Audi is Add Apple Music to its cars’ infotainment systems, allowing drivers to listen to their playlists and catch up on podcasts without the need for an additional device. This is the second Volkswagen group carmaker to get the integrated music streaming service, as Porsche had already added the feature to its all-electric Taycan.
“The integration of Apple Music into the audio infotainment system marks the next step in the partnership between Audi and Apple,” said Christiane Zorn, Audi’s head of product marketing. It shows that Apple is more willing to hand carmakers the keys to their music streaming platform, giving drivers more choice when using the service rather than being stuck using Apple CarPlay or resorting to Bluetooth from a remote. smart phone.
Nearly all Audi car models from 2022 and newer will receive Apple Music in North America, Europe and Japan. Current 2022 models on the road will get it via an automatic over-the-air software update. Once the update is complete, owners will be able to find the Apple Music icon on their Audi’s infotainment screen, open it and follow the instructions to sign in with Apple ID and enter a verification code.
Apple knew it needed to add its multi-platform music service to challenge rival Spotify for market dominance. It launched Apple Music on Android in 2015, adding apps to other platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, PS5 and, most recently, Roku. But when it came to automakers, Apple preferred them to integrate CarPlay over a native infotainment solution. Now that CarPlay is available in almost every new vehicle out there, Apple probably isn’t worried about adopting its iPhone integration system anymore.
A key benefit of Apple integration is Tesla. The electric vehicle company has shown no interest in adding CarPlay like other automakers, preferring to use its own operating system to run music apps. Services like Spotify and Tidal are available in Teslas, and while there was a hint Apple Music was tested, it never came to fruition – but you might be able to break it in.