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Ford admits looking beyond Microsoft for next generation Sync, but BlackBerry deal not done yet

Ford admits looking beyond Microsoft for next-generation Sync, but BlackBerry deal not done yet

By NDTV Correspondent | Updated: 28 February 2014 21:13 IST

The Mobile World Congress might be over, but the news continues to pour out of Barcelona.

Ford showcased new in-car technology inside the latest Ford Focus at MWC, but the bit that grabbed bigger headlines was the buzz that the American car company was ready to dump Microsoft in favour of BlackBerry's QNX for next-generation Sync.

CNET spoke to Ford Managing Director Pin van der Jagt in Barcelona, who admitted that the fifth-largest automaker in the world was considering its options beyond Microsoft for in-car technology. However, Jagt insisted that the re-evaluation was no different to what the company periodically does with all its suppliers.

"Sync 1 and 2 was done with Microsoft but we are not married with them," he said. "For us, it's a supplier, so every time we keep evaluating is it the right partner."

When asked to confirm if a deal had indeed been reached with BlackBerry, as was being speculated, Jagt said that was just a rumour.

"What we are in the process of, we are spec'ing out our requirements for the next generation: what we want to do, what features we want to add, what functionality," he said. "Then you go through a normal supply selection process. Those requirements for the next generation get sent out to everybody, to Microsoft, to Apple, to everybody, and they come back with offers... We go to evaluation and make a choice and that choice hasn't been made yet."

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