It's not just Gen Z, 79% of all US car buyers would only buy a car with CarPlay: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/22/apple-carplay-could-be-a-tro...
GM will absolutely lose this battle. Idiotic move.
GM will absolutely lose this battle. Idiotic move.
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 he has 65 of the l'il buggers. We might just drive one home this weekend, at which point GM has not only lost a sale but further convinced me to stay away from GM.
Did I mention that my father worked for GM all his career, and already pre-ordered an EV Blazer, which we said we'd take if he didn't want it at delivery? Yeah, I need to send Dad quick email about that...
I love GM cars once you remove their terrible UI and escape to CarPlay/Android Auto. The biggest issue with cars is that they rely on a touch screen for controls and the UX is awful. I now have an Audi and a Porsche and the MMI suite is Android based. This isn’t too bad but the services and mapping are far behind Apple and Google.
Apple isn’t forcing anything. They don’t have exclusive contacts. Almost every car with CarPlay supports Android Auto.
Customers are just demanding it.
By comparison, nothing (not even Google) is stopping Apple from producing CarPlay for Android. All the APIs are there. They could even distribute it in the Play store.
Compare the PhoneLink capabilities between iPhone and Android, vs the macOS integration Apple offers iOS.
I was not talking about the infotainment OS. No one has an Apple OS running on a car so I don’t know how they could dominate the market.
It happily allows CarPlay from my iPhone.
CarPlay is (very roughly) the phone pushing video to the car's head unit like it's an external monitor (with a UI tailored for the size/location/usage of a typical car display).
My issue is that my #1 requirement (no functionality that requires a touchscreen to use) basically pre-empts me from having any other requirements.
I agree no touchscreen for AC/volume knob and some other things, but zero touchscreen at all (even for radio and menu) seems out there. Time to get a 2001 Cherokee.
My 2011 car can accomplish everything perfectly well without a touchscreen while I’m wearing giant ski mitts in -30 weather; I’m not interested in a downgrade.
If you want a truck, get a Ford. They're hands-down the best in class. Or get a Toyota or Honda if you roll that way.
If you want an SUV, well, everybody is making those and GM doesn't have any standout offerings.
If you want a luxury car then there are much better options that are not only more luxurious, but more reliable, and oftentimes cheaper.
If you want reliable, cheap transportation then you're getting a KIA or Hyundai.
No matter how you slice it and dice it, the answer is never GM. (I'll concede the Corvette, they're great sports cars, but c'mon! Not many people are buying those!)
And now they're nixing CarPlay?
Any Bolt is a better car hands-down on battery capacity alone.
On the infotainment topic: I have the top-spec LEAF for my year and the (upgraded) infotainment unit is hot garbage, easily bested by the $175 Android touchscreen I put in my wife's car.
I dunno. Lack of CarPlay support has not exactly stopped people buying Teslas.
On the other hand, Polestar uses Google’s Automotive OS for it’s infotainment system and yet also supports CarPlay. So the two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
Volvo/Polestar has a rather nice, well-integrated implementation of CarPlay, in fact. It definitely can be done. GM is insane.
That being said, not supporting CarPlay (and Apple Maps) is a big factor of me not buying a Tesla.
They were basically the only non-low end electric car. Also their infotainment is reportedly pretty good, not the quality of most car makers.
GM doesn’t have a Tesla quality infotainment system, and doesn’t have a “we’re the only choice” level hook.
It won’t work for them. And it may be starting to hurt Tesla as they lose their uniqueness selling point.
Yet.
Having poked around with a Polestar, Google’s infotainment software is actually very good.
It’s certainly in the same ballpark as Tesla’s. Clean elegant design, tight integration to the car’s systems, fast smooth performance. And has clear advantages over Tesla in some aspects (ie: ability to install 3rd-party apps).
Oh, it absolutely does. I bought TSLA when it was in the double digits, and I bought lots of it (and long since sold it all). Despite scooping up capital gains with a backhoe, my wife and I never considered a Tesla simply because it didn't have CarPlay. As it applies to any car maker, CarPlay/Android Auto seems like an easy win, and if the company can't be bothered, then we'll look elsewhere.
Lack of CarPlay just doesn't stop everyone from buying one.
There are ways to run CarPlay in the browser, and it works fine (plenty of videos about it), but it isn't enough of a value-add for people to want it.