New York — Parrot introduced a new universal Bluetooth stereo kit to stream music from a cellular phone to a car radio and for hands free communication.
Shown at the DigitalLife Expo, being held here this week, the MK6000 is compatible with almost any Bluetooth cellular phone worldwide, said Parrot.
The MK6000 is a blue box that installs under the dash. It’s hard wired into the stereo’s pre-amp and the car’s speakers. When a cellular call comes in the music automatically mutes. It is expected to ship in January at a $239 suggested retail price.
Parrot cited a forecast that Bluetooth cellular phone use in the U.S. will increase dramatically this year. Citing ABI Research, it said one out of every three phones sold in the U.S. will be Bluetooth-enabled by the end of this year, compared to one out of every six phones at the end of last year. Approximately 150 million cellphones are sold each year in the U.S.
Parrot, based in France, recently became a public company and claims to have accomplished five consecutive years of more than doubling its revenue. Parrot expects to reach $200 million in revenue this year, from about $100 million in global revenue in 2005, said president Ed Valdez.
