Apple's CarPlay Will Ship On 40 Car Models This Year

[FAPTurbo]

Before debuting the hotly anticipated Apple Watch and the newest Macbook Air, Apple CEO Tim Cook  announced at the 'Spring Forward' event today that 40 car models in 2015 will feature Carplay software for hands-free vehicle interaction. 

 

Carplay - and its Google competitor Android Auto - promise advanced features that natively integrate into the two largest smartphone operating systems. It's believed that certain automakers worry that Apple and Google will usurp their own branded infotainment systems, creating a homogenous experience regardless of automaker. 

 

Cook states that every "major" automaker has now committed to using Carplay, which could signal that holdout automakers like Toyota have finally given in. 

 

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/9/8176183/apple-carplay-will-be-shipping-on-40-new-car-models-this-year

[G. David Felt]

Believe it when I really see it and personally they are going to have to support both Apple and Android in every auto to satisfy customers. If they do not they will have a loosing sale. Example is I hate the Apple interface but love Android so an auto that only supports Apple starts with a loosing sales mark and yet for my son a graphic designer who is mac everything an android only stereo would be a negative. So the only way I see this winning is having support for both.

 

Big looser here would be Msft if they do not get on board.

[FAPTurbo]

Believe it when I really see it and personally they are going to have to support both Apple and Android in every auto to satisfy customers. If they do not they will have a loosing sale. 

 

Big looser here would be Msft if they do not get on board.

 

 

VW is supporting both, which I suspect would be the same for every automaker.

 

What may remain to be seen is whether a vehicle's infotainment unit supports either system, or customers have to select the specific OS that matches their phone. I wouldn't be surprised if carmakers tried to charge for system 're-flashes,' for each time a consumer changes from Android to Apple and vice-versa. 

[Drew Dowdell]

Probably all Audis.... they have 80 models if you go by their way of counting. 

 

Believe it when I really see it and personally they are going to have to support both Apple and Android in every auto to satisfy customers. If they do not they will have a loosing sale. 

 

Big looser here would be Msft if they do not get on board.

 

 

VW is supporting both, which I suspect would be the same for every automaker.

 

What may remain to be seen is whether a vehicle's infotainment unit supports either system, or customers have to select the specific OS that matches their phone. I wouldn't be surprised if carmakers tried to charge for system 're-flashes,' for each time a consumer changes from Android to Apple and vice-versa. 

 

That would majorly suck!  We're a two OS household... .he has an iphone and I have an Android..... 

 

actually... I do have both iphone and android, my iphone is my work phone

[FAPTurbo]

That would majorly suck!  We're a two OS household... .he has an iphone and I have an Android..... 

 

actually... I do have both iphone and android, my iphone is my work phone

 

Yeah, I'm hoping it's just FUD. It'd be a pretty lousy practice and I'm certain both Apple and Google would put a stop to it, as it'd end up tainting their brands. 

[G. David Felt]

 

That would majorly suck!  We're a two OS household... .he has an iphone and I have an Android..... 

 

actually... I do have both iphone and android, my iphone is my work phone

 

Yeah, I'm hoping it's just FUD. It'd be a pretty lousy practice and I'm certain both Apple and Google would put a stop to it, as it'd end up tainting their brands. 

 

Agreed, this would be a big negative for both companies if you had to pay the Auto OEM to reflash the system to support one or the other. I can see the QA testing now. how far back do the Auto units go in supporting which OS versions. 

 

This is going to be very interesting and MFST could end up being the big looser here.

[Cory Wolfe]

I would hope all manufacturers will support both as some have already stated they will (VW, Hyundai). Forgoing one over the other is just putting yourself on track to lose sales. I have to wonder why Toyota is being stubborn over the implementation of one or both systems. As the largest company, and seeing that nearly every other manufacturer is adapting to the systems, I can't see the logic in holding out. 

 

Now, for what it's worth, I am much more eager to hear about Android Auto as it is, by far, the better designed and implemented system. Sure, CarPlay adds some functionality, but Android Auto seems to add a whole additional ecosystem of sorts. Why go through the trouble to port some apps and basic functionality and not do anything with it aesthetically? What makes it all that better than existing applink suites already out there? I feel like Apple could have done so much more with CarPlay since they seem to reinvent everything else they venture into. 

Edited March 10, 2015 by blackviper8891