When will Integrated Bluetooth come out?

[prewittj1]

I have a 2006 9-3 Aero, Laser Red w/ all the trimmings, but I'd really like integrated bluetooth. I heard it was coming out in August. does anyone know anything about that? Cost, etc?

[93Linear]

In the States, it will come out when OnStar rolls over and dies ... sadly, prolly not a day before

[omegajb]

Um, never, remember who owns Saab. Whan was tha last time they have ever been on the cutting edge?
I think Kia will have it before GM does.

[93Linear]

They do have it in Europe ... have since the begining of this model ... even with GM ownership. The problem isn't that GM owns Saab, the problem is GM has ridiculous contracts with OnStar in the States & won't "step on their toes" by offering a phone solution which would take away from any chance of OnStar getting business. The sad part is that the current cars (since '05?) don't even have OnStar, but I guess it is supposed to be making a return next year? Yippee

[SAAB007]

??

SAAB was the first maker (globally) to intro Bluetooth back in '03 (but not available in the US, due to a conflict with Onstar). Trionic (9000), active head restraints (9-5), light pressure turbos (9-3, 9-5), asymmetric turbocharging (9-5 V6) are just some of the current SAAB innovations under GM's influence.

The Aero X, the E100 9-3 Biopower Hybrid concept cars are just a indication of the future...

Originally Posted by omegajb

Um, never, remember who owns Saab. Whan was tha last time they have ever been on the cutting edge?
I think Kia will have it before GM does.

[omegajb]

Originally Posted by SAAB007

??

SAAB was the first maker (globally) to intro Bluetooth back in '03 (but not available in the US, due to a conflict with Onstar). Trionic (9000), active head restraints (9-5), light pressure turbos (9-3, 9-5), asymmetric turbocharging (9-5 V6) are just some of the current SAAB innovations under GM's influence.

The Aero X, the E100 9-3 Biopower Hybrid concept cars are just a indication of the future...

Safety has never been an issue but things like Nav, Bluetooth, Aux have been late to market only after amost everyone else has beaten them to it.

A concept car doen't mean it will ever be in prosuction and if GM keeps loosing money I doubt we will ever see them.

[gjdavies]

Originally Posted by omegajb

Safety has never been an issue but things like Nav, Bluetooth, Aux have been late to market only after amost everyone else has beaten them to it.

A concept car doen't mean it will ever be in prosuction and if GM keeps loosing money I doubt we will ever see them.

Only problem with your post is that the Bluetooth and Aux functionality was actually reasonably early to market in the rest of the world.

Admittedly the implementation of both systems could have been better from a technical and deployment point of view, but back in late 02, not many cars had these features. The 9-3 had both, sort of.........

[SAAB007]

Originally Posted by omegajb

Safety has never been an issue but things like Nav, Bluetooth, Aux have been late to market only after amost everyone else has beaten them to it.

Other carmakers didn't beat SAAB to to punch-SAAB beat them. However, GM's (and thus SAABs) relationship with Onstar in the US prevented the 9-3s Bluetooth introduction in the US. The NAV option was delayed in the US due to development of the US map DVD. AUX came out in '05, and is retrofittable in current 9-3s. Volvo and Audi don't even offer AUX in.

My Dad's uber expensive Mark Levinson audio system in his '05 Lexus LX470 doesn't even have an AUX in feature.

What's your point?

A concept car doen't mean it will ever be in prosuction(?sp) and if GM keeps loosing money I doubt we will ever see them.

True. Concept cars are just that-concepts. However, if SAABs future were SOOOO gloomy, I wold venture to say that GM wouldn't have let SAAB even bother designing let alone spend the money to develop a concept such as the radical Aero X.

The Aero X is unique in that it is a concept that IS a (albeit limited) working, road worthy car. In fact, all of SAABs concept cars (not that there have been many) have been working vehicles.

Most concepts are just pretty looking cars that wouldn't even start.

[saabexprt]

Caddy offers bluetooth and onstar. What's the difference?

[SAAB007]

I think the new Caddys have the new digital Onstar. The 9-3SSs to date have had analog Onstar. IIRC, the incompatiblity had something to do with Onstar's analog phone capability which used a proprietary network carrier which delayed/prevented Bluetooth's US integration in the 9-3SS.

SAAB has been coy about the real reasons given, but suffice it to say that Bluetooth in GM cars (namely, Cadillac) has only been in recently intro'ed models, which have digital Onstar.

Originally Posted by saabexprt

Caddy offers bluetooth and onstar. What's the difference?

[craigh]

Originally Posted by 93Linear

They do have it in Europe ... have since the begining of this model ... even with GM ownership. The problem isn't that GM owns Saab, the problem is GM has ridiculous contracts with OnStar in the States & won't "step on their toes" by offering a phone solution which would take away from any chance of OnStar getting business. The sad part is that the current cars (since '05?) don't even have OnStar, but I guess it is supposed to be making a return next year? Yippee

Whilst we have Bluetooth- The only thing it is good for is transferring contact details from your phone- ie virtually useless. It does NOT integrate so you can make calls etc. I have the built in phone for calls.

I belive integrated bluetooth is happenning soon though.