BMW Plans to Turn CarPlay Into Subscription-Based Service Next Year

[MacRumors]

BMW plans to offer CarPlay as a subscription-based service beginning next year, rather than charge a one-time fee, reports The Verge.

The automaker will charge $80 per year for access to CarPlay starting next year, with no fee during the first year of ownership of a new BMW, according to Don Smith, technology product manager for BMW North America.

BMW currently charges a $300 upgrade fee to drivers who want CarPlay, available in its 2017 model year and newer vehicles.

Smith believes switching to a subscription-based pricing system will provide BMW owners with more flexibility. "This allows the customer to switch devices," he said, while mentioning Android as a specific example.

BMW doesn't currently support Android Auto, although Smith said Google Assistant is coming to new BMW models later in 2018.

Smith also argued that the annual fee could actually work out to be cheaper for somebody with an average length lease, as the total cost after four years after the free first year of access would be $240, cheaper than the one-time $300 charge.

Of course, those who don't trade in their BMW once every four years can expect the CarPlay subscription fees to add up significantly over the long term. All the while, many other automakers now offer CarPlay as a standard feature.

BMW may ultimately decide against this idea if it receives enough negative feedback from customers, but we'll have to wait and see.

Article Link: BMW Plans to Turn CarPlay Into Subscription-Based Service Next Year

 

[sputnikv]

This is a lawsuit waiting to happen

 

[Cougarcat]

What a joke. Apple should explicitly forbid this in its licensing terms.

 

[Chaginxin]

All I can say is WTF?

and a $300 upgrade on a 30k+ car...one more reason not to buy a BMW...

 

[dannys1]

Bit naughty.

 

[Wildkraut]

Lol was just thinking about buying a BMW 140i M line... maybe done...

 

[0815]

Guess I won't be looking at a BMW when I shop for a new car next year ...

I won't pay for a CarPlay subscription same way as I don't pay for a Satellite radio subscription. While I don't need Satellite Radio, I don't care if it is offered as subscription or not ... however, CarPlay is something I *want* but I am not willing to pay monthly for it - so as long a there are other options, I will choose those.

Not sure if they is also true for BMW, but I think it is a joke that with many car manufactures you can get CarPlay only if you also take the Navigation System ... For me, AppleMaps works great, so I won't need the Navigation System and don't want to pay extra for that either.

 

[Pirate!]

Free hardware/software upgrades with subscription? Just stop in...

 

[Applebot1]

Joke...

 

[atrisk]

Next it will costs 29.99 for each bag you want to put in your trunk for a trip more than 25 miles.

 

[tkukoc]

Wow talk about scamming customers.

 

[jclardy]

Man, why didn't they think of this sooner? Why can't I pay BMW for my FM radio subscription already? I can't believe they give us that for free!

 

[Madmic23]

Do they charge for access to FM radio now?

 

[RobNYC]

All I can say is WTF?

and a $300 upgrade on a 30k+ car...one more reason not to buy a BMW...

I suppose anyone buying a new BMW probably isn't looking to save money on upgrades.

 

[erinsarah]

As an owner of a 2017 Mazda that has been (mostly) patiently waiting on Mazda to finally get their back bumpers in gear with AirPlay, I do hope that BMW's plan is not an oncoming trend in the industry and that Mazda isn't looking into doing this as well.

I also wonder if this is for new cars only, or if somehow magically they are going to update existing cars with this.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

Another reason not to buy foreign garbage cars.

And the sheep who think eurotrash is great will eat this up.

 

[Jeremy1026]

Or, they could just not charge extra for allowing you to plug in your own device with your own USB to run a 3rd party's software.

 

[ItalMac]

The stupidest idea ever !! Not even Apple is charging us for updates !!! Is absurd !! I don’t understand why the car companies don’t understand that they need to offer the best on service when you are behind the wheel.

 

[centauratlas]

What a stupid idea. We got a Ford Flex in March of 2016 (I had to upgrade the bus with a new USB controller, but that wasn't hard) and a Mercedes GLS-450 in Nov 2016 - many cars were eliminated due to a lack of CarPlay. I did test drive the slightly smaller BMW SUV. It was a nice enough car, but didn't compare to the GLS. (And the salesman drove like an idiot before I got to drive.)

If it was a subscription CarPlay though, it would have been enough to say "Sorry, BMW."

Edit:
Not to mention their math is wrong: Pay $300 once. Or, "Over the course of a 3 or 4 year lease, it would still work out to less money than the option is now." Let's see:

4 year lease, minus 1st year free = 3 years.
3 years * $80/year = $320.

Is $320 less than $300? No. (Of course the time value of money isn't counted).

And we have had the last cars 6-7 years or 100k miles, whichever came first.

Idi.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

How incredibly greedy can these 'old' car manufacturers get? That's repulsive.
CarPlay is standard on Audi from 2016. Heck, it's even standard on the new Ford Fiesta's and only £100 on a Fiat 500.
Apple MUST put a stop to this. BMW really do not seem committed to CarPlay. The MINI hasn't even got it as an option until the new facelift one in March. A friend of mine is a sale exec at BMW and he always looks blank when I ask him about CarPlay.
A real shame as for me, it would be a must have if I was to buy a car - electric of course

 

[cmaier]

I doubt apple will allow this. Either way, I won’t be buying any more bmw’s. Our X5 sucks.

 

[nikicampos]

What's next?

Do you want ABS, pay $10 month.
Want access to your trunk, unlimited for $10 a month or $1 every time you open it.

The whole subscription base thing is getting out of hand!!!

 

[tardegrade]

BMW's bean counters certainly have a sense of humour! I love the justification for this. As if running CarPlay and Android Auto together was somehow unconscionable without charging for it.

 

[likegadgets]

On the other hand, my car has it. The lease included the $300 (minus residual). If 1st year had been free, I would not renew for 2nd year. The BMW interface is superior to the Apple CarPlay and I don’t use the CarPlay at all

 

[bigjnyc]

This is great. I always do 3 year leases on my BMW's, I just paid $300 up front for carplay on my wife's X3.... under this new method I will only pay $160 for 2 years if you include the first year free. Alot fairer for leasers.... Buyers might get screwed over though.