From HotHardware:
GM Boss Doubles Down On Ejecting Apple CarPlay And Android AutoQuoteGeneral Motors is hard set on developing its own custom user interface for some of its future products, replacing the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The reason? Improved safety, usability, and driver attention. The company believes that removing smartphone projections and integrating apps into GM's own interface would greatly improve the customer/driver experience.
No, General Motors isn't pulling a Huawei trick by developing its own operating system, but the company is doubling down to take phone projections (in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) out of the infotainment system in future models. The logical behind it all is that the General believes that ditching CarPlay and Android Auto would make drivers pick up their phones less while driving. So far, we've seen the Chevy Blazer EV, well, trailblaze that vision with the company's Ultifi system. We all know how that story went.
FULL ARTICLE HERE (https://markholtz.info/2wj)
The Honda Prologue comes with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Same platform and infotainment hardware as the Blazer EV. I wouldn't be surprised if someone figures out how to unlock those features on the GM-branded EVs.
Once word really gets out about this, and other automakers tout how they will maintain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, the General's sales will suffer. Hopefully that will mean the ouster of their current CEO, who IMO is completely out of touch with consumer wants.
Quote from: wriddle082 on November 10, 2024, 04:45:22 PMcurrent CEO, who IMO is completely out of touch with consumer wants.
Sounds about right. Why pay for a service that has been proven to be good (such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) when you can maximize profit with a bad service (such as the theoretical GM system)?
I do see an advantage: it would prevent remote hacking since it wouldn't be connected to the phone.
Quote from: hotdogPi on November 10, 2024, 06:31:15 PMI do see an advantage: it would prevent remote hacking since it wouldn't be connected to the phone.
Does this actually happen?
Remember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
That cable is called "bluetooth"
From The Verge:
Hyundai's touchscreen honeymoon is over because sometimes buttons are just betterQuoteHyundai, a company that has been just as guilty in the past of spreading the touchscreen scourge in cars as any other, has been course-correcting lately, putting more buttons and knobs into its cars. The reason isn't surprising: people hate touchscreens, at least for certain essential controls like HVAC systems, and they told Hyundai so.
"As we were adding integrated [infotainment] screens in our vehicles, we also tried putting touchscreen-based controls, and people didn't prefer that," Hyundai Design North America VP Ha Hak-soo told Korea JoongAng Daily in an interview that InsideEVs spotted. He said Hyundai, which was as infatuated with touchscreens as the rest of the industry at first, found that in focus group testing people got "stressed, annoyed and steamed when they want to control something in a pinch but are unable to do so."
FULL ARTICLE HERE (https://markholtz.info/2wm)
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
You do realize that smartphones have lacked a headphone jack for
years! Bluetooth is the connectivity standard, and there are Bluetooth-to-aux adapters available (https://amzn.to/3APWvYl). While the first implementations of Bluetooth ages ago had audio quality issues, the modern standard sound just fine.
Quote from: ZLoth on November 12, 2024, 05:46:43 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
You do realize that smartphones have lacked a headphone jack for years!
Mine hasn't. 🤷
What advantages do Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have over a standard Bluetooth connection? I just put a stereo in my old truck to replace a broken cassette player and a bad tuner, and I just bought a Jensen with Bluetooth and an AUX port.
Quote from: ZLoth on November 12, 2024, 05:46:43 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
You do realize that smartphones have lacked a headphone jack for years! Bluetooth is the connectivity standard, and there are Bluetooth-to-aux adapters available (https://amzn.to/3APWvYl). While the first implementations of Bluetooth ages ago had audio quality issues, the modern standard sound just fine.
You can get a $5 dongle that plugs into the iPhone's Lightning (charging port) that has a pass-through charging port and an AUX jack. I'm sure the same is available for USB-C devices.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 12, 2024, 07:54:36 PMWhat advantages do Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have over a standard Bluetooth connection? I just put a stereo in my old truck to replace a broken cassette player and a bad tuner, and I just bought a Jensen with Bluetooth and an AUX port.
Apple CarPlay turns your car's infotainment screen into an extension of your phone. You can use your favorite navigation app, make hands free calls, use Siri to make those hands free calls, of course listen to music or podcasts, and even though I haven't tried it I think you can order food from certain apps that seem to control CarPlay, such as Dunkin' Donuts or Chick-Fil-A. I have found it to be immensely helpful in every rental car I get to drive. My wife's car has if too and she very much enjoys it.
If your car doesn't have an infotainment screen, there are companies that make low cost CarPlay and/or Android Auto aftermarket touchscreen systems that I think work in single DIN openings as well as double DIN openings. Many of the automotive YouTubers I watch regularly recommend a Chinese make called Atoto. Reasonably priced and good features.
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 07:29:33 PMQuote from: ZLoth on November 12, 2024, 05:46:43 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
You do realize that smartphones have lacked a headphone jack for years!
Mine hasn't. 🤷
Mine (which I got about 15 months ago)also does not lack a headphone jack - another important functon of having it, and wired headphones connected - is that the headphone wire acts as an antennae for the phone's FM tuner.
Quote from: Mr_Northside on November 14, 2024, 03:02:57 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 07:29:33 PMQuote from: ZLoth on November 12, 2024, 05:46:43 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 12, 2024, 04:55:20 PMRemember when there was a cable you plugged into the phone and into the car and it didn't matter what OS either of them had?
You do realize that smartphones have lacked a headphone jack for years!
Mine hasn't. 🤷
Mine (which I got about 15 months ago)also does not lack a headphone jack - another important functon of having it, and wired headphones connected - is that the headphone wire acts as an antennae for the phone's FM tuner.
Short adapter cords ('jacks') with both Iphone 'lightning' and 'type C' connectors are now very common and inexpensive. Apple is in the process of phasing out the Lightning connectors in favor of Type C, too (an EU interoperability thing). In fact, I actually found an undamaged lightning adapter cord in a parking lot about 4-5 years ago, so I have both kinds covered.
Mike
https://9to5google.com/2024/11/27/gm-android-auto-carplay-ev-kit/
An option for new GM vehicles having the proprietary system.
Won't bother me any since I never have and never will own a GM vehicle.
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 29, 2024, 11:02:04 AMWon't bother me any since I never have and never will own a GM vehicle.
In MI, these are fighting words.
Quote from: Rothman on November 29, 2024, 11:04:48 AMQuote from: Flint1979 on November 29, 2024, 11:02:04 AMWon't bother me any since I never have and never will own a GM vehicle.
In MI, these are fighting words.
GM turned their back on Flint around 1986, so I totally understand the sentiment.
Quote from: formulanone on November 29, 2024, 11:24:54 AMQuote from: Rothman on November 29, 2024, 11:04:48 AMQuote from: Flint1979 on November 29, 2024, 11:02:04 AMWon't bother me any since I never have and never will own a GM vehicle.
In MI, these are fighting words.
GM turned their back on Flint around 1986, so I totally understand the sentiment.
Even then, I know other people from Flint that are still diehard GM customers.
Thread bump... it appears GM is going further and is
planning to remove CarPlay/Android Auto (phone projection) from their gasoline model vehicles in addition to their EV line, which means this phase-out is going to expand across the entire GM line.
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/10/22/gm-phasing-out-carplay-all-cars/
Found this part in the article interesting regarding the removal of phone projection:
Quote from: MacRumors - GM to Remove CarPlay from All Future Vehicles, Including Gas CarsGM Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson suggested that GM's decision to embrace its own system is a "very Jobsian approach to things" that he likened to phasing out the disk drive.
But frankly, it's a very Jobsian approach to things. The removal of the disk drive, nobody liked that, everybody on the forums and Facebook was complaining about it, but to that he said, "Look, guys, flash storage really is the future. Get on board, you'll see that." That's kind of what we're saying here, in fact that's exactly what we're saying.
Anderson said that GM's in-house infotainment option offers a "much more immersive environment" and can "do so many more things" than CarPlay.
GM gonna GM.
So far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Knowing GM's way of doing things, they don't want to pay the licensing rights but will spend even more on creating their own interactive system, and it will have more problems in its first few iterations to barely make this worth the trouble. It will wind up like Ford's original Sync, most likely.
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Quote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
The article is from yesterday, not 2024.
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
You do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
Quote from: vdeane on October 23, 2025, 12:39:11 PMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
The article is from yesterday, not 2024.
Page 1?
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 01:24:33 PMQuote from: vdeane on October 23, 2025, 12:39:11 PMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
The article is from yesterday, not 2024.
Page 1?
The effort's been around since 2023. Just moving at a snail's pace...if at all beyond lip service...
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 12:44:22 PMYou do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
They somewhat rightly mentioned how they gave up on disk drives to get flash (and Bluetooth won after all)
I have my questions about Android Auto - but that may (or may not) be the thing for years to come.
I don't see a viable alternative right now, though - but in theory GM can make a bet on that alternative - and win it. Would they win? well...
Quote from: kalvado on October 23, 2025, 04:29:39 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 12:44:22 PMYou do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
They somewhat rightly mentioned how they gave up on disk drives to get flash (and Bluetooth won after all)
I have my questions about Android Auto - but that may (or may not) be the thing for years to come.
I don't see a viable alternative right now, though - but in theory GM can make a bet on that alternative - and win it. Would they win? well...
GM stopped being a viable option for me once they stopped making cars (aside from the Corvette). GM is all about big margin trucks and CUVs. Toyota and Subaru likely be where I'm sourcing my daily drivers from now on.
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 01:24:33 PMQuote from: vdeane on October 23, 2025, 12:39:11 PMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 23, 2025, 06:55:12 AMQuote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 06:15:28 AMSo far, I have not seen any CarPlay removal from any GM rental car that I've rented in the last two years. That's about 10-12 vehicles.
Why would you have, given the decision hasn't been implemented yet?
Because every one of these threads turns into threats of immediate doom, gloom, and enshittification, and I'm commenting on how it hasn't shaken up much of anything 12 months later.
So it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
The article is from yesterday, not 2024.
Page 1?
I was looking at the article that bumped the thread since that's what appeared when I clicked "new" - not the OP. That article mentioned that this change had previously been for the EV lineup and is now coming to the gas cars. So unless you were renting EVs, you wouldn't have seen anything from their previous efforts on this.
Quote from: formulanone on October 23, 2025, 08:26:32 AMSo it's not "doubling down" if it hasn't happened.
One can only double down when nothing has happened—if you hit or stand, you can no longer double down. (Casinos differ on whether you can double down after a split.)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 04:39:23 PMQuote from: kalvado on October 23, 2025, 04:29:39 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 12:44:22 PMYou do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
They somewhat rightly mentioned how they gave up on disk drives to get flash (and Bluetooth won after all)
I have my questions about Android Auto - but that may (or may not) be the thing for years to come.
I don't see a viable alternative right now, though - but in theory GM can make a bet on that alternative - and win it. Would they win? well...
GM stopped being a viable option for me once they stopped making cars (aside from the Corvette). GM is all about big margin trucks and CUVs.
So is Ford; their only car is the Mustang, and let's not forget they have the best-selling pickup truck for almost a half-century. At least Stellantis has a new Charger (and bringing back the Hemi was a step in the right direction), but aside from that, they're all about minivans and Jeeps. Oh, and sorry to interrupt, but the Corvette is not the only traditional car GM has right now, because Cadillac has them too, in the form of the CT-series sedans.
Quote from: Henry on October 24, 2025, 10:28:53 AMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 04:39:23 PMQuote from: kalvado on October 23, 2025, 04:29:39 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 12:44:22 PMYou do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
They somewhat rightly mentioned how they gave up on disk drives to get flash (and Bluetooth won after all)
I have my questions about Android Auto - but that may (or may not) be the thing for years to come.
I don't see a viable alternative right now, though - but in theory GM can make a bet on that alternative - and win it. Would they win? well...
GM stopped being a viable option for me once they stopped making cars (aside from the Corvette). GM is all about big margin trucks and CUVs.
So is Ford; their only car is the Mustang, and let's not forget they have the best-selling pickup truck for almost a half-century. At least Stellantis has a new Charger (and bringing back the Hemi was a step in the right direction), but aside from that, they're all about minivans and Jeeps. Oh, and sorry to interrupt, but the Corvette is not the only traditional car GM has right now, because Cadillac has them too, in the form of the CT-series sedans.
I've heard more than one mechanic mutter that people should stay away from everything Stellantis.
Quote from: Henry on October 24, 2025, 10:28:53 AMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 04:39:23 PMQuote from: kalvado on October 23, 2025, 04:29:39 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 23, 2025, 12:44:22 PMYou do know this is GM right? Enshittification driven by bean counters looking to save a buck is kind of what they are known for.
They somewhat rightly mentioned how they gave up on disk drives to get flash (and Bluetooth won after all)
I have my questions about Android Auto - but that may (or may not) be the thing for years to come.
I don't see a viable alternative right now, though - but in theory GM can make a bet on that alternative - and win it. Would they win? well...
GM stopped being a viable option for me once they stopped making cars (aside from the Corvette). GM is all about big margin trucks and CUVs.
So is Ford; their only car is the Mustang, and let's not forget they have the best-selling pickup truck for almost a half-century. At least Stellantis has a new Charger (and bringing back the Hemi was a step in the right direction), but aside from that, they're all about minivans and Jeeps. Oh, and sorry to interrupt, but the Corvette is not the only traditional car GM has right now, because Cadillac has them too, in the form of the CT-series sedans.
Sometimes I forget about Cadillac. I guess that is a good thing since it probably means I'm not old enough to be a target customer. I do like me some CTS-V wagons though if I happen to see one at a car show.
All of the Buicks are "SUV" now. Sedan? Nope, and the Buick Verano was a nice vehicle.
Me personally I don't think that I've found any Buick appealing since the G-Body was around. The last Buick model I drove as a 2016 Enclave which had the same infotainment system as my Sonic with redundant button controls. I'll admit that those button controls were pretty nice.
Seem to be two themes in this thread.
- As to "sedans", the drive-by media seems willing to accept the "kids today..." meme that people just want SUVs and trucks. Well, while these types of vehicles are certainly more popular than before, no. The fact is that the "foreign" (worldwide, founded in some other country) manufacturers all have two or three sedan models for sale in the USA, the "American" (worldwide, founded in the USA more than a century ago) companies have simply been flat beaten in this segment. The reason there are no mass market sedans made by the "big 3" is people voted with their checkbooks for the quality vehicles made by Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, etc.
- As to the original post, I get it. ACP or AA cost. You buy the car and both companies get a royalty for the programs (and understand that most people are never going to use one of them). A simple program that doesn't project the phone apps, but just integrates the phone audio is probably out of patent by now, so GM et all can cut prices (right, they will just keep the money, of course). It is all a game a chicken, since the quality manufacturers seem uninterested in dumping ACP or AA.
Quote from: ZLoth on October 24, 2025, 02:48:22 PMAll of the Buicks are "SUV" now. Sedan? Nope, and the Buick Verano was a nice vehicle.
That was the only GM division I was never attracted to because I found it to be pretentious, especially in the '80s and '90s, when it seemingly didn't know whether to be a luxury or performance brand. In my family, it was almost always Chevy, Olds and Cadillac (the middle of which I liked best, mainly because it was the make of my first car and my dad's throughout my childhood and teenage years), before they branched out to imports, mostly the usual suspects Honda and Toyota.
Quote from: SP Cook on October 24, 2025, 04:00:48 PMAs to the original post, I get it. ACP or AA cost. You buy the car and both companies get a royalty for the programs (and understand that most people are never going to use one of them). A simple program that doesn't project the phone apps, but just integrates the phone audio is probably out of patent by now, so GM et all can cut prices (right, they will just keep the money, of course). It is all a game a chicken, since the quality manufacturers seem uninterested in dumping ACP or AA.
Plus, many people (yours truly included) are devoted to a single ecosystem for whatever reason. Yes, there are families that will have a mix of both Android and iPhone for whatever reason. From what I have quickly discerned, if you want to use Bluetooth and the associated symbol, you have to join the Bluetooth SIG and have your product validated. Since practically all phones have eliminated the headphone jack, Bluetooth is the connectivity option of choise. I'm sure the 2 ounces of associated Bluetooth tech beats the five pounds of mechanical parts that have to withstand the climate extremes, not to mention the precious dashboard real estate, and CD players have been eliminated in recent models.
It should be noted that Toyota was a big holdout on both Apple Car Play and Android Auto until 2020, and it probably cost them some sales. They pushed their own technological platform, and it fell flat. If you are developer, you are probably going to implement the two major technologies APIs.
Quote from: Henry on October 24, 2025, 10:02:06 PM(Buick) was the only GM division I was never attracted to because I found it to be pretentious, especially in the '80s and '90s, when it seemingly didn't know whether to be a luxury or performance brand.
I have both a 2013 Buick Verano (puchased as a PDR in 2014) and a 2016 Buick Verano (purchased as a PDF in 2017 and gifted by my mother when she couldn't drive anymore). It is a nice car to drive, but was eliminated by GM several years ago. I am not attracted to trucks, and will look at another sedan at the end of the decade once I get my home paid off.
Apparently the first generation Verano with the 2.0L Ecotech could pul 6.2 second 0-60 MPH times. That might make for a fun modern sleeper if one ever came up for sale on the cheap.