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This sounds like GM is committing brand suicide by actively making itself unappealing to Gen Z. https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/01/06/gen-z-survey-says-87
by midnitewarrior 4y ago
This sounds like GM is committing brand suicide by actively making itself unappealing to Gen Z.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/01/06/gen-z-survey-says-87-of-us-teenagers-own-an-iphone https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/01/06/gen-z-survey-says...
I love Android, but I also know how to read.
- sbahr001 4y agoLMAO!!!
- DeRock 4y agoIt's not just Gen Z, 79% of all US car buyers would only buy a car with CarPlay: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/22/apple-carplay-could-be-a-trojan-horse-into-the-automotive-industry.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/22/apple-carplay-could-be-a-tro... GM will absolutely lose this battle. Idiotic move.
- kulahan 4y agoI'm glad to see that I'm not alone in that being an absolute requirement for a car purchase. I guess it's not surprising that GM is making another stupid move though.
- Moto7451 4y agoDefinitely not alone. Some VP doesn’t get it and is going to find themselves in a new job elsewhere after they figure out what they just committed themself to. I love GM cars once you remove their terrible UI and escape to CarPlay/Android Auto. The biggest issue with cars is that they rely on a touch screen for controls and the UX is awful. I now have an Audi and a Porsche and the MMI suite is Android based. This isn’t too bad but the services and mapping are far behind Apple and Google.
- Robotbeat 4y agoIf it’s that dominant I wonder if there needs to be some anti-trust action done with Apple?
- MBCook 4y agoOn what grounds? Because people like it too much? Apple isn’t forcing anything. They don’t have exclusive contacts. Almost every car with CarPlay supports Android Auto. Customers are just demanding it.
- calciphus 4y agoApple does restrict access to much of their platform for only Apple-based access. There's exactly one company stopping Google or anyone else from building a compatible car system that runs for both Android and ios, and that's Apple. The use of private APIs and preventing competitors from using them, to secure another market (car infotainment systems) certainly should run afoul of anticompetitive laws in spirit, even if it doesn't to the army of lobbyists and lawyers the most valuable company in the world can muster. By comparison, nothing (not even Google) is stopping Apple from producing CarPlay for Android. All the APIs are there. They could even distribute it in the Play store. Compare the PhoneLink capabilities between iPhone and Android, vs the macOS integration Apple offers iOS.
- MBCook 4y agoAre you comparing the car infotainment OS with the CarPlay feature running on the phone? I was not talking about the infotainment OS. No one has an Apple OS running on a car so I don’t know how they could dominate the market.
- alistairSH 4y agoUh, my Honda's factory radio is literally an Android device. It happily allows CarPlay from my iPhone. CarPlay is (very roughly) the phone pushing video to the car's head unit like it's an external monitor (with a UI tailored for the size/location/usage of a typical car display).
- sokoloff 4y agoI have a ~$175 Android head unit that offers CarPlay functionality in one of our daily drivers. There's nothing stopping car makers or head unit/car infotainment systems makers from creating CarPlay compatibility in their devices.
- Marsymars 4y ago> I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in that being an absolute requirement for a car purchase. My issue is that my #1 requirement (no functionality that requires a touchscreen to use) basically pre-empts me from having any other requirements.
- unethical_ban 4y agoMazda may come close. They have the control knob in the center. I agree no touchscreen for AC/volume knob and some other things, but zero touchscreen at all (even for radio and menu) seems out there. Time to get a 2001 Cherokee.
- Marsymars 4y agoNote that I’m not requiring zero touchscreen to be present, just that I don’t have to use the touchscreen for any functionality in the vehicle. My 2011 car can accomplish everything perfectly well without a touchscreen while I’m wearing giant ski mitts in -30 weather; I’m not interested in a downgrade.
- skunkworker 4y agoI will only rent a car if it has CarPlay. If it doesn't then I will rent another vehicle. It's not worth trying to get maps/phone setup in a car that I haven't driven and in a location that I am unfamiliar with. Where CarPlay allows me to use the same UI, apps settings et al that make it significantly easier.
- mikestew 4y agoGM will absolutely lose this battle. They will, but not by standing firm. No, first will come the backlash, then GM will "listen to its customers" and backtrack on this. The problem is, I've already as of this morning stopped listening to GM. I sent the link to my wife, and now we're planning which Hyundai/Kia dealer to go to first to look at Ioniq 5s and $(whatever the equivalent Kia is called). Doug in Edmonds says he has 65 of the l'il buggers. We might just drive one home this weekend, at which point GM has not only lost a sale but further convinced me to stay away from GM. Did I mention that my father worked for GM all his career, and already pre-ordered an EV Blazer, which we said we'd take if he didn't want it at delivery? Yeah, I need to send Dad quick email about that...
- hexane360 4y agoMake sure you get a Hyundai/Kia with an immobilizer...
- vel0city 4y agoAll Hyundai/Kia EVs are push to start.
- Baeocystin 4y agoAs someone who is quite concerned that I'm going to have to sell my Kia because insurance companies are refusing to cover them because they're so easy to steal, just... be careful which model you pick.
- vel0city 4y agoIts only really the models and years where they didn't have immobilizers. He's looking at an EV, it doesn't even have a cut key for starting the car.
- Baeocystin 4y agoA good point. Also worth mentioned that Kias are (apparently) easy to break in to. Twice over the past year my neighborhood has had a group come around and jimmy just the Kias in the neighborhood to steal stuff from inside. I don't live in a high-crime area, either. It's real problem.
- Reason077 4y ago> ”GM will absolutely lose this battle. Idiotic move.” I dunno. Lack of CarPlay support has not exactly stopped people buying Teslas. On the other hand, Polestar uses Google’s Automotive OS for it’s infotainment system and yet also supports CarPlay. So the two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
- kitsunesoba 4y agoGM is very much not Tesla, though. They don't have Tesla's reputation of being tech-forward and somewhat competent in software UI/UX, plus I'd argue that the kind of buyers who'd consider e.g. a Bolt are those who are looking for normal cars that happen to be EVs — they're the type who'd normally be buying something like a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. They want something that's a reliable commuter, not a touchscreen gadget on wheels.
- KerrAvon 4y agoBut it actually has. Lack of CarPlay support was a major reason I didn't seriously consider a Tesla for my last purchase (long before they became electric MAGA hats), and I know other people who have the same issue. Are we statistically significant? Not enough data. Maybe not. But there's definitely some money that Tesla's leaving on the table. Volvo/Polestar has a rather nice, well-integrated implementation of CarPlay, in fact. It definitely can be done. GM is insane.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- theshrike79 4y agoTesla's infotainment systems are in a whole another category from whatever the other manufacturers are attempting. That being said, not supporting CarPlay (and Apple Maps) is a big factor of me not buying a Tesla.
- MBCook 4y agoTesla had a very strong alternate benefit to offset the CarPlay loss. They were basically the only non-low end electric car. Also their infotainment is reportedly pretty good, not the quality of most car makers. GM doesn’t have a Tesla quality infotainment system, and doesn’t have a “we’re the only choice” level hook. It won’t work for them. And it may be starting to hurt Tesla as they lose their uniqueness selling point.
- taylodl 4y agoI'm honestly surprised anybody is still buying GM cars/trucks. If you want a truck, get a Ford. They're hands-down the best in class. Or get a Toyota or Honda if you roll that way. If you want an SUV, well, everybody is making those and GM doesn't have any standout offerings. If you want a luxury car then there are much better options that are not only more luxurious, but more reliable, and oftentimes cheaper. If you want reliable, cheap transportation then you're getting a KIA or Hyundai. No matter how you slice it and dice it, the answer is never GM. (I'll concede the Corvette, they're great sports cars, but c'mon! Not many people are buying those!) And now they're nixing CarPlay?
- ambrice 4y agoThe Bolt is the best EV in its price range (<30K)
- taylodl 4y agoCompletely anecdotal, but I know far more people owning the Nissan Leaf, and they're about as obsessive about their Leafs (Leaves?) as Tesla owners.
- sokoloff 4y agoI have a LEAF and generally very much like it. The massive Achilles heel of my car is the 24kWh battery, which is slightly annoying about once a month and seriously annoying about 4x per year. Any Bolt is a better car hands-down on battery capacity alone. On the infotainment topic: I have the top-spec LEAF for my year and the (upgraded) infotainment unit is hot garbage, easily bested by the $175 Android touchscreen I put in my wife's car.
- rdl 4y agoThey are still pretty solid for vehicles like the Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon for specific uses (fleets, large family, tow vehicles) and the Sierra isn’t quite as nice as the F-150 but isn’t bad.
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago“We do believe there are subscription revenue opportunities for us," Kummer said. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra is aiming for $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscriptions by 2030.”
- rblatz 4y agoAh yes pissing off your customers because you think they’ll not just accept a worse experience, they’ll actually pay more for it. It’s a bold strategy.
- stathibus 4y agoWhen was the last time GM was seen as a good car company?
- mint2 4y agoGM is chasing the United airlines and Ryan air business model. United expects customers to be grateful if they get involuntarily rescheduled to arrive a day and a half after the original arrival time, with not so much as a free snack ticket to compensate e even when the flight delay is of their causing, not weather, that made the original connection impossible.
- MBCook 4y agoWell CarPlay (and Android Auto) do cut off revenue. I’ll never buy the satellite radio plan for my car to stream music. Why would I? My phone already provides a cell connection. I’ll never buy the car cell plan to stream Spotify. Why would I? My phone does that already. I never bought the $200+ per year map updates for my last car. Why would I? I had Apple Maps on CarPlay and it updates for free. In many ways this seems like trying to go back to 2006 when cars had some subscription stuff (maps, satellite radio) but consumers had no other choice besides going without. Today we have another choice. Use our cell phones. And they’re often superior experiences. This will be reversed after much shareholder pain.
- 4y ago
- MBCook 4y agoThey’re dropping Android Auto (from your phone) too.
- jandrese 4y agoThis isn't actually a problem because Gen-Z can't afford a GM vehicle anyway. The domestic manufacturers have abandoned the affordable vehicle segment to all fight over the high margin luxury business. Even basic pickup trucks are $60k and rotting on dealer lots because the luxury vehicle market just isn't big enough for all of the people who want to be there.
- decafninja 4y agoIf you listen to HN, GenZ worships bicycles and public transportation and is clamoring to ban cars ASAP when the Boomers and Xers die off. In fact I’m surprised no one has suggested banning cars on this thread yet. Someone always seems to pop up suggesting that in any thread remotely related to cars.
- JKCalhoun 4y agoI smell 3rd-party business opportunity. Never mind we can also enable the heated seats for you without your having to pay a subscription.
- JeremyNT 4y agoI use Android and this move would lose me as a customer. I want the infotainment system to be a dumb terminal for my phone, not yet another soon-to-be obsolete Android device chock full of spyware. Android auto isn't great but it's definitely going to be better than whatever a car company is going to give me.