I’ve previously written about the valuable lessons that the auto industry can provide us into the future of the mHealth market (also see here and here) so this video showcasing the new Porsche 911 Convertible kitted out by BlackBerry that’s being showcased at Mobile World Congress had me intrigued…

After all the previous partnerships we’ve seen between the VW Group brands and Apple (eg. from small Skoda’s with iPod docks as standard to Bentleys adorned with iPads) I wonder how Porsche have let BlackBerry plaster the latest iteration of their iconic sportscar with these already obsolete tablet devices?

Perhaps buyers will opt for them to act as a deterrent to brand conscious thieves?

mHealth lessons:

> Importance of consistent brand values: Of course Porsche might be making some money from their brand featuring on the $2000+ “porsche designed” blackberry’s but could the media coverage of this tacky permutation of their iconic sportscar undermine profits by brand dilution of Porsches all important sporting edge (although symbolic of the Porsche image the brand now produces more 4×4’s and saloons than 911’s)?

Perhaps the rear headrest screens would have been less damaging had they featured in one of the less sports focused vehicles in the Porsche range eg. in a 4-door saloon or SUV vehicle?

> I wonder how long before someone mentions to RIM that an in car phone that offers to make conference calls that are “completely stereo, you can give yourself that spatial recognition, you know if they’re on the left or the right” might represent yet another unwanted driver distraction?

> No mention of mobile substitution of the key. The one thing that I think plays to BlackBerry’s security aligned brand and I’d love to have in my car is a NFC or location based/SMS code replacement for keys. Imagine how that could transform the way we share and monitor our cars? Enforce speed limits on adult children who we might grant permission of the car to? Improve car security? Transform the car rental business? Imagine how it could enable the ZipCar/Streetcar initiatives to enable/monitor access pool to on street parked pool cars? Twin it with a bluetooth connected alcohol breath monitor and you would have a much more effective alternative solution to the recent legislation we’ve seen introduced in France (motorists now need to keep a breathalyser device in their cars).

> In case you thought it was the domain of government telecare buyers to select obsolete technology that will depreciate like a falling stone keep a look out for this odd car in the classifieds…