Apple blocked Volkswagen from showing off wireless CarPlay at CES, carmaker says

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in iPhone
Volkswagen had hoped to showcase wireless CarPlay support at this week's CES in Las Vegas, but Apple stopped it from doing so, a development head from the company said on Friday.




"We wanted to demonstrate wireless CarPlay and the owner of CarPlay technology didn't allow us to," Volkmar Tannerberger, head of electrical and electronic development, explained to Car and Driver.

Tannenberger didn't say why Apple would object. It might have felt that the technology wasn't yet up to its standards, or it could be waiting to showcase it at an event of its own, such as its rumored March event or WWDC 2016 in June.

A third possibility is that Apple is temporarily distancing itself from Volkswagen in light of it admitting to rigging emissions data to pass U.S. standards.

VW instead chose to show off MirrorLink, an open-source platform which doesn't work with iPhones but does allow Android devices to be controlled from a dash display via Wi-Fi and a car-friendly interface. The technology could be paired with wireless charging in the future, VW suggested.

Several carmakers and aftermarket specialists announced plans to support CarPlay this week, continuing a wider adoption of the standard that began in mid-2015.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 35
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,757member
    Wireless CarPlay was introduced months ago. Doesn't make sense to not allow VW to demo it.  Initiatives like CarPlay, HomeKit, etc. need all the momentum they can get.
    jackansicornchip
  • Reply 2 of 35
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    A third possibility is that Apple is temporarily distancing itself from Volkswagen in light of it admitting to rigging emissions data to pass U.S. standards.

    This.
    john galtanantksundaramjaker's ugly brotherredgeminipajensonb
  • Reply 3 of 35
    johnjohnstonejohnjohnstone Posts: 57member
    why?
    edited January 2016
  • Reply 4 of 35
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,757member
    lkrupp said:
    A third possibility is that Apple is temporarily distancing itself from Volkswagen in light of it admitting to rigging emissions data to pass U.S. standards.

    This.
    Still a lousy reason though. If the implication here is that Apple didn’t allow VW to demo Wireless CarPlay due to VW acting unethically, then it may as well stop doing business with China because God knows they’re not the most ethical of countries. Hypocritical actually.
    jackansimike1
  • Reply 5 of 35
    rbonnerrbonner Posts: 635member
    Maybe the implementation was not up to par.
    mwhitejackansinolamacguycornchipbobschlobjaker's ugly brotherredgeminipa
  • Reply 6 of 35
    katastroffkatastroff Posts: 103member
    Apple was afraid that VW's implementation would drain the battery much faster in real life than when tested.
    cnocbuicornchipradarthekatjaker's ugly brotherjensonb
  • Reply 7 of 35
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,942member
    Similar kind of complain was launched against Apple for not having Amazon Prime Instant Video App on new or older Apple-TV. Everyone thought Apple don't want Amazon App on Apple-TV but the fact was Apple said "All are Welcome" and than Amazon indirectly said such APP is work in progress and soon will be available. Volkwagan may not have properly working(wirelessly) Car-Play with their car infotainment system so blame someone else. Apple might have said, don't embarrass Apple, make it work right before demoing at CES.
    anantksundaramnolamacguylostkiwiredgeminipa
  • Reply 8 of 35
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,411member
    canukstorm said:
    lkrupp said:

    This.
    Still a lousy reason though. If the implication here is that Apple didn’t allow VW to demo Wireless CarPlay due to VW acting unethically, then it may as well stop doing business with China because God knows they’re not the most ethical of countries. Hypocritical actually.
    What a nonsensical post. Apple does no business (or very little business) with the Chinese government. It is selling to the Chinese people, who have little to do with the Chinese communists running the country. 

    Your argument is tantamount to suggesting that VW's customers are responsible for its unethical and deceptive behavior. Apple should not be doing business with -- or at least, have as its tech spokesperson -- a blatantly fraudster company.

    I am saying this despite the fact that CarPlay rollout is a complete disappointment thus far, and Apple needs all the momentum it can get. But it has to be with the right partner,  one that reflects Apple's values.
  • Reply 9 of 35
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    VW:  We are now adopting Android Auto. We admit we made a terrible error of judgement and apologise.

    Is that what Apple wants to see?

    Android has a pretty decent market share in Germany with 75% of smartphone sales in 2015.
    edited January 2016 jackansih2p
  • Reply 10 of 35
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    wood1208 said:
    Similar kind of complain was launched against Apple for not having Amazon Prime Instant Video App on new or older Apple-TV. Everyone thought Apple don't want Amazon App on Apple-TV but the fact was Apple said "All are Welcome" and than Amazon indirectly said such APP is work in progress and soon will be available. Volkwagan may not have properly working(wirelessly) Car-Play with their car infotainment system so blame someone else. Apple might have said, don't embarrass Apple, make it work right before demoing at CES.
    This is probable closer to the truth.
  • Reply 11 of 35
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    wood1208 said:
    Similar kind of complain was launched against Apple for not having Amazon Prime Instant Video App on new or older Apple-TV. Everyone thought Apple don't want Amazon App on Apple-TV but the fact was Apple said "All are Welcome" and than Amazon indirectly said such APP is work in progress and soon will be available. Volkwagan may not have properly working(wirelessly) Car-Play with their car infotainment system so blame someone else. Apple might have said, don't embarrass Apple, make it work right before demoing at CES.
    We all knew the reason Amazon Prime wasn't on Apple TV. It was clear Amazon never wanted to pay the 30% to Apple. 
  • Reply 12 of 35
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,758member
    Volkswagen had hoped to showcase wireless CarPlay support at this week's CES in Las Vegas, but Apple stopped it from doing so, a development head from the company said on Friday.

    Tannenberger didn't say why Apple would object.

    ---------


    This is all we actually know.
    edited January 2016 jackansi
  • Reply 13 of 35
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,489member
    This is just Apple being Apple. If a product isn't up to their standards they don't want to demo it. It would be terrible if people were at the VW booth looking at wireless CarPlay and finding all sorts of little bugs here and there (even something as simple as connection issues).

    Who do you think would get the blame for that? hint - it won't be VW even with all the bad press.
    edited January 2016 lostkiwicornchippscooter63redgeminipa
  • Reply 14 of 35
    1STnTENDERBITS1STnTENDERBITS Posts: 460member
    anantksundaram said:
    canukstorm said:
    Still a lousy reason though. If the implication here is that Apple didn’t allow VW to demo Wireless CarPlay due to VW acting unethically, then it may as well stop doing business with China because God knows they’re not the most ethical of countries. Hypocritical actually.
    What a nonsensical post. Apple does no business (or very little business) with the Chinese government. It is selling to the Chinese people, who have little to do with the Chinese communists running the country. 

    Your argument is tantamount to suggesting that VW's customers are responsible for its unethical and deceptive behavior. Apple should not be doing business with -- or at least, have as its tech spokesperson -- a blatantly fraudster company.

    I am saying this despite the fact that CarPlay rollout is a complete disappointment thus far, and Apple needs all the momentum it can get. But it has to be with the right partner,  one that reflects Apple's values.
    This post is just as nonsensical as the post you quoted.  If it was about values, then CarPlay wouldn't be on VW cars at all.  The most logical reason would be Apple wanting to debut wireless CarPlay themselves at something like WWDC.  Apple likes their products to be marketed properly.  Wireless CP as one of many bullet points in VW's presentation doesn't count as proper marketing.  Dollars to doughnuts, wireless CP will get a proper dog and pony show at WWDC.
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 15 of 35
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,538member
    Someone should clone SJ already, sheesh!
  • Reply 16 of 35
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    canukstorm said:
    Wireless CarPlay was introduced months ago. Doesn't make sense to not allow VW to demo it.
    unless it does. none of us were in the room and are ignorant of reasoning.
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 17 of 35
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member

    cnocbui said:
    VW:  We are now adopting Android Auto. We admit we made a terrible error of judgement and apologise.

    Is that what Apple wants to see?

    Android has a pretty decent market share in Germany with 75% of smartphone sales in 2015.
    why on earth would it be an either-or choice? FUD.
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 18 of 35
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member

    nasserae said:
    wood1208 said:
    Similar kind of complain was launched against Apple for not having Amazon Prime Instant Video App on new or older Apple-TV. Everyone thought Apple don't want Amazon App on Apple-TV but the fact was Apple said "All are Welcome" and than Amazon indirectly said such APP is work in progress and soon will be available. Volkwagan may not have properly working(wirelessly) Car-Play with their car infotainment system so blame someone else. Apple might have said, don't embarrass Apple, make it work right before demoing at CES.
    We all knew the reason Amazon Prime wasn't on Apple TV. It was clear Amazon never wanted to pay the 30% to Apple. 
    wrong. they have an iOS streaming app already, and dont pay 30% of those memberships to Apple.
  • Reply 19 of 35
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    nolamacguy said:

    cnocbui said:
    VW:  We are now adopting Android Auto. We admit we made a terrible error of judgement and apologise.

    Is that what Apple wants to see?

    Android has a pretty decent market share in Germany with 75% of smartphone sales in 2015.
    why on earth would it be an either-or choice? FUD.
    Sorry, I'm all out of crayons.
  • Reply 20 of 35
    gonevwgonevw Posts: 45member
    Why is wireless in front of CarPlay?  That's like saying Wireless Bluetooth?  I mean so what if you can plug your phone into the car, I would assume CarPlay is wireless, so if you said only CarPlay I would assume everything about it including wired or wireless
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