A friend who works in an electronics store just received information that Pioneer was getting out of the car entertainment business by the end of 2009. He wasn't sure by the info if it was only the premier edition units. Anyone know anything about this?

Not by any means. Pioneer is committed to their car audio brands, they are just doing away with the Premier line.

A couple rumors I heard is that they are coming out with another line, just under a different name but to the same extent of what the Premier line was/is.

Pioneer IS NOT leaving car audio, they did leave making TV's, but not car audio.

ditto