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GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

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Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#271

Post by guywithahat »

mlsu wrote: post #32

How does this business decision make sense? A car is a high-margin item, so the impact of even a handful of consumers choosing not to buy must be huge, right? Whereas, they would need to "monetize" (ugh) many many more units to turn back that lost profit. And as the shakeup due to EVs begins, even loyal consumers will be considering other makes. My girlfriend bought a car recently. CarPlay was not negotiable for her,…

I think this makes a ton of business sense. They're only doing this on EV's, which have to be charged, and are likely concerned your car infotainment system is going to become a platform people buy things on they don't want to miss out on. Tesla has done it and because of this they have the best infotainment system in the industry. Frankly from what I can tell as well this is just editorialization, I don't think GM considers it a blunder and it seems like the smart move in my opinion (although it would have been smarter to start 10 years ago like Tesla did).

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#272

Post by myself248 »

bborud wrote: post #226

Ideally, my car would look like a BT speaker, possibly with a microphone and some controls, to the phone. I don't want a dedicated satnav, I don't want an elaborate in-car entertainment system. The reason is twofold. The first is that all of these in-car systems are pretty dated even after a couple of years. The second is that they tend to be fairly low quality to begin with. The system in my car that integrates with…

That's exactly what I bought on my 2012, and I fear I may not be able to get it again if I have to replace the car. I got the lowest-spec stereo that still had Bluetooth. It also has AM/FM/CD which I use quite a bit, but no nav, no integrated streaming, no telematics, no GSM radio that bricks a bunch of features when the GSM network gets decommissioned, none of that.

Reason being, I worked in infotainment testing at the time, and I didn't want my car to remind me of work.

It's been fantastic. Nothing about it feels outdated. My kitchen appliances are from around the same era and likewise, they just work like they always have. There's no maps to expire, no subscriptions to renew, nothing of the sort.

Equally importantly, it doesn't spy on me. There's no EULA to accept when I start the car, no continuous feed of my location being sent to advertisers (unless I take my phone with me, which is my choice each trip).

And no chance of perverts spying on me with the car's cameras. It doesn't have any.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#273

Post by jojobas »

xattt wrote: post #211
jojobas wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty of aftermarket head units for specific cars. It's not that hard for the manufacturers to make another plastic part. You shouldn't have to though, now that there is this dual communication standard.

How do headunits like that address changing settings that can only be changed from the infotainment?

A hefty bit of reverse re-engineering and quite some pain in the neck. Also you'll do everyone a favour if you vote with your dollar for a car that has dedicated controls for AC and such.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#274

Post by drfuchs »

sokoloff wrote: post #227
newjersey wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a much older car from 2007 so no Android Auto or Apple Carplay for me but I thought I was supposed to sit there after I start my car for at least half a minute? Maybe not needed for newer cars? I start the car and wait for the dashcam to chime. I start driving once it chimes. I have an older Aukey, not hard wired, so it takes about half a minute for it to chime which I thought was perfect timing.

Assuming temps over -20°C and a car newer than 30 years, I think you’re fine to drive away as soon as the engine is stable after starting. That’s probably well under 5 seconds and, unless you’re trying to do an old LeMans race start, isn’t something that I’d consciously wait for.

The CarTalk brothers agree: don’t wait, just drive.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#275

Post by throwawayapples »

I guess I'm a Luddite. I drive old (but still nice!) cars for security reasons, and they typically have only basic radios+bluetooth (or I add bluetooth or Avantree Roadtrip) and lighter plug chargers, so I can run audio through the car speakers. I don't care that much about nav except when I'm traveling, and then a Garmin GPS stuck on the dash works out pretty well.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#276

Post by dionidium »

bborud wrote: post #226

Ideally, my car would look like a BT speaker, possibly with a microphone and some controls, to the phone. I don't want a dedicated satnav, I don't want an elaborate in-car entertainment system. The reason is twofold. The first is that all of these in-car systems are pretty dated even after a couple of years. The second is that they tend to be fairly low quality to begin with. The system in my car that integrates with…

> The first is that all of these in-car systems are pretty dated even after a couple of years.

CarPlay can't really get out of date any more than iOS can get out of date. It's just a software push. The main problem with the stereo in my car is that not everything is in CarPlay, so you have this sort of absurd situation where CarPlay is supposedly just one function of many, when obviously FM radio should just be an app icon in CarPlay, and the audio settings should be an app in CarPlay, and so on.

CarPlay is the OS and the stereo unit also has its own OS, so CarPlay is basically like running an emulated OS on another computer. That's obviously very silly.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#277

Post by dionidium »

LanceH wrote: post #94
kube-system wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After having wireless CarPlay, not sure I can ever go back. It’s really nice to get in the car and just go, and everything from my phone is automatically on the dash and controllable with the car’s native controls. The last thing I want is for my car to be another device with its own subscription, accounts, applications, configuration, etc.

It's a bit of a pain if two people share the car. Even worse if two people share more than one car. There never seems to be an option to force use a specific phone when more than one is possible. They all seem sticky to a phone and it always seems to be the other one. I guess a good thing about carplay is that when traveling with someone else, they can use their phone to update things like maps, and we're not complet…

My wife and I share a VW Tiguan and this is a constant annoyance. To switch devices you have to go out of CarPlay -> Settings -> Swipe left to the second screen of controls -> Mobile Device Settings -> Select device.

And since the device it initially chooses to connect to sometimes takes 30 seconds or so to be fully connected (during which time you can't make any selections in this menu), you have to sit and wait until it connects the device you don't want to be connected before you can switch to the one you do want. And then you wait about 30 seconds for the correct device to connect.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#278

Post by throwawayapples »

majormajor wrote: post #31
mritun wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

CarPlay and AndroidAuto don’t give the car any access to the phone data and that’s the “problem” GM seems trying to “fix”. CarPlay and AndroidAuto protocols basically treat car’s display as a remote framebuffer.

There's been some controversy about data collection going the other way the Android side. https://www.motortrend.com/features/13-cool-facts-about-the-... > As part of the agreement an automaker would have to enter with Google, Porsche said certain pieces of data must be collected and transmitted back to Mountain View, California. Stuff like vehicle speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs—basically…

> I'm not sure which I want less - the phone company getting data from my car, or the car company getting data from the phone.

Insane and creepy. but at least Google knows something of security. Most car manufacturers do not.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#279

Post by _dain_ »

bborud wrote: post #226

Ideally, my car would look like a BT speaker, possibly with a microphone and some controls, to the phone. I don't want a dedicated satnav, I don't want an elaborate in-car entertainment system. The reason is twofold. The first is that all of these in-car systems are pretty dated even after a couple of years. The second is that they tend to be fairly low quality to begin with. The system in my car that integrates with…

>I don't want an elaborate in-car entertainment system. The reason is twofold. The first is that all of these in-car systems are pretty dated even after a couple of years. The second is that they tend to be fairly low quality to begin with.

Third: they are distracting while you should be focussing on the road.

Re: GM’s decision to ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto sparks backlash

#280

Post by _dain_ »

ulfw wrote: post #138
mlsu wrote: post #32

How does this business decision make sense? A car is a high-margin item, so the impact of even a handful of consumers choosing not to buy must be huge, right? Whereas, they would need to "monetize" (ugh) many many more units to turn back that lost profit. And as the shakeup due to EVs begins, even loyal consumers will be considering other makes. My girlfriend bought a car recently. CarPlay was not negotiable for her,…

The most sold EV brand in the US with about 2/3 of market share doesn't allow CarPlay either. Now don't get me wrong, I want my Apple Carplay too. I wouldn't want to buy a car without it. But the argument that "as the shakeup due to EVs begins, even loyal consumers will be considering other makes" I just don't see happen in real life today. Most EV buyers chose a Tesla. No CarPlay or Android Auto in that one.

The most sold EVs are electric bicycles.
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