News from the Music Industry

Sync was developed by Microsoft, and Ford is the first U.S. automaker to license Sync. Fiat licensed an earlier version it calls Blue&Me, but its one-year world exclusive ends this fall. Sync provides a USB jack for connecting virtually every music player (not just iPods) as well as USB keys containing MP3 or WMA files, and even USB hard drives; a Bluetooth adapter for cell phones (and some Bluetooth streaming of music); and a voice input system. While Fiat’s Blue & Me isn’t as advanced as Sync, it does contain a rudimentary navigation system that displays directions as arrows and icons, not moving maps. Ford says American customers aren’t ready for limited-features navigation, even if it’s essentially free when provided on top of the music-and-Bluetooth features.

Sync will be offered in cars across all price ranges, Ford having realized that buyers younger than 25 are more likely to look at a $20,000 Ford Focus than a $40,000 Lincoln Navigator. On all Lincolns and the so-called high-line versions of Ford models such as the Ford Edge Limited and Ford Focus SES, Sync will be built into the base price. On entry-level models, it will carry the $395 tag. That’s less than you’d pay to add a rudimentary Bluetooth module and limited-function iPod adapter to most vehicles. Sync provides voice control for the music features as well as for phones.

According to Ford, Sync will be on the Ford Edge, Ford Explorer, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Ford Focus, Ford Fusion , Ford Taurus, Ford Taurus X, Lincoln MKX, Lincoln MKZ Mercury Sable, Mercury Milan, and Mercury Mountaineer at some point in the 2008 model year. The first three models to get Sync this fall will be the Ford Focus, Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.