I guess Infiniti has spoiled me. I just plug the iPod Nano into the audio jacks in the center console and wear the iPod around my neck or lay it on the passenger seat. Hit AUX and play. How hard is that?

Sure it would be *nice* to have an iPod interface, I guess, but I'm delighted to be able to play the iPod through the car stereo. And guess what...the iPod interface is always available, whether you are in Park or cruising at 80 mph.

 

Yes, the input jacks are certainly a great feature, which I think every car should have. They allow just about anything to be connected. It's definitely much much better than going through an FM transmitter. However, I still want to have an iPod interface in addition to the input jacks. An iPod interface, especially if it shows the iPod menu in the LCD screen will be a great feature. No need to pickup the iPod and look down at its small menu while driving. Using the LCD screen and controls on the steering wheel would be easier and safer.

 

for me, it's really mostly a matter of aesthetics.
I'd love to have my ipod tucked out of the way in the glove compartment or center console. That way, I can actually close the cup holder lid, or use the cup holders instead of storing my ipod there

 

I just drove a G37S and tested out the ipod integration. I'd pay up to $500 to install it in my '07. It's well integrated, let's me select podcast, songs, album, artist, genre, audio book, basically all the primary selection capabilities of the ipod itself. The only drawback is the lack of a hold up/down to scroll feature. But otherwise, it's very very nice. Steering wheel controls are well integrated. Oh yeah, you can use all the features of it while driving. Nothing appears to be locked out.

The cable is interesting. In the center console there's a jack. The car comes with a wiring harness connector on one end that fits into that jack, and an ipod connector on the other end. The cable is a little stiff, and doesn't bend well, and if you bend it too much it disconnects the ipod. But otherwise, it's nice that if you don't have an ipod you don't have a random cable sticking around.

Definitely really well done ipod integration.

 

So for this upgrade we'd essentially have to get our center console replaced (just to get the jack)?

 

Not necessarily. It wouldn't surprise me if infiniti did offer a unit and just had the jack run into the glove compartment like on the FX. It won't be as nicely plugged in as an '08s, but I see no reason why they'd have to stick with that configuration as an upgrade.

Oh yeah, this is all speculation of course. Given the way the center console looks like it's designed, it probably wouldn't be very difficult to just replace the insert with the cable harness already attached as part of an upgrade kit.

 

Truth be told, I've about narrowed my next car choice to the CTS and the G35 based on their Ipod integration plans.

An AUX jack is fine for a toyo/honda/nissan level car. I expect better in a premium car like this and I'm glad Infiniti recognizes this.

I pretty much never listen to live radio in the car anymore. Between songs, podcasts, and audio books, there's no reason to have a radio in a car anymore.

 

I'm of the opposite opinion here. While having built in ipod integration is nice, I don't see it as a requirement and I can totally understand why it's not on 99% of the cars out there.
1) the AUX jack is a non-proprietary ubiquitously compatible interface
2) the ipod dock connector is a proprietary, non-standard interface that may or may not change at the whim of a single company. Look at the shuffle, which does not have a dock connector.

Because of those two points, I think an AUX jack should be a requirement, but the ipod jack is absolutely a luxury that's a nice to have, but until the ipod dock connector is standardized, I won't demand it in any car.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't buy it as an option in a heartbeat if it's available