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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

#151

Post by mgiampapa »

barbariangrunge wrote: post #120
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,…

A lot of dealerships make more money on service than on sales. Extra money from subscriptions aren’t nothing when looked at like that. Average car service costs are what, 500-700/year over a long span of years?

EVs are turning the service business on their head. It looks like the only real service on the Bolt is tire rotations and a cabin air filter change for example.

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

#152

Post by iainmerrick »

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…

Right, this is my main problem with Bluetooth too. It’s much better if you can just plug a cable into the phone you want to use and have it just work (and keep the phone charged too).

You can’t quite do that with any car I’ve been in. CarPlay is close; it would be great if that became an open standard with standard connectors.

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

#153

Post by 8ytecoder »

ho_schi wrote: post #148

Remember Nokia? They were not greedy Big IT. Instead the defined Bluetooth as standard. The Result? My iPhone can talk with me in my Audi A4 (B8,2008). And even music because refit Bluetooth. And? Because the screen is set back in the center console (luckily no touch) I can place my phone there and use it for navigation. Need for CarPlay? 0 Need for Android Auto? 0 :) Carmakers should tell Apple and Google that they…

Any pointers to how much Apple and Google charge the carmakers? Considering a car giant made this deeply unpopular decision, I was sure it should be easy to find. But I’ve had no luck so far.

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

#154

Post by chimen »

jacobsenscott wrote: post #38

Android auto and car play are both really bad user experiences. They are just better than what most car companies can build, which is a very low bar. Here's the android auto experience: Take my phone out of my pocket (not that easy when you are already sitting...), turn on bluetooth (I often have it off because it grabs my headphones etc when I don't want it to) and connecting it to usb (where'd the damn cable go? An…

Never had any of your problems in 5 years of wireless car play on a BMW and now a FORD also. You describe defective USBs, cables, not having BL turned on, the fact that you forget your phone inside the car and other stuff totally unrelated to CarPlay or AndroidAuto for that matter. Seems to me you're just a bit messy overall, something neither of the 2 can't push an update for.

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

#155

Post by 8ytecoder »

wodenokoto wrote: post #134
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.

Given the trouble my rental has connected wired CarPlay I am not convinced about wireless CarPlay. Also, I find google maps navigation to drain quite a bit. Don’t you wanna charge?

If I want to, sure. Otherwise the data port you plug in to for your wired CarPlay is usually a really slow charger. I prefer to use my 12v charger. So I got a MagSafe charger and a wireless CarPlay adapter.

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

#156

Post by iainmerrick »

tadfisher wrote: post #74
majormajor wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would imagine that Google's negotiations with, say, Pioneer are different than theirs with GM. If Google (or Apple) thinks that having it onboard is gonna be worth some data sharing, or whatever else they want, to the manufacturer they're gonna push for that even if they have different terms for aftermarket equipment. "Just buy an aftermarket radio" isn't really a good marketing campaign for an auto manufacturer to…

Well, that and the fact that no manufacturer ships a double-DIN hole in the dash any more, so it's pretty much impossible to get an aftermarket head unit. That said, there was one Chinese Android-based unit that was made for the 3rd-gen Mazda 3, replacement screen on the dash and everything.

Not to disagree, but as I recall it, the big problem with modular head units was that people would just break into cars and steal them. Having your car radio stolen was fairly common when I was a kid.

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

#157

Post by 8ytecoder »

bobbylarrybobby wrote: post #136
getpost wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> constant cellular connection This isn't at all required for music or maps. Phones have up to a terabyte of storage now.

It is not theoretically required, but most (all?) phones don't cache all the map tiles between the origin and destination. You'd have to proactively download all the map regions you think you might need.

Google Maps and Here Maps both support offline (Sygic is another).

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

#158

Post by iainmerrick »

m463 wrote: post #127
wlesieutre wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if the infotainment is good today , GM is basically saying “trust me bro, 10 years from now maps on this decade old hardware are going to be so good you’ll want to pay a subscription for it.” I was thinking an Equinox EV would be my next car, but now I’m looking at gas vehicles and thinking I’ll give EVs a while longer to sort out which manufacturers earn a reputation for EV reliability, longevity, and good soft…

remember the iphone came out in 2007 - and I'm certain there was a lag before cars even supported phones. By the time some GM phone connect system got through the pipes (several years), we might be carrying AR glasses instead of phones.

Possibly I misremember, but I’m pretty sure hands-free phone calls in cars via Bluetooth were a thing before the iPhone existed. (Looking it up... Yeah, around 2001, apparently.)

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

#159

Post by [deleted] »

nerdjon wrote: post #52
jacobsenscott wrote: post #38

Android auto and car play are both really bad user experiences. They are just better than what most car companies can build, which is a very low bar. Here's the android auto experience: Take my phone out of my pocket (not that easy when you are already sitting...), turn on bluetooth (I often have it off because it grabs my headphones etc when I don't want it to) and connecting it to usb (where'd the damn cable go? An…

All of these things feel like things that if you owned a car with either of these systems you would just develop a habit of dealing with. I don't personally own a car but every time I rent one I know to grab a USB cable and to grab my phone out of my pocket to hook it up. That happens rare enough for it to be a habit for me, I can't imagine that being a serious issue for anyone who owns a car. Any "hassle" (which I a…

[deleted]

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

#160

Post by fingerlocks »

guessbest wrote: post #147
majormajor wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Its a shame that OBD2 information would be shared with Google, but not the driver. I would like to see performance data on my car in real time that is more comprehensive than what is displayed on the dash. Also, restricting typing and voice input only are two of the biggest annoyances I have with carplay. It would be easier to let me stop at a light and type or pinch and zoom for maps, but the car monitor is very, ve…

This must vary with manufacturer. The CarPlay in my vehicle never restricts input. I can even manipulate the CarPlay with my Apple Watch, which feels much more dangerous than using a phone. Not sure why that’s a thing.
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