Earlier this year, General Motors revealed it is planning to phase out support for CarPlay and Android Auto in all of its electric vehicles, citing the need for tighter integration with the vehicle as GM rolls out a new infotainment system co-developed with Google.
With this week's high-profile unveiling of the $130,000+ Cadillac Escalade IQ that will launch in late 2024, GM followed through on its promise as the automaker confirmed to The Verge yesterday that the luxury electric SUV won't support CarPlay or Android Auto anywhere on its massive 55-inch dashboard display.
The move to discontinue to CarPlay and Android Auto is more of a political one than a technical one, however, as MacRumors alum and car journalist Jordan Golson noted in his video overview of the new Escalade IQ.
Golson spoke to GM representatives about the omission and they shared that the decision was made due to EV-specific functionality such as utilizing vehicle charge state information to assist with navigation routing. When using CarPlay or Android Auto, the user's phone has no knowledge of the vehicle's charge state, and GM believes that forcing users to use the built-in Google-based system which can account for this information will deliver a better user experience.
Golson says that given this is not a technical decision, GM could update the infotainment system on the Escalade IQ and other upcoming EVs to add CarPlay and Android Auto if it finds customers are demanding it, but there are no guarantees about what GM will do.
While GM's argument about tighter integration with vehicle data does have some merit, there is nothing preventing the company from offering users the option of using either the built-in system or CarPlay/Android Auto, as is the case in millions of vehicles on the road today.
Apple's next-generation CarPlay
It also appears the argument could largely become moot with the next-generation version of CarPlay teased by Apple at WWDC 2022, which integrates very closely with vehicle systems and expands the CarPlay experience across the entire dashboard. We should learn more about next-generation CarPlay and see the first vehicles introduced with it later this year, but GM is not included in the list of over a dozen brands announced by Apple as partners on the feature.
They can sell lucrative location-based ads on the built-in navigation system. They can't do that if you use CarPlay. Plus many other monetization opportunities.
This is about monetization. I was working for a firm that was looking to partner with automakers for services. Think a subscription to order DoorDash from the car, use MS Teams/Zoom in the car, media/movies etc, get location data and sell it to third parties etc. Automakers will charge for this in the future. CarPlay essentially runs on the phone and Apple controls it. This is the issue.
Tuesday December 12, 2023 10:20 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The first iOS 17.3 beta rolling out to developers today includes a new "Stolen Device Protection" feature that is designed to add an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also obtained the device's passcode. Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen reported about instances of thieves spying on a victim's iPhone...
Tuesday December 12, 2023 1:57 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple has made available for download its major end-of-year iPhone software update, iOS 17.2, featuring a large number of features and changes that users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 33 new things that your iPhone can do once you've installed the update. Check Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update on your device to get downloading. 1. Help You Keep a Daily ...
With the launch of the iPhone 15, Apple introduced design changes like a curved frame and a frosted glass back. Information acquired by MacRumors suggests that Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 will build on these updates with modifications to the buttons and the camera layout. We have details on early pre-production designs for the iPhone 16, including a look at the variants and hardware...
Tuesday December 12, 2023 1:47 pm PST by Juli Clover
Earlier this year, General Motors (GM) announced plans to phase out Apple's CarPlay and Android Auto in its future electric vehicles, with the company instead relying on an infotainment system co-developed with Google. This has not been a popular decision with iPhone users, and today, GM provided some additional insight into the decision in a discussion with MotorTrend. According to Tim...
Monday December 11, 2023 10:46 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still over nine months away from launching, there are already several rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of December 2023:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped...
Monday December 11, 2023 9:58 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 17.2, the second major update to the tvOS 17 operating system that came out in September 2023. tvOS 17.2 comes more than a month after tvOS 17.1, an update that expanded the availability of the Enhanced Dialogue feature. tvOS 17.2 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV...
Wednesday December 13, 2023 3:21 pm PST by Juli Clover
When Apple releases new software, iOS updates tend to get most of the attention, and there are sometimes useful new features in Mac updates that go under the radar. That's the case with macOS Sonoma 14.2. It doesn't have flashy features like the Journal app that came in iOS 17.2, but there are a number of useful improvements that make it worth installing. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube ...
Apple's next-generation CarPlay
Top Rated Comments
What a dumb decision!
GM is going to lose so much money. They're going to love selling fewer cars. It's going to be fun to watch!