Although the German automaker BMW was an early adopter of Apple CarPlay wirelessly, it charged for the service, ranging from a $300 one-time cost to a yearly $80 price. Now that it’s free, all 2021 BMW models even have the integration of the car keys, which is a significant plus. And for all those older BMWs, upgrading a CarPlay compatible head unit is possible, albeit with some extra work and expense.
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According to 9to5Mac, BMW has reversed its contentious proposal to charge an annual subscription for the use of Apple’s CarPlay in its vehicles. Since 2016, the German manufacturer has demanded extra payment from owners in order for them to utilize CarPlay, at first as a $300 one-time option and later as a $80.00 annual cost. It now seems as though BMW has realized its mistake.
Since no other carmaker charges its consumers to use CarPlay, it was a dubious choice from the start. According to a BMW spokeswoman, both US and UK customers would be affected by the change. Owners of 2019 or 2020 model year vehicles and current BMW-Apple CarPlay users won’t be required to pay a monthly or yearly membership any longer, according to the spokeswoman. For established accounts, this procedure could take several weeks to complete.
The spokeswoman stated, “BMW is always seeking to satisfy our customers’ demands and this policy adjustment is intended to give them a better ownership experience.
According to 9to5Mac, who cites the UK website Autocar, only users of BMW automobiles equipped with the brand’s most recent infotainment system, ConnectedDrive, will now receive CarPlay for free.
Since they believed they could create in-vehicle technology that matched the mobile industry in terms of usability and functionality, auto firms have long tried to keep Apple and Google at a distance. Car manufacturers are now essentially conceding defeat and admitting that their customers prefer the user interface of their phones over that of their vehicles.
So, with a BMW, is Apple CarPlay free?
Indeed and no. There will still be a $300 one-time payment for owners of BMW automobiles with infotainment systems that are iDrive 6.0 and lower. Additionally, it might take some time before the new CarPlay payment mechanism is implemented in all countries, so the BMW Apple CarPlay subscription cost might continue for a little while longer.
A third-party BMW CarPlay retrofit, like BimmerTech’s, can enable CarPlay in your vehicle without the membership expense if you choose to pay a set sum up front rather than still being saddled with an annual fee.
Some BMW vehicles will no longer need a subscription to utilize CarPlay.
In 2016, BMW introduced the Apple CarPlay feature to its automobiles. The German automaker chose to add the option for $300, which later became a $80-per-year subscription. Following complaints from customers, the business appears to have reconsidered its approach to CarPlay availability, which should now come at no additional cost to users.
The British specialized AutoCar website claims that BMW has changed its mind and will no longer charge for the usage of CarPlay. Customers could previously test the service out for free for a year when purchasing a new BMW vehicle. They would then pay $80 each year in the US or £85 in the UK after that. According to a BMW representative, the cost won’t be applied to any vehicles running the most recent ConnectedDrive infotainment system.
You’ll still have to pay to use CarPlay if your vehicle isn’t equipped with the most recent version of ConnectedDrive, but BMW will only charge you PS235 once. The annual subscription fees paid by eligible customers will not be refunded, but they will be automatically excused from future charges. Before being implemented in other nations, these measures will first take effect in the UK.
Given that CarPlay simply requires a linked iPhone to function, it’s vital to understand that Apple promises not to charge manufacturers any fees for using the system. The automakers themselves decide whether to charge customers for this option, and BMW was the first to do so.
And what do you make of it all? Was it unethical for BMW to charge for CarPlay use? Tell us in the comments section below.
BMW owners are being told to pay again for Apple CarPlay
Since Apple CarPlay is often available as free standard technology in new cars, BMW’s decision to rapaciously demand a $300 monthly fee to utilize Apple CarPlay in 2019 and 2020 models like the 7 Series and X7 equipped with GPS drew heavy criticism. BMW then presented two pricing options: $300 for 240 months or a reduced $80 cost for an annual subscription.
Following significant customer outrage, BMW subsequently dropped these membership plans and, like the majority of other automakers, introduced free Apple CarPlay functionality. Owners of BMWs are regrettably now encountering a fresh issue with Apple CarPlay support.
Apple CarPlay has reportedly stopped functioning, according to several BMW owners. Even worse, some have been informed that they must pay for the service while checking its status online although it ought to be free. Just to be clear, Apple CarPlay was not affected. Instead, a glitch with the BMW ConnectedDrive service, which enables customers to wirelessly pair devices and use Apple CarPlay on an iPhone, was to blame for the issue.
A user who was having the problem posted on Reddit, “I contacted with my sales guy at the dealership and verified difficulties are going on. “Had me check the customer portal website,” the website for the car and all of its information and apps.
“It indicates that I have CarPlay installed. He claimed that for some users who lost the capability, it now seems that they must pay for the app, but for others, like myself, it still displays a valid subscription.”
Apple CarPlay should now function flawlessly in all BMW models since BMW has since restored all connected services, but a system fault like this shouldn’t be renewing subscriptions. It is advised that you get in touch with your neighborhood BMW dealer if you are still being asked to pay for the servicing. We can only hope that a soon-to-be-released over-the-air software upgrade will stop this from happening again and put an end to the BMW Apple CarPlay fiasco once and for all.
With the latest software, BMW no longer charges a monthly fee for CarPlay in its vehicles.
After the first year of ownership, BMW owners must pay $80 each year to utilize CarPlay, since the company opted to start selling CarPlay access for a subscription fee rather than a one-time price in early 2018.
The fact that no other automaker that offers CarPlay charges a monthly subscription explains why this shift was unpopular among BMW customers. BMW used to demand a one-time $300 upgrade cost in addition to the membership rate.
Given the disapproval of the subscription fees, BMW is already revising its plans. BMW will now provide CarPlay for free for the lifespan of the vehicle on all models that have the most recent ConnectedDrive infotainment system installed, a company representative told the British website AutoCar.
Models like the i3 and the i8 that don’t run the most recent operating system will now demand a one-time pay in place of the monthly access. Moving future, CarPlay will be free to use in vehicles equipped with the new system.
BMW is also implementing this adjustment in the US, according to the American website Autoblog. When asked why the change was made, a BMW spokeswoman responded to Autoblog, “BMW is always trying to satisfy our customers’ demands and this policy change is meant to give BMW owners with a better ownership experience.”
When BMW customers who currently pay for a subscription will be able to stop paying for CarPlay access is not yet known, and it is also unknown whether BMW will reimburse consumers who have already paid for a long-term CarPlay subscription.
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BMW has long paid customers to use Apple CarPlay. The automaker’s initial pricing was $300 for a lifetime subscription, but this summer it switched to a $80 annual fee. Drivers weren’t happy about that, especially since Apple doesn’t charge automakers a price to use CarPlay. In the US, BMW has announced that it will no longer charge a monthly fee for vehicles with Apple Car Play.
Although Apple doesn’t charge a fee for CarPlay, the cost of adding the technology to infotainment systems is borne by automakers. Instead of adding extra fees, BMW is anticipated to now include that cost in the list and lease pricing of its vehicles.
CarPlay won’t be offered in all models, claims Autocar. For instance, a lifetime membership will still be required for the i3 and i8.
How do I add Apple CarPlay for nothing to my BMW?
I’d like to utilize Apple CarPlay in my BMW, but I seem to recall that it used to be somewhat expensive. Is there a way for me to obtain Apple CarPlay on my BMW for nothing?
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Yes! All of Apple CarPlay’s capabilities are available for free on your BMW. BMW will stop charging users a fee to utilize Apple CarPlay as of 2020. The service is easily downloaded and connected to your car without cost.
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Can my 2017 BMW have Apple CarPlay?
You can, indeed! You can add Apple Carplay to a number of BMW models, including the 2018 BMW x1 and 2015 BMWs.
Do you want to use the maps, music, messaging, and Siri commands from your iPhone on your iDrive device? For customers to quickly connect their phones to the iDrive unit and use the apps they have loaded on their iPhones, Apple created the software “Apple CarPlay” for automobiles. applications for calls, messaging, music, and maps. Additionally, Apple is continuously expanding the number of apps that its CarPlay software supports. The whole list of apps that are already compatible with Apple CarPlay is available on the Apple website.
Can my BMW be equipped with Apple CarPlay?
With firmware beginning with iOS 7.1, Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation is available for all iPhone devices starting with the 5. You must have the optional additional ConnectedDrive Services, which include BMW apps, in order to utilize Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation in a BMW vehicle (6AK). Additionally, your BMW must be outfitted with Navi Professional.