Polestar (Android Automotive OS) adds Apple Carplay

[rraj2k81]

Well it has finally happened. Apple Carplay support has come to Android Automotive in the Polestar.
Video app support in park has been added as part of the latest software. Just a matter of time for the apps to show up.



The funny part is it does not support Android Auto.

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[DJG]

The funny part is it does not support Android Auto.

Duh, why would you want to run Android Auto on an Android Automotive system that already has the play store??

 

[Rivian_Hugh_III]

We're married to Amazon, so CarPlay isn't coming until the seven year itch. IRL probably mid-2023 to 2024 at the earliest.

I'd be surprised if Rivian signed away the right to add CP for ever, but a several year deal makes sense, especially in the window of when Amazon is buying all the vans.

 

[rraj2k81]

Duh, why would you want to run Android Auto on an Android Automotive system that already has the play store??

Android Auto and AAOS are two different environments. So apps on Android will not natively run on AAOS, they need to be ported over to AAOS. Until they are ported Android users are at the mercy of not being able to use most of the apps until they are ported over.

I agree no need for this support, but nevertheless the lack of App support is for more exacerbated for Android users using an Android based OS than Apple users in the Polestar.

 

[astonius]

Duh, why would you want to run Android Auto on an Android Automotive system that already has the play store??

So you don't have to sign in and synchronize data between two systems.

 

[astonius]

We're married to Amazon, so CarPlay isn't coming until the seven year itch. IRL probably mid-2023 to 2024 at the earliest.

I'd be surprised if Rivian signed away the right to add CP for ever, but a several year deal makes sense, especially in the window of when Amazon is buying all the vans.

How are we "married to Amazon"? If true, why would Spotify be the supported streaming audio service instead of Amazon Music?

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Duh, why would you want to run Android Auto on an Android Automotive system that already has the play store??

Seems like the Android Automotive Play Store is pretty limited ... not too many apps there. I'm an iOS user, but will be interesting to see if AAOS is more useful when I get the Lyriq.

 

[MisterTea]

How are we "married to Amazon"? If true, why would Spotify be the supported streaming audio service instead of Amazon Music?

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Duh, why would you want to run Android Auto on an Android Automotive system that already has the play store??

There's no Waze in the play store for AAOS, for example. AA would let people use Waze.

 

[DJG]

So you don't have to sign in and synchronize data between two systems.

So you're telling me you'd rather mirror your android phone screen to avoid a one time sign in/syncing of your google account to the native android system in your vehicle???

I think that settles the debate that AA/CP philes will never accept a native system, even if it's a better version made by the same company.....Google is sitting there shaking their heads, saying, they do realize that AA was only a temporary hack solution until we could build and sell/implement Android Automotive, right? No vehicle with Android Automotive in the future will have AA functionality, that's the literal definition of unnecessary redundancy.

This also debunks all the arguments before that offering AA/CP doesn't mean a maker can't continue building their own system. Why would they do that, when you won't even use the native version of Android Automotive??

 

[DJG]

Seems like the Android Automotive Play Store is pretty limited ... not too many apps there. I'm an iOS user, but will be interesting to see if AAOS is more useful when I get the Lyriq.

That's because there is only one vehicle from an obscure brand most people have never heard of using it right now. However, several automakers are signed up to implement in mass over the next couple years. It will be a transition, but there is no reason to believe that every app available and used in AA won't be available in the AAOS app store. AAOS was built to replace AA.

 

[jtshaw]

How are we "married to Amazon"? If true, why would Spotify be the supported streaming audio service instead of Amazon Music?

People keep saying this but I really don't think there is any evidence this is true. Alexa doesn't prevent using Car Play or Android Auto. Alexa exists side by side with these systems on other vehicles. Amazon Music and Audible aren't first-party apps. The FireTV experience that is shipping with other automakers isn't in there.

This is most likely about Rivian wanting tight control over their UX.

 

[ironpig]

I don't really care what the underlying operating system is in my car. If it's transparent, I don't care. The fact that Polestar added CarPlay is a great thing. I hope Rivian will add CarPlay at some point, but I'm not holding my breath.

For now, I'd settle for just getting the music controls over to the left side of the screen.

 

[DaveA]

How are we "married to Amazon"? If true, why would Spotify be the supported streaming audio service instead of Amazon Music?

Amazon Music is supported through Alexa integration. Just fyi.

 

[Rivian_Hugh_III]

One assumes that when Amazon offered to buy a gajillion vans and singlehandedly vouched for the Rivian brand pre-IPO they asked for a few things. Or perhaps Rivian offered/promised a few things as part of not being total jerks.

Whatever the circumstance, there are three reasons Rivian might not have CarPlay:

1, The code is a PITA and they just haven't gotten to it yet.

2, They plan to make their own Apps and App Store and don't want to be beholden to Apple.

3, They plan to sell the space to whomever will offer the most and Alexa/Amazon Music and Spotify won the bid for the time being.

It's 2 or 3, probably 3 for the time being.

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