BMW has made a U-turn on its original decision to charge customers for Apple CarPlay subscription fees on its latest cars.
While speaking to Auto Express, a spokesperson from the manufacturer revealed buyers of new models fitted with OS7 infotainment software will get an unlimited Apple CarPlay subscription as standard.
In addition to this, those who already own BMWs with OS7 and have already purchased a one-year or three-year CarPlay package will be upgraded to an unlimited subscription at no additional cost.
Not all new BMW cars come with OS7, though. The i3 and i8, as well as the outgoing 2 and 4 Series still make use of the manufacturer’s previous-generation infotainment software, called OS6.
The news follows on from July 2019’s announcement when the company became the first car manufacturer to make Apple CarPlay a paid-for subscription service. That’s despite Apple not charging licencing fees for the product, although carmakers do have to develop the software integration themselves.
Under the subscription service, buyers had to pay a fee of £85 for a full year, £225 for three years or £295 for unlimited access to access CarPlay.
For those unaware of how Apple CarPlay works, it essentially mirrors many functions of an iPhone, offering apps such as Spotify and Google Maps into the car’s built in touchscreen.
