Does anyone actually want Apple’s next-gen CarPlay? Not really

One of my unspoken obligations as a tech journalist is to keep tabs on things companies have promised, but yet to deliver on — like Tesla’s $25,000 EV , which only recently got axed at an official level. There’s the potential for breaking news, and even when there isn’t, I still need to know the ongoing reality so I don’t mislead readers. Contrary to what some leaders would have you believe, a lot of journalists do care about truth.

Another example of vaporware is Apple’s next-generation CarPlay. It was announced at the company’s 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference, but its 2024 release date came and went without a single compatible vehicle hitting the road. Apple has finally dropped that date from its website, but we’re so far afield that it’s a legitimate question of whether either the public, automakers, or even Apple itself is excited about the technology anymore.

The missing buzz of the masses

Not the greatest sign

I don’t pay as much attention to social media platforms like Bluesky and X as some journalists do, but not once in 2024 did I see someone complaining or worrying about next-gen CarPlay’s absence, at least if they weren’t also in the media. I’ll bet there were a few upset iPhone owners out there — but if there had been a critical mass of them, I would’ve noticed.

That doesn’t bode well for Apple or automakers, because the technology is going to ride or die on new vehicle sales. Most existing cars still use a single small dash-mounted display, which is fine for the standard version of CarPlay (and Android Auto), but nothing more. For the next-gen format to gain traction, Apple needs more vehicles to adopt larger or whole-car display systems — yet automakers may be in less of a rush to oblige without a lot clamoring shoppers. If anything, it feels like companies are mostly adopting new display tech to appear as futuristic as Tesla or Rivian.

There could be evidence for weak automaker interest. A fresh Apple statement (courtesy of MacRumors) explains that the company continues to “work closely with several automakers, enabling them to showcase their unique brand and visual design philosophies,” and that “each car brand will share more details as they near the announcements of their models.” That contrasts with 2022, when Apple proudly revealed over a dozen vehicle brands. If there was a lot of auto industry excitement, we’d be hearing about more than “several” automakers, and ideally, we’d have narrower release windows.

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At a fundamental level, most people aren’t in a position to buy vehicles with compatible display tech. Large and whole-car displays tend to be reserved for EVs, which are automatically more expensive than their gas-guzzling counterparts. Even then those screens are frequently reserved for mid-range and high-end models, which can put them completely out of reach for the average car buyer. No one’s going to get excited over next-gen CarPlay when the most they can afford is a gas-powered Civic. If you do have the budget for an EV, you probably care more about the motor and battery part of the equation than the display side.

CarPlay is also likely good enough as-is for most drivers. While touchscreen interfaces are virtually a necessity for controlling modern navigation and streaming apps, they’re just an alternative when it comes to things like speedometers, AC control, or rearview cameras. Some people outright detest having to use a touchscreen if they don’t have to, given that it’s a lot safer to feel around for an AC or volume knob while you’re driving than risk taking your eyes off the road.

Automakers, meanwhile, may resent the amount of work the next-gen tech involves. Bloomberg says that Apple has had to collaborate with them to develop custom interfaces, which isn’t even a factor with the standard version of CarPlay. It’s time and money automakers could be putting elsewhere. And while it could boost the appeal of some vehicles, it also means allowing Apple to have an even deeper level of influence. It’s no wonder newer brands like Rivian have dodged CarPlay — it gives them more freedom to decide their own path.

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I don’t mean to pronounce a death sentence for next-gen CarPlay — far from it. I want it in an EV of my own someday, and one way or another, it’s a glimpse at the future. Drivers will inevitably care greatly about the software in their vehicles once self-driving EVs become the norm, instead of just a rich person’s plaything. I’m not expecting that before 2030, incidentally.

Who knows — there’s a reasonable chance that Apple and automakers are sitting on something big, but just staying quiet while they cope with delays. It wouldn’t be unheard of in the tech industry, and the parties involved certainly have enough cash to fix problems and make sure everyone, everywhere knows when the next-gen product is coming. One way or another, it’s up to them to prove that next-gen CarPlay won’t remain vaporware, or become another overly-ambitious project in search of customers to pay for it.

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