We Hear: Ford to Drop Microsoft for QNX on Future Versions of Sync

Home  >  WOT  >  We Hear: Ford to Drop Microsoft for QNX on Future Versions of Sync In the early days of Sync, Ford was seen as a pioneer in the development of mobile device integration, but once the novelty wore off of being the first mass-market brand on the block with mobile integration, consumers started to get frustrated with the sometimes clunky and slow interface of Sync and MyFord Touch. Bloomberg is reporting that Ford may end its alliance with Microsoft in favor of pursuing a QNX-based system. QNX, which was acquired by BlackBerry parent company Research In Motion in 2010, is the predominant telematics system platform in the automotive industry, and is the basis for such well-received systems as Chrysler's Uconnect, and is used by many higher-end brands such as BMW and Audi. In the latest Consumer Reports reliability survey, the Ford and Lincoln brands ranked 26 and 27 out of 28 brands surveyed. Frustration and problems with the Sync and MyFord Touch systems were frequently cited by respondents as reasons for dissatisfaction. Other automakers have recently signed tech alliance agreements with both Google and Apple for closer integration with the Android and iOS mobile platforms, the two most popular mobile operating systems for smartphones. Current configurations of MyFord Touch can be confusing, with built-in dormant features that haven't been activated. One example is a WiFi function that requires being within proximity of a nearby WiFi network, but only supports passwords only 10 characters long, and does not support over-the-air updates. Source: Bloomberg