While most car manufacturers offer Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) in their new vehicles free of charge, BMW charges its owners $80 a year for the privilege of using Apple CarPlay. Why? Well, there are a few reasons for it, Car and Driver explains.
Perhaps the main reason why BMW sells Apple CarPlay through a subscription service is that it offers wireless CarPlay where most other car manufacturers only have wired CarPlay systems.
According to a BMW representative, offering wireless CarPlay necessitates different hardware compared to the wired setup. Additionally, BMW spends a considerable amount of time and money engineering and testing CarPlay to ensure it works seamlessly with the rest of the car. Whenever an update for CarPlay is released, BMW (and other carmakers) must ensure the update doesn’t mess with the car’s existing infotainment system.
Also Read: Unlike The New Z4, The 2020 Supra Offers Apple CarPlay – But There’s A Catch
The magazine also notes that while BMW is unique in selling CarPlay through a subscription service, there’s no guarantee that other automakers aren’t also considering similar subscription services in the near future. After all, car manufacturers spend money incorporating CarPlay into their infotainment systems and new ways of making money are continually appearing.
However, if BMW rivals don’t follow the German car manufacturer, it may eventually be forced to offer CarPlay for free in a bid to stay competitive and may just have to absorb the cost as Toyota is doing with the new Supra and its BMW infotainment system.
BMW owners who want to use Apple CarPlay have the option of paying $80 a year for the service or a one-off $300 fee for a 20-year subscription.
