GM rides on without Apple CarPlay

Hey y’all. General Motors Co. is ditching Apple CarPlay, and I’ve been testing the first new vehicle in its post-iPhone software strategy. B [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( [by Austin Carr]( Hey y’all. General Motors Co. is ditching Apple CarPlay, and I’ve been testing the first new vehicle in its post-iPhone software strategy. But first... Three things you need to know today: • Hon Hai’s sales [jumped 19% in April as demand picked up]( • Musk plans to use his Grok AI to churn out [news summaries on X]( • Apple’s latest iPad event is this week and [here’s what to expect]( CarPlay-free Chevy One of the most uncommon aspects of GM’s 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV is that it lacks Apple’s CarPlay. The Detroit manufacturer caused a stir last year when it announced plans to phase out Apple Inc.’s infotainment service, which gives iPhone users seamless access to their mobile apps right from their in-car displays. For the latest Bloomberg Businessweek, my colleague David Welch and I wrote about [why GM is betting big on its in-house software](, a fascinating case study of what it takes to escape the gravitational pull of the iPhone ecosystem. As a [longtime iPhone owner]( myself, who has relied on CarPlay for the last decade, I was wary of making the switch. But in just a week of driving the Chevy Blazer, I came to a surprising conclusion: GM’s embedded platform is just slick enough that I didn’t find myself missing Apple’s alternative. Part of the consternation is that CarPlay is free for automakers to integrate, raising the question of why GM didn’t preserve it as an optional add-on for customers. But as the service boomed in popularity — Apple says 98% of new US cars are CarPlay-compatible — it [threatened to disintermediate their brands and technology stacks](. In simple terms, an Apple dependency was starting to creep in. Indeed, the next version of CarPlay will spread from the center console to every in-vehicle display, overseeing such critical functions as oil and gas levels, the speedometer and climate controls. Mercedes-Benz Group AG signaled [last week it won’t adopt the new CarPlay]( (though it will keep the original). GM, on the other hand, is excising CarPlay compatibility altogether, beginning with its [new electric vehicles](. Of course, GM’s replacement takes some getting used to. Maybe more so for Apple users like me, since the company’s software is partly based on Alphabet Inc.’s Android operating system. Now, Google’s plug-and-play Android Auto is also absent from this new software, but I have to imagine the adaptation will be easier for Pixel or Samsung Electronics Co. users. A GM representative initially guided me through the process of syncing my iPhone over Bluetooth to handle calls and texts, and it requires about 16 clicks to grant the necessary privacy permissions. My wife, accustomed to one-click CarPlay access in our Subaru, later went through this on-boarding herself and found it annoying and complicated without the guidance I had. Logging into apps is done via QR codes, similar to how you’d sign in to streaming services on a modern TV. Once all that’s set up, though, the experience is pretty smooth. The Blazer boasts a 17.7-inch console screen next to another wide display behind the steering wheel, and it’s nice being able to customize cross-dash interfaces. I can view my EV battery usage and speed alongside what I’m playing on Audible or Spotify. Really, the only app I missed having was Apple’s native podcast app, but it’s easy enough to migrate my shows over to Spotify. GM’s pitch to consumers is that, with its software deeply integrated with vehicle components, it can offer much smarter features than CarPlay, which essentially just mirrors your iPhone. A concrete example: When I ask Google Maps for directions in the Blazer, it automatically estimates EV life for the length of the trip and plots charging stations along the route. CarPlay can’t do that. Still, the more I got used to that software-hardware interplay, the more it felt frustrating when I randomly couldn’t control parts of the car digitally. I wasn’t able to use the voice assistant to, say, open the trunk or turn on the heads-up display, despite being able to adjust a bunch of other settings that way. Room for improvement. What I most appreciate about GM’s approach is how liberating it feels no longer having to rely on my iPhone. You turn on the Blazer and everything is ready to go in one interface, no need to hop back and forth between it and CarPlay to change a song or the temperature. I also admire that GM is trying to pursue a unique and consistent design identity. It remains bewildering to me that you can spend oodles on a work of art like the Ferrari SF90, and yet habitually revert back to the same generic CarPlay interface as you would get renting a Hyundai from Hertz. Apple’s [next-generation CarPlay will provide]( Aston Martin and Porsche — so far the only announced adopters — the ability to modify color schemes and interface elements to match their models. But part of me wishes those esteemed marques would stand by their heritage and craft software interfaces as gorgeous as their hardware products. Even where GM’s [digital strategy falls short](, I at least respect its attempt to own its designs rather than outsourcing them to Apple.—[Austin Carr](mailto:acarr54@bloomberg.net) The big story The US antitrust case against Google concluded with two days of closing arguments, and Judge Amit Mehta will now consider a ruling that could have [significant consequences across the tech industry.]( One to watch The Global Outlook for the Gaming SectorIt’s been a hard week for the video game industry, with AMD warning of slowing demand for chips powering game consoles and computers, and video game publisher Take Two planning to shut down subsidiaries in London and Seattle amid mass layoffs. In more positive news: Twitch, Amazon's livestreaming platform for gamers, is going to launch a competitor to TikTok. Konvoy Managing Partner Jason Chapman joins Ed Ludlow on "Bloomberg Technology." Get fully charged Bitcoin’s price gyrations are showing signs of being affected by [the large influx of crypto ETF buyers.]( Paris-based Starlink rival Eutelsat is considering [options for its ground station network, including a sale.]( Expedia shares hit a five-month low after [bookings missed expectations.]( More from Bloomberg Get Bloomberg Tech weeklies in your inbox: - [Cyber Bulletin]( for coverage of the shadow world of hackers and cyber-espionage - [Game On]( for reporting on the video game business - [Power On]( for Apple scoops, consumer tech news and more - [Screentime]( for a front-row seat to the collision of Hollywood and Silicon Valley - [Soundbite]( for reporting on podcasting, the music industry and audio trends - [Q&AI]( for answers to all your questions about AI Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. Want to sponsor this newsletter? [Get in touch here](. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Tech Daily newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](