General Motors Attempts To Soften The Blow Of Removing Apple CarPlay

Despite a plethora of drivers preferring to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto when interfacing with their vehicle’s infotainment screen, General Motors has opted to move away from both. As this hasn’t gone over particularly well with customers, the automaker is attempting to appease them by offering a native Apple Music app on future models that won’t technically support CarPlay.

One of the biggest reasons automakers moved to connected vehicles and app-focused interfaces is to capitalize on new revenue streams. They want to be the ones collecting data on their customers and funneling them toward subscription services or purchasable apps. Despite helping to normalize touch-based vehicle controls and automotive connectivity, Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) now stand in the way of this.

However, past attempts to cull phone-pairing interfaces hasn’t worked out for General Motors. Drivers broadly prefer simply letting a vehicle mirror their phone because they’re already intimately familiar with those devices. Plenty of motorists have also started to wise up to the industry’s attempt to use modern infotainment to push subscription services or expand data collection and aren’t biting anymore.

While this has led a subset of drivers to swear off connectivity services, as they eagerly await a return to traditional vehicle interfaces, many people still want to have their vehicle mirror the functionality of their mobile devices. Aware of this, GM has just announced plans to roll out the Apple Music app on select 2025 (and newer) Cadillac and Chevrolet models.

This means customers buying from the automaker can still tap into their Apple Music playlist and continue listening inside the vehicle. The feature will come via OnStar Basics, which comes with extra features and is typically offered at no additional connectivity cost for eight years after purchasing a new vehicle.

However, after the eight years is up, customers will likely need to opt into subscriptions for the services they wish to retain. Depending upon what you’d like to keep (or add), those rates presently range between about $15 and $35 per month.

“We are bringing the Apple Music app to GM vehicles in a way that takes full advantage of our industry-leading audio capabilities,” said Tim Twerdahl, GM’s vice president of global product management. “It’s the latest example of how we’re expanding entertainment choices built directly into our vehicles.”

From General Motors:

Apple Music is coming natively to GM vehicles. Starting today, the app begins rolling out to select 2025 and newer Cadillac and Chevrolet models, giving drivers direct access to millions of songs, curated playlists, exclusive content, live global radio, and personalized recommendations — all seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s infotainment system. Availability across additional GM brands will follow.

This update allows Apple Music to take full advantage of GM’s software platform, the vehicle’s processing power, and advanced audio systems. For Cadillac customers, it unlocks Apple Music’s leading library of Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, transforming the cabin into an immersive, three-dimensional sound environment designed around the vehicle’s acoustics.

The first vehicles to receive the feature will be the 2025 Cadillac CT5, Escalade IQ, and 2026 model year Vistiq. Meanwhile, Chevrolet will be adding it to the 2025 Blazer EV, Equinox EV and Silverado EV. The Corvette, Suburban and Tahoe will receive the feature for the 2026 model year.

However, the goal is for GM to eventually offer Apple Music in all vehicles — sans CarPlay, of course. This includes those wearing GMC or Buick badges.

While this feels like a win at first blush, it’s really more of a way to appease irritated drivers with iPhones and for GM to buy some time before herding customers into more subscriptions. Older vehicles that offered Apple CarPlay for free already had Apple Music fully integrated. Before that, practically every vehicle under the sun came with things like tape decks, CD players, or auxiliary audio inputs that would allow customers to play whatever music they wanted.

It might seem nice that General Motors wants to include Apple Music after dumping CarPlay. But it sounds as though it’ll only be a standard service for the initial eight-year period. Even though it certainly could continue offering the feature for free, it seems more likely that it’ll attempt to place it behind a subscription package once the extended trial is over.

This is supported by the language the automaker used in the release, which stipulates Apple Music comes to customers with “no additional connectivity cost for eight years with their vehicle purchase.”

[Images: General Motors]

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