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GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

finance.yahoo.com

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Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#261

Post by orf »

weeblewobble wrote: post #258
orf wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

CarPlay is awesome, but I found the lack of being able to use maps very restricting. If you’re driving with someone who is co-piloting then them being able to use your phone to scout ahead for stops, restaurants etc is really useful. We ended up using Google Maps for this while navigating with Apple Maps.

Yeah or they can just use their own phone

Not sure how juggling two phones, then having to manually copy addresses with potentially foreign characters between them is better.

No, just let me view the damn map on my phone and the car display?

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#264

Post by JohnBooty »

This is so obviously user-unfriendly. All I can guess here is that GM is hoping to slip it past potential purchasers.

There is a lot of information to digest when buying a car, particularly EVs. If the salesperson says "oh yeah, you can just plug your iphone in" I can see a certain % of people assuming it has actual CarPlay support and not bothering to demo that feature. It's the kind of thing you might not notice until after you've actually brought the car home.

People overwhelmingly don't want another device to manage. This is overwhelmingly true for both tech-savvy types and folks who are allergic to tech.

They are comfortable with their phones and don't go anywhere without them and they would just like the info screen on their car to be a relatively dumb display device for their phones.

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#265

Post by JohnBooty »

kiawe_fire wrote: post #150

Well this sucks. I bought a Chevy Blazer last year, and it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. Great balance of design, gas mileage, comfort, etc. I was definitely planning to make my next car the EV version of this. Part of that package is flawless CarPlay integration. It’s simplified the music and navigation experience more than I ever thought possible. The only reason I wouldn’t demand it on my next car is if somethin…

    Part of that package is flawless CarPlay integration. 
    It’s simplified the music and navigation experience 
    more than I ever thought possible.
Yes. CarPlay and Android Auto support is absolute table stakes for me to even consider a vehicle.

Personally I don't use Android and could live without it if needed, but I have friends who do and it's nice for them to be able to plug their phones in and navigate or DJ when in my car.

People don't want another device to manage. They want their auto to be a display device for their mobile device, with which they are already infinitely familiar.

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#266

Post by kiawe_fire »

agloe_dreams wrote: post #217
kiawe_fire wrote: post #150

Well this sucks. I bought a Chevy Blazer last year, and it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. Great balance of design, gas mileage, comfort, etc. I was definitely planning to make my next car the EV version of this. Part of that package is flawless CarPlay integration. It’s simplified the music and navigation experience more than I ever thought possible. The only reason I wouldn’t demand it on my next car is if somethin…

> if something demonstrably and overwhelmingly better came along. I'm pretty sure that is what GM's play is here. There's a lot of confusion. They are moving to Google Automotive Services, complete with Android and the Play store where you pick what is on your car. Apple music is one of those apps. > Subscription services tied to my car and not my phone? Data Subscription, it is Google play under it all. > Needing to…

> There's a lot of confusion. They are moving to Google Automotive Services, complete with Android and the Play store where you pick what is on your car.

Thanks. That clarifies, considering the article gives the impression this would be a GM-siloed system built in collaboration with Google.

The problems remain mostly the same, and the notion of GM de-facto crowning Google and its Android-based solution the "one true solution" feels like something that will isolate iPhone users.

There's a big difference between being able to use Apple Music because it's an app offered on the Google Auto Services version of the Play Store, and the general-purpose solution of being able to use it because Apple Music supports CarPlay and your car supports CarPlay.

There are other potential issues that I don't know the answer to without a bit more research. What about multiple users? The beauty of the Android Auto / CarPlay model was that my friend could hop into my car, plug in his phone, and immediately get access to his Spotify app, already on his phone, with his stuff. And just as quickly as he does that, he can unplug and let my paired phone take over again.

It's really a beautiful design in its simplicity for the end user - no installing apps, no signing in to an account on "yet another device", if it's on your phone, and it supports CarPlay, then you get it in your car.

Not only does it sound like this replaces that for iPhone users, it ALSO sounds like some of these problems will exist equally for Android Auto users, as once again you are moving the environment of apps and services from the individual user's phone, into the car.

Edit:

Doing a bit more research on Google Automotive Services specifically, I found this in an article [1]:

> Android Automotive is also responsible for every interaction with your car's in-dash display. [...] Even iOS users will launch CarPlay through Automotive, a humorous convergence of the two platforms.

If this applies, then it sounds like CarPlay could indeed be an option, by way of an app downloaded from the Play Store. If so, this mitigates a healthy number of my issues. However, if so, then why the article declaring CarPlay is going away in GM if it isn't?

Just very poor article writing? Lack of knowledge amongst the people interviewed at this stage?

Also, next from the article is this:

> GAS (yes, the acronym is almost certainly on purpose) is all of your favorite Google system applications rolled into one package. As an end-user, you'll never interact with GAS by its chosen name. Instead, you'll see the benefits of this system, specifically if you purchase a car from one of Google's partners.

> Considering how many drivers, especially in the U.S., rely on iOS and CarPlay to get from place to place, it makes sense that some automakers (especially smaller companies) might pass on adopting these services.

So... what does this mean? CarPlay and GAS are mutually exclusive? Can individual auto makers determine which apps are available in the Play Store?

I'm left with about as many questions as have been answered.

[1] https://www.androidpolice.com/android-auto-vs-android-automo...

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#267

Post by dpb001 »

mikestew wrote: post #169
TedDoesntTalk wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which head unit did you choose? I’m looking to replace my factory default 2-din.

I replaced a 2-DIN unit in our 2005 Scion xB probably ten years ago with a Pioneer. No need to send a link to a ten-year old product, but go to Crutchfield (if in U. S.), search on "pioneer CarPlay", and you'll get head units with CarPlay from $300 on up. Ours is one of the nicer ones (at the time), and even without CarPlay it's still a nice unit. We've replaced the unit in the Sprinter RV with a JVC (which, from wha…

+1 for Crutchfield - have had nothing but good experiences with them for instructions and support

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#268

Post by mikestew »

Baeocystin wrote: post #205
mikestew wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GM will absolutely lose this battle. They will, but not by standing firm. No, first will come the backlash, then GM will "listen to its customers" and backtrack on this. The problem is, I've already as of this morning stopped listening to GM. I sent the link to my wife, and now we're planning which Hyundai/Kia dealer to go to first to look at Ioniq 5s and $(whatever the equivalent Kia is called). Doug in Edmonds says…

As someone who is quite concerned that I'm going to have to sell my Kia because insurance companies are refusing to cover them because they're so easy to steal, just... be careful which model you pick.

I think I'll pick a 2023 that doesn't have that problem, starting with the fact that it doesn't have an ignition key. :-) But thanks for the heads-up.

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#269

Post by SllX »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #20
KMnO4 wrote: post #4

I don’t think I would buy a car that didn’t have CarPlay. I’m an iPhone user and have no interest in changing my phone. People reject cars all the time for even more trivial things (oh — this one doesn’t have wireless charging? Next.), so I can’t imagine this being a smart idea for GM.

Not to mention, isn’t CarPlay just an interface for the phone to be able to connect to so the screen can display the software operating on the phone? Near zero cost to GM, tons of convenience for GM’s customers. I can only imagine GM wants customers’ data or subscription fees, and Apple will not allow that. And this is a business that got bailed out by US taxpayers, and is explicitly too big to fail.

> And this is a business that got bailed out by US taxpayers, and is explicitly too big to fail.

Isn’t this just the gift that just keeps on giving?

Re: GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay in EVs, with Google's help

#270

Post by croutonwagon »

helmsb wrote: post #240

Regardless of whether you prefer Apple or Google, the benefit of phone projection is that you can get a good experience with relatively low specs from the head unit because the heavy lifting is done by the phone which can be upgraded independently of the car. Even powered by Google, the infotainment system is going to age like milk since you’ll be locked into hardware that will be midrange at best, several years old…

100% this is true.

Even a decent head unit these days has a HORRID UI.

I put a Kenwood DMX907s into my truck, specifically for the Carplay and/or Andorid Auto experience (being wireless carplay/AA)

Whenever I have to actually use the headunit, its shockingly bad UI. Ford, GM etc have similar. And they charge out the wazoo to do upgrade on poor unsuspecting customers like my in-laws, that rather opt to come visit and let me deal with the quirks (and there are plenty, including what type of USB-A drive you can use to perform an upgrade, nevermind trying an OTA on wifi and allowing the truck to idle for 4 hour in the driveway...)

Given that most cars now rely on in-dash/touchscreen style feature gadgets to attract new buys over things like reliability/serviceability, you would think they would prefer to allow the techy's do the software and UI design in Apple/Google and not vendor lock one or the other. I would guess whatever company opts to go with a seamless carplay/AA experience, possibly with a control app for things like AC controls, would be king in this spacec (NOTE: ive given up asking for 3 knob AC controls, apparently I the only soul this earth that things 3 knobs that doest require visual attention to adjust the climate in a car is perfection.)

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