Following a long delay, CarPlay Ultra launched a couple of months ago, delivering the much-anticipated tighter integration between the iPhone and car systems promised during WWDC 2022.
And while Apple had originally lined up several automakers to support the new experience, some have since backed away. Now, one holdout is doubling down on its decision to pass on the feature.
BMW reaffirms no CarPlay Ultra support
In a statement to BMW Blog this week, a BMW AG spokesperson said:
“BMW currently has no plans to integrate Apple CarPlay Ultra.”
Instead, the German automaker is doubling down on its own system, iDrive, which had its revamp announced earlier this year at CES.
Top comment by William Diaz
I think it’s time that Apple don’t announce products before they are in consumer production ready to be shipped. With that I also think they need to stop making claims of product availability with other brands prior to actually signing agreements with them solidifying the product with that brand. Like claiming BMW will have this when they clearly don’t want it.
iDrive is set to debut in the iX3, ahead of a wider rollout to all Neue Klasse vehicles. And while these cars will still support the standard CarPlay feature, BMW is actually scaling back its integration.
As announced during CES, its use will be limited to the center display, instead of allowing it to extend to other surfaces like the panoramic or heads-up displays.
This week’s news reminds us of how the project’s trajectory has lost momentum since its original announcement. Since then, 20 brands, including Fiat, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, and Volkswagen, have either confirmed to skip the feature, or haven’t committed to supporting it.
You can find our full list of confirmed CarPlay Ultra partners here, including three new partners that were announced last May.
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