It is no different than Apple constantly claiming “privacy and security” to lock down their platforms so that they can maximize profit.
Nonsense. Apple’s privacy measures have nothing to do with any lock-in strategies. Unless privacy is somehow a *devious trick* that forces one to not want to leave!? What absurdity.
Sorry you like being the product and not the customer.
Most of the general population doesn't even care about the infotainment systems in their car. I understand GM wants to own their in-house OS and the closest thing can be provided by Google while Apple has historically never licensed their OS. All power to them, we will find out how customers like this move in the future. Personally speaking, the infotainment system is the last thing I care about in a car.
True for you but not the general population. CarPlay/Android support is the most desired feature among prospective car buyers of all makes and models. And we've seen this movie before: Toyota/Lexus was a longtime holdout from including CarPlay/Android support, but they finally had to cave to consumer pressure and made it standard across all models as of 2020. I was a longtime Lexus RX Hybrid buyer--three models over a decade--but I switched car brands over this specific issue and now I may never buy a Lexus again. Driving your customers to your competitors is never a good strategy for any company.
It is no different than Apple constantly claiming “privacy and security” to lock down their platforms so that they can maximize profit.
Nonsense. Apple’s privacy measures have nothing to do with any lock-in strategies. Unless privacy is somehow a *devious trick* that forces one to not want to leave!? What absurdity.
Sorry you like being the product and not the customer.
Mostly just parroting the talking points which people are paid to be bombarded with on social media and so-called news (advertising masquerading as news) these days. That combined with the conditioned belief that everything should be free. Which is essentially your point about so many people happy to be violated in every way just to get something for free.
Agree, no CarPlay, no sale. Too bad because the Volt/Bolt options would have been something I would have looked at.
Cars are going to become a platform for software services in the future, thanks to Generation Z and their fixation on their phones and really to be fair, all of us.
The planet is going to brace the tsunami of cheap Chinese EV exports now that they have achieved the goal of over production so competition is going to be fierce in this space.
If they were smart they would embrace more cooperation with Apple not less.
We don’t know how much money is involved with their Google relationship but if they are paying Google in the relationship, it doesn’t bode well for them.
Our entire extended family have been GM workers since the 1950’s or married GM workers. Our children and their children buy GM Vehicles. Most of us are also religious Apple phone users. We will keep our current 2021 Buick Envision and Avienir until they die if GM takes away Apple Play. That means no more buying new GM cars every 5-7 years any more. That’s it!!! We’re done!
"GM is abandoning userchoice by implementing an infotainment system that requires users to opt into GM's custom Android-based operating system."
To be fair, Apple is famous for doing exactly the same. And all over the place.
It is also in hot water for those practices.
GM may find itself in a similar position at some point but they can rightly say 'it's our car and we can develop the system as we see fit'. The regulators might see things differently though. It will also go far beyond infotainment.
It might turn out to be actually very good. We'll have to wait and see.
"GM is abandoning userchoice by implementing an infotainment system that requires users to opt into GM's custom Android-based operating system."
To be fair, Apple is famous for doing exactly the same. And all over the place.
It is also in hot water for those practices.
GM may find itself in a similar position at some point but they can rightly say 'it's our car and we can develop the system as we see fit'. The regulators might see things differently though. It will also go far beyond infotainment.
It might turn out to be actually very good. We'll have to wait and see.
My wife and I have had multiple vehicles over the year that were both compatible with Android Auto and CarPlay. The first one we had that was equipped with it in 2017 was a feature we didn't anticipate that would grow into a must-have...until we rented a car without it. Collectively, we've had five vehicles between us with including our first, and all since have had CarPlay as a required feature.... even dismissing cars we wanted due to not having CarPlay at the time of purchase.
I currently drive a 2021 Chevy Tahoe, and it's one my favorite vehicles I've owned with CarPlay (the others were Grand Cherokees, Wrangler and VW Tiguan).
Not only is wireless CarPlay a requirement for us going forward, I'm on the lookout for which vehicles will have CarPlay 2, which was supposed to be announced by the end of 2023!
GM is not taking into consideration what their target customers use/want. Ford stated how a vast amount of their drivers are iPhone users, and would not alienate their base, like how GM is doing with this transition. At the least, they should have built in the capability to use multi-operating systems and you decide the interface you want to use (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Google Auto).
GM is just being GM. They periodically come up with crazy ideas that they think are groundbreaking because, you know, they thought of it and they are obviously smarter than anyone else out there. After all they brought the Vega, Cimarron, Aztek, and Cadillac V8-6-4 engine to market and how could those shining examples not bespeak their superiority and technical prowess?. Every once in a while they’re overcome with crazy ideas of world dominance, not just on Earth, but on Saturn too.
If you need a good example of how GM approaches technical innovation, take a look at MAP (manufacturing automation protocol) developed by GM in the 1980s. It was going to be the “one standard to replace all standards.” Some industrial product manufacturers even drank the kool aid and were rewarded with empty pockets because MAP products never caught on beyond GM science projects like Saturn. What killed MAP? Ethernet. Lowly Ethernet with its mass appeal, widespread adoption, openness, and zero barriers to entry. Ethernet may not have been perfect back then, but it only got better. Much better. MAP, in all its GM-blessed glory, on the other hand, was delegated to the Island of Misfit Toys.
Yeah, this is an oversimplification, and GM truly is a smart company with exceptional people and capabilities. But sometimes the best way to “beat” GM is to just let GM be GM. They’re going to step in it all on their own and will not be preempted with anyone else’s warnings ahead of time. Just don’t step in it with them. Stand to the side and don’t get close enough to get the stink on you. They’ll be back with us at some point in the future. It’s just a matter of time and after the fully predictable lesson has been learned.
For even more security and privacy protection, I would recommend GM using AM/FM radio with CD player (cassette or 8-track player is optional) .... and throw in a free-map book as bonus.
It is no different than Apple constantly claiming “privacy and security” to lock down their platforms so that they can maximize profit.
Nonsense. Apple’s privacy measures have nothing to do with any lock-in strategies. Unless privacy is somehow a *devious trick* that forces one to not want to leave!? What absurdity.
Sorry you like being the product and not the customer.
Let's be frank and honest here. Whenever Apple is plunked under the microscope for abusing dominant position in whatever field, the first and most common justification for their actions is that of privacy and/or security.
No one in their right mind would ignore that there is also a huge financial aspect at play here and competition or having to open up certain elements, challenges those revenue streams directly.
On top of that Apple has actually used the term 'lock-in' in internal communications.
We will probably find out next year how much one aspect has to do with the other.
However, the point definitely isn't nonsense or absurd. It's quite reasonable.
I really want to buy a Model S. I'd love to play around with the FSD stuff. Even though it's not really "Full Self Driving"... it is far and away the best autopilot/cruisecontrol available from ANY brand.
But I want CarPlay. I use it all the time, I won't buy a car without it.
So I spent more at Mercedes-Benz than I would have at Telsa... to get CarPlay. It's just that useful to (most?) people. In a different era of my life, I would have spent more at Ford or Toyota than I would have at GM in order to get CarPlay. Hell, I'd pay a premium for a beat-up used car that had CarPlay, vs a beat-up used car that didn't. People WANT the choice to use their own interface.
I can't fathom how anyone at GM's marketing department thinks this is a good idea.
Comments
Sorry you like being the product and not the customer.
Cars are going to become a platform for software services in the future, thanks to Generation Z and their fixation on their phones and really to be fair, all of us.
The planet is going to brace the tsunami of cheap Chinese EV exports now that they have achieved the goal of over production so competition is going to be fierce in this space.
If they were smart they would embrace more cooperation with Apple not less.
We don’t know how much money is involved with their Google relationship but if they are paying Google in the relationship, it doesn’t bode well for them.
But I am sure the executives will fail upwards.
^^^ This ^^^
I currently drive a 2021 Chevy Tahoe, and it's one my favorite vehicles I've owned with CarPlay (the others were Grand Cherokees, Wrangler and VW Tiguan).
Not only is wireless CarPlay a requirement for us going forward, I'm on the lookout for which vehicles will have CarPlay 2, which was supposed to be announced by the end of 2023!
GM is not taking into consideration what their target customers use/want. Ford stated how a vast amount of their drivers are iPhone users, and would not alienate their base, like how GM is doing with this transition. At the least, they should have built in the capability to use multi-operating systems and you decide the interface you want to use (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Google Auto).
If you need a good example of how GM approaches technical innovation, take a look at MAP (manufacturing automation protocol) developed by GM in the 1980s. It was going to be the “one standard to replace all standards.” Some industrial product manufacturers even drank the kool aid and were rewarded with empty pockets because MAP products never caught on beyond GM science projects like Saturn. What killed MAP? Ethernet. Lowly Ethernet with its mass appeal, widespread adoption, openness, and zero barriers to entry. Ethernet may not have been perfect back then, but it only got better. Much better. MAP, in all its GM-blessed glory, on the other hand, was delegated to the Island of Misfit Toys.
Yeah, this is an oversimplification, and GM truly is a smart company with exceptional people and capabilities. But sometimes the best way to “beat” GM is to just let GM be GM. They’re going to step in it all on their own and will not be preempted with anyone else’s warnings ahead of time. Just don’t step in it with them. Stand to the side and don’t get close enough to get the stink on you. They’ll be back with us at some point in the future. It’s just a matter of time and after the fully predictable lesson has been learned.
No one in their right mind would ignore that there is also a huge financial aspect at play here and competition or having to open up certain elements, challenges those revenue streams directly.
On top of that Apple has actually used the term 'lock-in' in internal communications.
We will probably find out next year how much one aspect has to do with the other.
However, the point definitely isn't nonsense or absurd. It's quite reasonable.