Do You Buy This? BMW Offers Insight In To Why They Want To Charge $80 For Free Apple CarPlay

While most car manufacturers offer Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) in their new vehicles free of charge, BMW charges its owners $80 a year for the privilege of using Apple CarPlay. Why? Well, there are a few reasons for it, Car and Driver explains.

Perhaps the main reason why BMW sells Apple CarPlay through a subscription service is that it offers wireless CarPlay where most other car manufacturers only have wired CarPlay systems.

JRobUSC - 8/6/2019 9:19:16 AM

+2 Boost

it's $6.67/mo after the first free year. The headline is wrong.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/5/2019 2:23:25 PM

+3 Boost

I expect the take rate on this option / subscription to be lower than manual transmissions. So low it does not make it past the 2020 model year.

cidflekken - 8/5/2019 2:25:31 PM

+6 Boost

Then, what's next to nickle-and-dime the consumer? Everything costs money. Is $80 really going to kill a brand? Of course it won't, but it certainly leaves a very sour taste in prospective buyers.

JRobUSC - 8/5/2019 3:06:38 PM

+6 Boost

you have the figures wrong, it's $80/yr, after the first year. I still think that is crappy, but $80/mo would be ridiculous. You need to fix your headline.

atc98092 - 8/5/2019 3:40:56 PM

+5 Boost

Since I'll likely never buy a BMW, not a factor to me. And my guess is public opinion is going to force them to either make it a one time fee (and not with a 20 year limit) or just offer it at no extra charge. I can't see very many other manufacturers getting away with it, so I don't expect it to spread to other cars.

ricks0me - 8/5/2019 7:01:22 PM

+3 Boost

BMW can take their CarPlay and put it where the sun don't shine.

atc98092 - 8/5/2019 7:25:07 PM

+2 Boost

As far as the car is concerned, it's still just a USB connection. Being a Lightning connection on the phone side makes no difference. It's the updates to the iPhone/iPod firmware that most likely ends up breaking the function with the car.

carsnyc - 8/5/2019 8:17:04 PM

+2 Boost

I hadn’t recovered from the Mexican assembly fiasco and now this.

MDarringer - 8/6/2019 9:21:30 AM

+2 Boost

When a car costs as much as a BMW, the feature needs to be FREE.

Tiberius1701A - 8/6/2019 9:37:27 AM

0 Boost

BustMyWallet has a plethora of connectivity problems already, so charging for a potentially buggy CarPlay is completely in line with Bayerische.

SV8t - 8/7/2019 12:26:30 AM

+2 Boost

Just like another tax is “being suggested” to us, it won’t get a lot of votes. So no BMW, hope you dump it. For now you must create the cravings around your product, not repellents.