People are less than happy about GM dropping CarPlay
General Motors first announced it would phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support from its electric vehicle lineup in 2023. The popular Chevy Equinox EV was one of the first casualties, with an Android Automotive OS infotainment system with Google built in instead. The move was unpopular, to put it mildly, with concerns ranging from data privacy to setting up a whole new ecosystem of apps. Not to mention the $9.99-14.99 monthly subscription costs to stream music, for example, once the initial three years of bundled free access expire.
GM then announced the phone mirroring phase-out would extend to all its vehicles, including gas-powered models. Following swift criticism, however, GM has quickly clarified to MacRumours that CarPlay and Android Auto will remain in all gas-powered vehicles “for the foreseeable future”. The caveat here is that the clock on that future seems like it will run out in a couple of years.
GM’s grand plan is subscription-based
GM plans to roll out a new centralized computing system, starting with the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. On the journey there, GM’s onboard infotainment will feature Google’s Gemini AI for conversational assistant features before transitioning to its own proprietary AI with the major rollout in 2028. GM promises a level of integration that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can’t hope to achieve. If you read between the lines, it’s a move that allows GM to monetize the in-car experience.
Gabriel Ionica
The questions that lead are two-fold: can GM match the polish and ease of use that smartphone users are already used to, and how many users are willing to pay monthly subscription charges to use features they can use for free? But GM’s Chief Product Officer, Sterling Anderson, remains positive, comparing the situation to when Apple ditched disk drives in favor of flash storage, calling this move “a very Jobsian approach to things”.
Manufacturers aren’t happy with Apple’s next-gen CarPlay
Ford CEO Jim Farley hasn’t been impressed with the first iteration of the all-encompassing Apple CarPlay Ultra, vowing to continue to offer standard CarPlay that gives users more freedom. Other manufacturers have also taken a similar stance against handing over in-car entertainment and functionality to Apple, ostensibly because it limits their control and potential to monetize features. The other side of the story comes from actual buyers, dead set against subscription charges.
Aston Martin
With (free) CarPlay in almost all new vehicles, GM really does have its work cut out. If GM’s 2028 rollout doesn’t include subscription pricing that works for the majority, GM’s lack of CarPlay won’t be its biggest issue; its lack of willing customers will be.
