I love my Apple CarPlay. In fact, it’s one of my favorite features in my car. When I heard that General Motors would be moving away from phone-connection interfaces for its own technology, I had to find out when and why.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
All About Apple CarPlay
The beloved Apple CarPlay is a feature that connects your iPhone to your car’s “infotainment” (information and entertainment) system. In an easy to view interface, Apple CarPlay allows users to navigate, text, make phone calls, access music, use Siri, and access other compatible apps.
Drivers have loved Apple CarPlay since its release in 2014. This interface offers a smarter, safer experience, connecting easily via USB or wirelessly in some vehicles. With its touchscreen, you can control your music without taking your eyes off the road. Designed to mirror the iPhone setup, it appeals to Apple users with a familiar and visually pleasing layout.
Why get rid of it?
General Motors, a leading car manufacturer, recently announced a myriad of new tech for future cars. “Hands off, eyes off” technology will allow cars to drive themselves. A unique digital foundation is rewriting the rules of car safety. General Motors plans to utilize its own artificial intelligence to fine-tune vehicles.
But, they also plan to get rid of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. These changes will be set in action in 2028 models, beginning with the Cadillac Escalade IQ.
The good news is that as General Motors phases out external infotainment compatibility, they’re planning to launch their own multi-information display. It will run music, navigation, texting, calling, and any other favorites. The new system will be powered by Google Built-in.
What critics are saying
The majority of people in the United States with a cell phone have an iPhone, and the percentage is even higher among teenagers. A report from McKinsey Consulting found that nearly half of buyers would not consider purchasing a car without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
This statistic, along with iPhone’s reign over the cell phone market, does not sound good for General Motors. Increasing user inconvenience is not going to sell more cars.
In 2028, people wanting to buy a new car might choose options that work well with their iPhones, instead of buying ones made by GM, I know I will.
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Nissan, BMW, Toyota, Honda…
And many more car brands are not under General Motors and will not be losing Apple CarPlay any time soon. In fact, most vehicles are compatible with an Apple CarPlay system; it just has to be installed.
To install Apple CarPlay aftermarket, contact a dealer or a professional. Your dealer may even offer an upgrade kit. Though I wouldn’t expect any General Motors brand to.
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GM currently owns Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, and Buick. These brands will all be affected by the changes. I personally own a Chevy with Apple CarPlay. I would not have considered purchasing this car without this feature!
If you are an iPhone lover and dead set on owning a Cadillac, make sure to get it before 2028. Because after that, you can say goodbye to Apple CarPlay.
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Author: Jayne Turner is a freelance writer from Orange, California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with an emphasis on language and cognition. She has ten years of musical theatre experience and a lifelong love of reading. Utterly excited by the brain, she brings a fresh Gen Z perspective to the topics that intrigue us most.
