BMW M Power Meter iPhone App Launched

NOT THE FIRST of its kind but among the more fully-featured and free driving apps available for the Apple iPhone, BMW has today launched the M Power Meter app.

Measuring g-force and acceleration time among a host of other functions, the M Power Meter offers for free the sorts of features most other apps would have you opening your wallet for.

Using the iPhone's built-in accelerometer, the M Power Meter can measure - supposedly quite accurately - acceleration to speeds up to 200km/h, and over distances from 2 kilometres down to 100 metres.

The M Power Meter's full feature list includes:

• Speed (mph / km/h)
• Forward acceleration (forward g)
• Lateral acceleration (lateral g)
• Travel time for a specified distance (eg. 100 metres)
• Acceleration to a specific speed (eg. 0-100km/h)

The software is easy to use, requiring only that the iPhone be held either completely upright or flat, before pressing "Start" to begin recording.

True to fashion, the new BMW app is not only packed with functions - it's also loaded up with a choice of three user interfaces, available from the BMW website.

Not requiring a 3G connection, the M Power Meter app is compatible with both the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Best of all, you need not own a BMW to use the app.

The BMW M Power Meter app is free, and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store (link will open iTunes on your computer).