BMW... with iPod 'as standard'?

Steve Jobs has often compared Apple to carmaker BMW and now he's brought out an adapter to give Beemer drivers remote control of their iPods.

The two companies have launched an adapter, priced at $149 in the US, that will work in BMW 3 Series, Z4 roadster, X3 and X5 SUVs and the Mini Cooper. The iPod will be powered by the car battery and can be controlled with the standard buttons on the car's steering wheel.

Apple says this is the first time an adapter has been specifically designed to integrate the player with the audio system of a particular car. But don't all rush to buy a Beemer, people here will have to wait a bit to find out if they can get the adapter kit – there is, as yet, no timetable for introducing it to Europe.

And the adapter must be installed by authorised BMW and Mini dealers, meaning that there is little chance for UK iPod owners to buy in the US and bring it back, as many have done with the iPod. Shipping the car over for the conversion sounds just a bit extreme.

In the US, the device will be available for 2002, 2003 and 2004 models starting from 12 July. The Mini version is due out later this summer. Apple will extend the system to 5 Series and 7 Series later and plans to bring out versions for other, unspecified, cars.

Apple has sold well over three million iPods in the US and the company accounts for 80 per cent of US music downloads. Last week it introduced iTunes to the UK and Europe.

Steve Jobs is well known for comparing Apple's five per cent market share with that of BMW, saying that BMW doesn't complain about its five per cent share of the car market.