Ford dumps Microsoft for BlackBerry infotainment system

Ford is upgrading its Sync system, which sparked many customer complaints.

Ford is upgrading its infotainment system to make it more like a smartphone or tablet -- and it is dumping its longtime software provider Microsoft as part of the change.

Instead, Ford (F) will use BlackBerry's QNX operating system for the new Sync 3 infotainment system. Ford Sync allows drivers to navigate, listen to radio and music, make phone calls and control the car's climate through touch or voice commands.

Among Sync 3's improvements will be the ability to expand or shrink the display with pinch-to-zoom gestures. Customers will also be able to swipe the screen's display, as they do on a smartphone or tablet.

Sync 3 will also have a better understanding of common voice commands. For example, drivers will be able to give a street address as "eleven-twenty-five" rather than "one-one-two-five."

It also will integrate better with the Apple (AAPL, Tech30) iPhone, allowing users to access Siri hands-free. The old Microsoft-based Sync did not always play nicely with Apple products.