
Audi and Mercedes–Benz are among the car makers to reject CarPlay Ultra, despite Apple listing them as future partners, and they are not alone.
Aston–Martin was the first to adopt it, and Porsche has said that it will be doing so – but others previously named by Apple have either changed their minds, or are keeping suspiciously quiet …
Apple has been talking about a next–generation version of CarPlay for a long time, but it wasn’t until last month that the company officially announced it as CarPlay Ultra.
CarPlay Ultra builds on the capabilities of CarPlay and provides the ultimate in-car experience by deeply integrating with the vehicle to deliver the best of iPhone and the best of the car. It provides information for all of the driver’s screens, including real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster, while reflecting the automaker’s look and feel and offering drivers a customizable experience.
At launch, Aston–Martin was the only car maker to support it, but Apple said that “many other automakers” would do so.
However, one high–profile brand originally named by Apple as a planned partner for the system had backed out more than a year earlier. Mercedes chose a podcast in April of last year to say that it would not, after all, be adopting the new in–car UI.
A new Financial Times report says that fellow premium German car brand Audi has likewise made a U–turn – and it’s not alone in this.
German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi as well as Volvo Cars, Polestar and Renault said they have no plans to bring the upgraded software to their vehicles, despite earlier indications from Apple that they would.
Renault is said to have told Apple “Don’t try to invade our own systems.”
The report suggests that revenue is the main reason for this change of heart.
“The western carmakers are trying to figure out how to find growth in a world which is at or near its peak in terms of car sales,” said Simon Middleton, a partner at McKinsey. “In the highly competitive premium segment, you’re also fighting for differentiation.”
They are eyeing subscription services as a potential income stream, and don’t want Apple robbing them of a way to monetize in–car services.
The one piece of good news for Apple is that the future of standard CarPlay seems safe: multiple surveys have indicated that this is a must–have for many buyers.
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