True or false: General Motors is a motorcycle manufacturer.
Obviously, false. And so is the following statement from a misinformed article on VentureBeat that’s been making rounds around the web:
“General Motors has decided not to move forward with its connected car tech MyLink, a platform allowing developers to build Internet-connected apps for the company’s line of vehicles.”
The report goes on to state that “MyLink was intended to be a way for GM to bring a variety of third-party services to its 2015 cars, including apps from NPR, map service Glympse, Pandora, Slacker Radio, and others.”
That’s enough fiction for one day. Here are some facts:
- The article erroneously labels the AppShop app framework that will integrate with GM’s infotainment systems (MyLink, IntelliLink, and CUE) as MyLink.
- General Motors is not and has not cancelled MyLink nor AppShop.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s explore what’s going on in greater detail.
AppShop, which was initially slated to launch alongside GM’s 2015 model year vehicles with OnStar 4G LTE Connectivity, has been delayed — as originally discovered by GM Authority. But delayed is not nearly the same thing as cancelled.
“We still don’t have new launch timing to announce but development of it is still a priority for us”, GM tells us.
At the same time, The General is working with Apple and Google to bring CarPlay and Android Auto to its vehicles. The technologies will project the content of the phone to the infotainment screen, thereby resembling the user interface of the smartphone/tablet device brought into the car by the driver or passengers.
And that’s where the overlap takes place: whenever AppShop launches, a driver could theoretically use AppShop to download an app to the vehicle’s infotainment system and use it as it’s running locally, or use Apple CarPlay/Google Auto to mirror the contents of their device to the screen. Which does a user pick?
To GM, however, it’s not an either/or scenario. Instead, the automaker views both — the brought-in and built-in solutions — as “equally important to giving customers a choice of how they want to connect on what works best for them”, according to a note we received from The General.
So, there you have it. MyLink isn’t being nixed. Neither is AppShop. The former is very much alive and well, while the latter is coming in the future. Having set the record straight on the matter, we’re going to excuse ourselves and play with our Snake on our corporate Nokia banana phone. Too bad we can’t project that to MyLink.
Comments
Just give me phone mirroring ability and Ill be happy. Thats all everyone needs. If you own a cadillac you should own a smartphone.
Not sure I agree with the tone of the author of this article.
Apple and GM (and all the other auto manufacturers) have been extremely hush on releasing any CarPlay information.
The article mentioned was the first real news in months, and it was based on a much better GigaOm article.
Being a loyal GM fan, and currently in the market for two new GM vehicles, I refuse to make a purchase until there is definitive news from GM on CarPlay.
Apple mentioned that a future iOS update would enable CarPlay to be accessible over wifi.
My hope would be that if this is true, any 2015 GM with LTE wifi could potentially receive a firmware update to enable CarPlay.
With GM historically not adding features to previous model years… (example onstar mobile app supporting remote start for 2010s and not 2009s)… do I really want to make a 40k gamble on a firmware update?
My guess is they’ll push it out to 2016 models.
Here is to hoping for news with the upcoming auto shows.
This is definitely a situation where customers should receive a free software update to bring compatibility to the cars (particularly those with CUE) that were supposed to receive it originally. At this rate, I’m honestly not sure what can be added that CarPlay (and Google’s equivalent) can’t accomplish. GM needs to quickly build and market a solution that does things Apple can’t because of its unique ability to tie into the car’s systems and sensors. If they drag their feet much longer, there’s not reason to do anything unique and they should opt instead to build native iPhone apps that are designed specifically for CarPlay.
More lies from GM? We were promised the app store and all of the customizable features would work with the MyLink system on our 2014 when we purchased it. Your point number 2 above is complete fiction when you refer to the 2014 model year, it was discontinued by GM. This article mentions nothing of the 2014 only the 2015 and looks like an attempt to sweep the GM lies under the rug.