CarPlay development characterized as easy, but Apple planning 'slow and steady' rollout
Only a select number of developers were allowed to work with CarPlay prior to this week's announcement, as Apple is taking a slow approach with its new car infotainment system platform, though integration of the feature with existing iOS applications is said to be a simple process.
Currently announced third-party applications for CarPlay.
Inside details on the behind-the-scenes work that went into this week's CarPlay unveiling was revealed on Thursday by Fast Company, which spoke with Clear Channel Media, one of just four companies that were allowed to develop apps for CarPlay ahead of Apple's announcement. Clear Channel's iHeartRadio was joined by Spotify, Beats Radio and Stitcher as Internet radio applications advertised to support CarPlay at launch.
Brian Lakamp, president of Digital for Clear Channel Entertainment, said his company worked closely with Apple to build the demo that was unveiled this week at the Geneva Motor Show. He said updating the existing iHeartRadio application on iOS to add support for CarPlay was a "fairly quick" process.
To keep things simple and consistent, and to cut down on cluttered apps that may be a distraction for drivers. Lakamp said the API for CarPlay features a "relatively straightforward directory structure" for listing songs and artists, while the on-screen controls come with just a "limited set of things you can do."
Fast Company also spoke with an anonymous Apple employee who indicated that safety is a chief concern for the company, which led not only to limited functionality for developers, but also such a small number of developers with access to CarPlay. It's unknown exactly when more developers might gain access to CarPlay to update their own existing iOS applications, as Apple is reportedly taking a "slow and steady" approach in pushing the new platform.
Currently, all third-party applications advertised for CarPlay are music- and radio-based. Apple has promised that "even more supported apps" will be "coming soon," but has not given a timetable or more details for outside developers.
More extensive, however, is the list of car companies that have pledged support for CarPlay, with select vehicles coming this year from Volvo, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Hyundai, and Ferrari. Future partners that have also committed to support CarPlay are Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Kia, Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.
The largest omission of support on the automaker front is Volkswagen, which told AppleInsider this week that it is "investigating" in-car infotainment providers beyond Google. Also missing is electric car maker Tesla, despite the fact that it has reportedly held talks with Apple about unknown matters.
On the Internet radio front, the most glaring absence of application support is Pandora, though there are many other services that go beyond the four limited partners announced by Apple. Pandora said in a statement to MacRumors this week that it continues to view Apple as a "valued partner," but the company declined to go into further detail.
Currently announced third-party applications for CarPlay.
Inside details on the behind-the-scenes work that went into this week's CarPlay unveiling was revealed on Thursday by Fast Company, which spoke with Clear Channel Media, one of just four companies that were allowed to develop apps for CarPlay ahead of Apple's announcement. Clear Channel's iHeartRadio was joined by Spotify, Beats Radio and Stitcher as Internet radio applications advertised to support CarPlay at launch.
Brian Lakamp, president of Digital for Clear Channel Entertainment, said his company worked closely with Apple to build the demo that was unveiled this week at the Geneva Motor Show. He said updating the existing iHeartRadio application on iOS to add support for CarPlay was a "fairly quick" process.
To keep things simple and consistent, and to cut down on cluttered apps that may be a distraction for drivers. Lakamp said the API for CarPlay features a "relatively straightforward directory structure" for listing songs and artists, while the on-screen controls come with just a "limited set of things you can do."
Fast Company also spoke with an anonymous Apple employee who indicated that safety is a chief concern for the company, which led not only to limited functionality for developers, but also such a small number of developers with access to CarPlay. It's unknown exactly when more developers might gain access to CarPlay to update their own existing iOS applications, as Apple is reportedly taking a "slow and steady" approach in pushing the new platform.
Currently, all third-party applications advertised for CarPlay are music- and radio-based. Apple has promised that "even more supported apps" will be "coming soon," but has not given a timetable or more details for outside developers.
More extensive, however, is the list of car companies that have pledged support for CarPlay, with select vehicles coming this year from Volvo, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Hyundai, and Ferrari. Future partners that have also committed to support CarPlay are Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Kia, Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.
The largest omission of support on the automaker front is Volkswagen, which told AppleInsider this week that it is "investigating" in-car infotainment providers beyond Google. Also missing is electric car maker Tesla, despite the fact that it has reportedly held talks with Apple about unknown matters.
On the Internet radio front, the most glaring absence of application support is Pandora, though there are many other services that go beyond the four limited partners announced by Apple. Pandora said in a statement to MacRumors this week that it continues to view Apple as a "valued partner," but the company declined to go into further detail.
Comments
Was planning on getting a new Audi later this year. Sure won't get one now without iOS support. Why they would consider going with Google with all the risk of Android malware, etc. is beyond me. Don't they understand who their customers are (at least in the US)?
I'm in the same boat. Was extremely disappointed. I'm sure Google woo'd them with some offer, but it's a very short-sighted decision for Audi. Just does not fit with their brand at all. Idiotic decision by their management.
A slow rollout makes sense. Quality control and guidelines are critical, not just spamming every possible car possible.
DeLorean is also due to be added to this list in 1985.
that little 17W adaptor to power Car Play may not be be able to step down the 1.21 gigawatt power bus of that deLorean
"CarPlay can also predict where you most likely want to go using addresses from your email, text messages, contacts and calendars"
Whoop. There goes my privacy
I'm in the same boat. Was extremely disappointed. I'm sure Google woo'd them with some offer, but it's a very short-sighted decision for Audi. Just does not fit with their brand at all. Idiotic decision by their management.
Whoop. There goes my privacy
With no clarification of what that statement means, it doesn't really tell us anything. If it all happens on-device in a user-visible way it's hardly a problem.
e.g. since location is a part of calendar appointments, then it makes sense for iOS to be intelligent enough to tell that I want to drive where my next appointment is, if it's in 30 minutes time, and a 30 minutes drive away. Doubly do if I've put in transit time (built into Mac OS X Calendar). If the location is Ben's house, and I have a Ben in my contacts with a home address, that's also a simple integration that doesn't invade my privacy - it's all on-device using information that I've put there in a way that is clear to me. Email and text messages it's less obvious how they'll be used, but maybe it refers to incoming communications, and re-routing a direction based on the sender, on command.
Simple intelligent integrations that don't invade anyone's privacy.
But as said, the statement could use some clarification.
Was planning on getting a new Audi later this year. Sure won't get one now without iOS support. Why they would consider going with Google with all the risk of Android malware, etc. is beyond me. Don't they understand who their customers are (at least in the US)?
I'd be just as concerned about choosing a car that had CarPlay 1.0 in it, as there may not be any upgrade path. Sure Apple is very generous with upgrades for your phone but car manufacturers don't care so much because they don't have an ecosystem to maintain and you are only going to buy a car every few years. I'd like to hear more about the car OS upgradability to remain compatible with whatever Apple does in the future, before becoming an early adopter.
Whoop. There goes my privacy
With no clarification of what that statement means, it doesn't really tell us anything. If it all happens on-device in a user-visible way it's hardly a problem.
Driver may have a passenger and might not like having addresses displayed on the screen from all their recent texts and emails.
Driver may have a passenger
Driver doesn't really need to be viewing info he doesn't want the passenger to see. Moreover....who are you driving around?
It'd be quite a upgrade from this.
Oh ... That's what that little hidden compartment was for
Wonder what the Samsung/Android interpretation of this would be. I bet their first "PlayCar" app will be Angry Birds (Auto)mobile.
Whoop. There goes my privacy
When you go to cheat your wife with someone else you don't have use you're iPhone or use it but make sure you had cleared history
An intriguing prospect.
Very odd. I think Google/Samsung must have handed over a nice wadge to Audi.
And Microsoft's will be 'TruckWork'.
Whoop. There goes my privacy
With no clarification of what that statement means, it doesn't really tell us anything. If it all happens on-device in a user-visible way it's hardly a problem...... the statement could use some clarification.
I doubt that you're going to get any.