electric relaxation

I have revisited this question time and again over my last four years of iPod ownership. Why is it so hard to build a headunit that just has a slot, that you stick your iPod into, and some dials and crap on it. I don’t care if the thing works while the iPod isn’t in it, or what other features it has or whatever. It doesn’t seem that hard. Yet everybody who builds the damn things keeps making these stupid cable-based things.

I wonder if it’s because they can’t fit a decent amplifier into the unit if they have the iPod hanging around in there. But even a double-DIN unit would be fine with me (though maybe that would cut off a large number of potential customers).