Apple Music With Spatial Audio Now Available in Rivian Vehicles

[MacRumors]

Apple Music with spatial audio is now available in Rivian electric vehicles as part of the company's Connect+ subscription.

Rivian's latest software update brings a unique, built-in Apple Music app to the company's electric vehicles, such as the R1T truck and R1S SUV. The Apple Music app allows users to access a library of over 100 million songs, 30,000 curated playlists, and global live-streaming radio stations as part of a fully-integrated experience in Rivian's infotainment system.

Rivian's Connect+ subscription is required to access streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify. The subscription is priced at $14.99 per month or $149.99 annually and enables other features such as Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities, satellite imagery, and enhanced voice commands via Alexa.

Vehicles equipped with Rivian's Premium Audio system, which includes an 18-speaker, 960-watt surround sound setup, can also play Dolby Atmos Apple Music songs with spatial audio, enabling music to be experienced in a more three-dimensional space in the vehicle. Rivian is offering a two-month free trial of Connect+ starting today.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently explained that the company has no plans to introduce support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, remarking that "we just believe that it is such an important piece of real estate, the digital ecosystem, that it was something we want to retain" and "we have taken the view of the digital experience in the vehicle wants to feel consistent and holistically harmonious across every touchpoint."

Article Link: Apple Music With Spatial Audio Now Available in Rivian Vehicles

 

[Valhellis]

Paying a monthly subscription to use a music streaming service that also costs subscription money is disgusting, the rivian also has no audio jack

 

[McKodiak]

If they truly cared about their customers’ user experience and believe that they’re offering is better, than they would not piggy back off their customer’s currently paid music subscription to charge their own subscription. This is now just a money grab.

 

[ibbumpin]

Not buying a vehicle without CarPlay. Especially not buying a vehicle that requires a subscription 😂

 

[johnb300m]

Awesome!
Now do Lucid, please.

 

[frostbit3]

Paying a monthly subscription to use a music streaming service that also costs subscription money is disgusting, the rivian also had no audio jack

They're not mutually exclusive, you can tether the vehicle to your phone via wifi and use Apple Music without the need of any subscription on the Rivian side

 

[C7Guy]

I'd love to see Apple Music added to the google play store on the automotive side. I'd probably use CarPlay much less to none if this was the case in my GM EV.

 

[supersteve]

Wow that's slimy. I guess they need to squeeze money from the few who bought their cars. Next you'll have to subscribe to brakes, seatbelts and windshield wipers.

I'm surprised they have lasted this long. I looked into buying one when they first announced the SUV, but it took 5 years to actually deliver. Now with the removal of CarPlay, it's a definite **** no.

I'll stick to a car brand that won't declare bankruptcy in the next few years. Leaving all the owners with a door stop in their driveway.

 

[Valhellis]

They're not mutually exclusive, you can tether the vehicle to your phone via wifi and use Apple Music without the need of any subscription on the Rivian side

I would still rather my car have my streaming service built in, controlling music while driving is alot easier, carplay would be a great option

 

[ThankYouRob]

Paying a monthly subscription to use a music streaming service that also costs subscription money is disgusting, the rivian also had no audio jack

No audio jack or USB port to connect phone?

 

[PsykX]

Paying a monthly subscription to use a music streaming service that also costs subscription money is disgusting, the rivian also had no audio jack

I can charge you a $25/month fee to manage both subscriptions for you if you want.
Someone already charges me $100/month to manage a few of my customers' subscriptions.

 

[supersteve]

"Rivian CEO says the company will eventually add CarPlay’s most desirable features “but on an à la carte basis.”​

​

“We recognize that it’ll take us time to fully capture every feature that’s in CarPlay, and hopefully, customers are seeing that.​

​

“The other thing beyond mapping that’s coming is better integration with texting. We know that needs to come, and it’s something that teams are actively working on.”"​

Or you know just allow CarPlay

 

[pesc]

My next car purchase will be from a brand that makes great cars.

I won't subscribe to anything in the car, the car doesn't spy on me and isn't envious on my iPhone where I have all contacts, music, mobile internet, maps, etc.

What brand could that be?

 

[coffeemilktea]

remarking that "we just believe that it is such an important piece of real estate, the digital ecosystem, that it was something we want to retain"

He's right, the digital ecosystem is an important piece of real estate.....

...for Apple Carplay, so I'll be retaining my non-Rivian vehicle, which does supports CarPlay and doesn't charge me extra to listen to Apple Music.

 

[xDKP]

If it works like in a Tesla the subscription is well worth it. It’s basically a LTE connection for my car no matter where I am or who drives it and even when crossing into other countries. So a service like this is just on top of a lot of other online services you get

 

[TheWraith]

Paying a monthly subscription to use a music streaming service that also costs subscription money is disgusting

Inevitable for greedy cars that don't support CarPlay.

 

[dannys1]

If they truly cared about their customers’ user experience and believe that they’re offering is better, than they would not piggy back off their customer’s currently paid music subscription to charge their own subscription. This is now just a money grab.

I suspect it's because it uses their data sim. Generally all these connection things are based on the data sim in the car which they don't want to foot the bill for.

Which is why it'd be easier to let us use our phone as a wifi hot spot and do it for free.

 

[dannys1]

My next car purchase will be from a brand that makes great cars.

I won't subscribe to anything in the car, the car doesn't spy on me and isn't envious on my iPhone where I have all contacts, music, mobile internet, maps, etc.

What brand could that be?

?

 

[ChrisA]

No audio jack or USB port to connect phone?

Yes, Many cars are like that now. They have wireless charging built-in and use Bluetooth to connect the phone to the car's electronics. I was a backseat passenger in a Telsa on a road trip a while back and we used my iPhone (a newer SE) for music -- no wires required for music or charging.

 

[7thson]

I guess if one can afford a Rivian, another $150/year is not a big ask, but I’m too frugal to pay extra to access a service I already pay for. On the other hand, not offering CarPlay or Android Auto and insisting this is in the customers best interest tells me all I need to know about considering Rivian as a future purchase.

 

[Velli]

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently explained that the company has no plans to introduce support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, remarking that "we just believe that it is such an important piece of real estate, the digital ecosystem, that it was something we want to retain"

This is the culprit right there. The decision is based on what is (on the surface) best for the company, not what is best for the customer. For me it's: No Carplay - no deal. So in my case, they can successfully retain the whole car, cause I ain't buyin' it.

 

[jz0309]

A subscription for the car, a subscription for streaming music… smells rotten

 

[hansmoleman]

If they truly cared about their customers’ user experience and believe that they’re offering is better, than they would not piggy back off their customer’s currently paid music subscription to charge their own subscription. This is now just a money grab.

Not really.

It's to cover the data connection cost. $150/year really isn't unreasonable for always-on data with a builtin hotspot.

 

[Unity451]

Subscriptions for vehicle features is obviously dumb, but to me, it makes a lot more sense for "connected" features that someone may or may not use rather than core features that directly effect vehicle cost, i.e. BMW talking about charging a monthly fee to use heated seats.

 

[Velli]

If it works like in a Tesla the subscription is well worth it. It’s basically a LTE connection for my car no matter where I am or who drives it and even when crossing into other countries. So a service like this is just on top of a lot of other online services you get

I don't need to pay for an LTE connection I already have on my phone. I just crossed half of Europe on my holiday, using Carplay. No issue whatsoever. And it allows me to use my favourite podcast player, which no car company is likely to ever support.

Not saying Carplay is perfect, but it does exactly what I need it to do, so why bother with something that causes extra setup and extra payment, just to keep the car manufacturer happy?