iPhone carkit gets FCC approval

[mvl]

The Tomtom carkit has cleared FCC approval.

See here for details.

It has a sirfstar III GPS chip - model GSC3F - which is a better chipset than the iPhone hammerhead. So this should greatly improve GPS reception.

 

[mvl]

A couple more things I saw in the instruction manual:

- The carkit has a volume knob and 3.5mm aux jack
- It only charges via the iPhone adapter. All GPS communication appears to be via bluetooth.
- It will NOT transmit your calls via the aux jack to your car speakers (the same limitations as a PND tomtom - what a waste)

 

[mikealder]

I would much rather see Apple add the serial port profile to the Bluetooth stack for the iPhone, this way users have a choice as to what receiver they use to replace the inadequate GPS chipset within the iPhone - Mike