaneous demographic data? Go for it.
 
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VegStang

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Hopefully the company will be broken up in 2 years, privacy regulations strengthened and this will be less of an issue. Don't have high hopes for that however.

Having been in the Valley for 20 years now I know people at Google, Apple, FB and understand the concerns go beyond simple demographic/advertising data. I worked with the EFF and the local school district to opt-out students from Google AFE accounts. I know the efforts and work that Apple's privacy team puts into decisions regarding on-device data manipulation vs. cloud. I've always found it astonishing that the it's often the same people that are concerned about government tracking, have little concerns for Google/Facebook/Amazon data mining.

Hopefully Ford will be as strong for Privacy in their development work with Google as they have implied. If the work is primarily limited to navigation and the opt-in is enforceable then the customer will have some choice here (and protection.) At home and on your phone there are VPNs and other tools, along with just not using companies products whose policies don't align with your own values/preferences. Hopefully Ford will allow for some choice here, and not cede it's customers data to google by default or design.

Remember, YOU are the product Google is marketing to their customers. That’s why google is making their services so enticing for you to use and wants so little oversight. This is a troubling decision.
 
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trutolife27

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The bottom line to all of this. As anything else we buy. Competition is great and as consumers, we will benefit from the success of new tech. Keep pushing the envolope.
 

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Given google’s complete disregard for user privacy, this is really disturbing. I thought Ford, particularly Bill Ford, said that they took security and data privacy seriously? I guess not? ?
Come on, they do take privacy seriously. Only You, Google, and any company that Google sells your data to know about your interactions. ?
 

GoGoGadgetMachE

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Microsoft partnership with Ford was a bust on previous Sync models, I think
It's complicated, I think. Ford's gone through multiple CEOs at this point - a previous Google hookup failing is widely believed to be the reason for the CEO change actually in the past - and that's the C-suite is where this kind of decision is being made.

I suspect that this came down to pure cost numbers and end-to-end packaged offering. Google is the only company that can in theory check all the boxes here. Apple has no automotive OS (*) partially, I think, because they like too much control over the whole experience, and Microsoft is out of that space and focusing on the cloud services. So if you want one company - "one throat to choke" - then you really have zero other choices.

Which, when you look at it that way, is a bit problematic in the industry and suggests that in theory Microsoft (re-entering the market) or Amazon (with their Fire fork of Android) have an opening.

(*) that we know of officially at this time
 

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QNX has more real-time experience - it's been around since 1982. In true real-time embedded system terms, Android is still a n00b. ? So I wouldn't lean on that piece here.

The app layer and hardware interface are what Ford owns either way. What will be able to happen here is that less of the app layer will be Ford's problem, which is where "Ford isn't a software company" comes in. That's the ultimate end-user benefit - the app layer.

And I think a migration is a big assumption right now. There was no migration from MFT to Sync 3, and no migration from Sync 3.[1-3] to Sync 3.4, despite the fact that there was no real technical blocker to doing that. (Sync 3 has OTA support for the infotainment, and MFT has end-user support for it...) This is a case where, again, I want to be wrong, but it's on Ford to commit to it or not at this point.
Sure, haha, Android is relatively new in that sense. But it's probably got an advantage here in being more modern - both in terms of security and the user experience.

I agree, it's not as simple as flashing an OS. Ford will definitely need to do some sort of integration with their hardware. But that can all be flashed through an update. I am putting my money on us getting it too.
 

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It's complicated, I think. Ford's gone through multiple CEOs at this point - a previous Google hookup failing is widely believed to be the reason for the CEO change actually in the past - and that's the C-suite is where this kind of decision is being made.

I suspect that this came down to pure cost numbers and end-to-end packaged offering. Google is the only company that can in theory check all the boxes here. Apple has no automotive OS (*) partially, I think, because they like too much control over the whole experience, and Microsoft is out of that space and focusing on the cloud services. So if you want one company - "one throat to choke" - then you really have zero other choices.

Which, when you look at it that way, is a bit problematic in the industry and suggests that in theory Microsoft (re-entering the market) or Amazon (with their Fire fork of Android) have an opening.

(*) that we know of officially at this time
Good points. However, I suspect Apple DOES have “carOS” and that’s mostly what project Titan is about. That, some advanced driver assistance features (level 5 is a fantasy today), and maybe some clever technology. By the way, remember, Apple is never known for “bleeding edge” technology. They’re good at leveraging technology. But bleeding edge? Butterfly keyboard. G3 cube. Need I go on? ?
 

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Which, when you look at it that way, is a bit problematic in the industry and suggests that in theory Microsoft (re-entering the market) or Amazon (with their Fire fork of Android) have an opening.

(*) that we know of officially at this time
Oh dear lord, please for all that is holy and right please let's not get a "Ford Sync Fire 3D" system !!!

Perhaps Ford should go with WebOS? I mean, the previous company that did that made a real killing.
 

GoGoGadgetMachE

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VegStang

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I'd really hate to see the automotive market ceded to Google as what's happened with Education. The business model just doesn't have the room for essentially giving the sw away when you don't profit off the data later. Sadly I don't see a realization of this at Apple Park, even with all the on/off effort on Titan.

Good points. However, I suspect Apple DOES have “carOS” and that’s mostly what project Titan is about. That, some advanced driver assistance features (level 5 is a fantasy today), and maybe some clever technology. By the way, remember, Apple is never known for “bleeding edge” technology. They’re good at leveraging technology. But bleeding edge? Butterfly keyboard. G3 cube. Need I go on? ?
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