Forget CarPlay or Android Auto: for Audi owners and buyers in 2022, the big news in in-car entertainment is the arrival of a native Apple Music app. That means you'll be able to stream music directly to your car without having to connect via Apple or Google's in-car tech.
This is something we've already seen with Android, where Android Automotive enables manufacturers to base their own own in-car systems on Android Automotive without necessarily having to do things Google's way. And Audi, who announced the news in its official press room, isn't the first car maker to offer a native Apple Music app: Porsche did it first with the electric Taycan. But Audi reaches a lot more people than Porsche does, so this is a much bigger deal in my opinion.
Apple Music vs CarPlay: what's the difference?
Having a built-in Apple Music app means Audi drivers have a better option than CarPlay or Bluetooth streaming: they get all the benefits of Apple Music without having to use Apple's software or interface, so they'll have a more Audi experience. It'll be coming to new Audis in North America, Japan and Europe this year, and current 2022 models that people have already bought should get the software update over the air automatically. Once it's been updated it's just a matter of entering your Apple ID in the infotainment screen.
This doesn't mean that CarPlay is going away: pretty much every car maker, with the exception of Tesla, either offers or intends to offer CarPlay in at least some of their models. But it suggests that Apple is a bit more relaxed about getting its services into cars: previously it was CarPlay or the highway.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
I can't believe I only just watched this Oscar-winning Netflix movie
This one blew me away big-time
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
You’ve seen the rebrand, now here’s the first new Jaguar EV
The Type 00 concept previews Jaguar’s all-new electric line-up. We speak to the creatives behind it
By Phil McNamara Published
-
Apple Music gets a great new feature that you and friends will enjoy
Press play on a great time together
By Andy Sansom Published
-
Apple Music users are getting a cool free upgrade
A new feature is in testing which will massively boost the user experience
By Sam Cross Published
-
Waze just rolled out a cool update Apple users will love
Music lover? Waze just introduced a tie-in with a streaming favourite...
By Mike Lowe Published
-
Apple Music is the cheapest it's ever been, and it's ad-free. Here's how to get it
The new Apple Music Voice Plan is designed solely for Siri and could go live next week
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple Music Voice Plan is perfectly designed for the HomePod mini
Apple Music that’s only accessible by Siri for a reduced monthly fee
By Mat Gallagher Published
-
Spatial Audio and lossless available for Android devices with Apple Music Beta
Apple Music’s latest beta for Android includes Spatial and lossless audio functionality
By Mat Gallagher Published
-
Apple Music Spatial Audio launching today at WWDC
A surprise addition to the first morning of WWDC features a presentation on spatial audio
By Mat Gallagher Published