Apple was due to announce the sponsor manufacturers of its new generation CarPlay at the end of 2023. For the moment, only the Porsche and Aston Martin brands are interested in the baby of the bitten apple; sponsors that everyone would like to have, but unaffordable for many people.
Users of an Android smartphone can connect it to their vehicle’s infotainment system via Android Auto, which received a serious polish at the start of 2023. Those equipped of a device tattooed with a bitten apple go through the Apple CarPlay platform, which we tested at length.
During the WWDC in June 2022, the brand promised to communicate all compatible vehicle models at the end of 2023. Only at the beginning of 2024, the list is not very long…
The revival of CarPlay in 2024
Apple is not presenting this next version of CarPlay as a simple update in continuity, but as a new generation.
Note that like Android Auto or the Amazon Echo Auto substitute, this is an embedded version of the operating system which then allows access to other applications such as Waze, Google Maps or Apple Maps – to limit ourselves to those dedicated to navigation and which help to keep all your points on your license – directly on the main screen of the vehicle.
According to the brand, the rebirth of CarPlay will allow your iPhone to become one with your vehicle. Apple promises a “consistent interface on all screens, including the dashboard”.
This new generation of CarPlay must therefore centralize certain settings previously specific to vehicles, such as temperature. In addition, there are also numerous customization options, with “a whole selection of meters and gauges” and various widgets.
On paper, the promise is therefore enticing; the reality seems more complex to implement. Obviously, this union of the vehicle and the iPhone requires the agreement of both parties – that of Apple, but also that of the different manufacturers – to merge the software ecosystem.
Only two manufacturers responded
If Apple’s desire to provide advanced CarPlay support to a large number of vehicles is expected and seems legitimate, that of automobile brands is in fact just as legitimate. The functionalities offered by car infotainment systems now represent a purchasing criterion for many buyers: the customer experience on board vehicles has become an area of fierce competition between different manufacturers.
Unfortunately, for the moment, despite Apple’s promise, the exhaustive list of all vehicles that will integrate the new generation CarPlay has not been revealed. We had to settle for a discreet announcement from two brands, in the Car and Driver media; even the Apple site has not been updated.
The first two partners who declared themselves last December were Porsche and Aston Martin. Prestigious brands, but not really mainstream… In addition, the two car manufacturers have committed to launching next-generation CarPlay in 2024, but have not provided any other details for the moment.
However, other, more accessible brands, such as Ford or Renault, had initially expressed interest in this new version of CarPlay.
In fact, as mentioned above, Apple is not really in control of its calendar; it is the responsibility of each car manufacturer to implement the new system within their vehicles.
Regardless, after the WWDC 2022 preview, Apple is expected to share more information about CarPlay vintage 2024 in the coming months.
Sources: Apple, 9to5Mac, Macg
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