New York
– Audiovox and FLO TV announced a slight delay in plans to bring the FLO TV
live TV product to the car.
The product will now be available in the fourth quarter under the
Audiovox Advent brand.
Audiovox had previously said the FLO TV Auto Entertainment
tuner/antenna system that works with an existing TV monitor in the car would ship
in October. The service delivers 20 channels of live TV to a moving
automobile, at a lower price than many current live TV services for the car.
First shown at International CES in January, the FLO TV system is
expected to sell in the $599 to $699 range, including installation, although
car dealers may bundle the system in packages at various prices. Audiovox and
FLO TV, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, also today announced that service for the car
system will be free for the first year with annual plans starting at a promotional
rate of $119 per year thereafter or $299 for three years, which amounts to less
than $9 per month.
“We believe our FLO TV offering is head and shoulders above
any other mobile TV system, from the reception quality and breadth of FLO TV
programming content to the unobtrusive antenna that literally fits in the palm
of your hand,” said Audiovox Electronics president Tom Malone.
Audiovox will be a supplier of the FLO TV Auto Entertainment
system and will sell the system through Audiovox’s expeditor network that
targets more than 12,000 new car dealers in 85 markets nationwide.
Audiovox will also market the product to car stereo and CE
retailers approximately three months after the initial launch, the company has
stated.
The FLO TV system is compatible with all vehicle makes and models
and may be added to any car video monitor up to 10.5 inches. There are
approximately 23 million vehicles in the U.S. equipped with existing car TV
monitors that can work with FLO TV, Audiovox said.
