BMW has released two apps for iOS this week. The first one, based on the Mini brand, is called Mini Connected, and it allows you to not only track information about your car, but also access web radio and audio versions of internet feeds, hooked up directly to your car's stereo. And on cars equipped with navigation features, you can even send directions and searches back and forth from your iPhone to the car's systems, and vice-versa.

The BMW Connected app does the same thing, only across the manufacturer's vehicle lineup. Interesting, not only that these apps exist (there are already a few solutions for doing all of these things out there), but that they're created and "sold" (both are free) by the car's manufacturers themselves. In essence, an Apple app is being used to market the functionality of these automobiles.

I expect to see plenty more examples of branded apps like these at CES next week, and we'll be covering as many of them as we can right here on TUAW.