The feature updates are nice I guess, but nothing to write home about imo. I think Apple is missing an opportunity. I think they need to pull a Google and do a CarPlay OS that's equivalent to Android Automotive. For those unaware of what I'm referencing, Android Automotive is an OS for OEM car manufacturers. It's part of G.A.S. Google Automotive Services. It is different from Android Auto, which like CarPlay, is essentially a phone based infotainment overlay.
Apple could very well have OEM initiatives going on behind the scenes. Idk. I can only speak to what they've announced: phone based CarPllay improvements. Yay, I guess. I just feel like their efforts would be better served at the integrated level of automobiles instead of as a 3rd party overlay.
To be honest, I prefer the CarPlay / Android Auto model: everything gets updated when the phone gets updated. And, you don't have to worry about the hardware being too old to take an update (I kept my previous car, a Toyota 24 years and my Honda is now 22 and still going)*. The head units seem to be model unique and, while it is possible to upgrade them (I have done it), it is expensive and complicated.
That may have been one of the reasons why Toyota hesitated so long in letting Car Play into their cars: they didn't want their cars dependent on a tech company with an uncertain future (and in the years immediately after Steve passed Apple's future was not assured).
* But keeping a car 2+ decades may be a thing of the past as the batteries in the new EVs are guaranteed to last "the life of the car" - which can be translated as: the car will last as long as the battery. And, that makes sense: with the batteries in and forming part of the structure of the vehicle, replacing them may not be feasible. I'm sure that has been thought out, but I haven't seen anything on it -- everything is about performance. And, its one of the reasons why I do not plan on buying a Tesla: they are great cars that I would love to drive but Elon is only concerned about how the future not the old stuff.
I prefer the separate model as well. What we prefer and what I think is going to happen are two entirely different things. Google is offering OEM's an open-sourced full stack scalable OS for their vehicles. https://source.android.com/devices/automotive/start/what_automotive ; Peruse the offerings in that left side tab. It's a comprehensive offering that can save the OEM's significant R&D dollars because Google's offering it freely for anyone that wants to use it. Companies doing cost benefit analysis are going to look really hard at it. That's why I say Apple should look to do the same thing. Doing the same thing doesn't eliminate the individual CarPlay. Google offers Android Automotive to OEM's and Android Auto to end users. Those services serve different audiences. I think Apple should be involved on both sides of that equation as well.
Comments