Rivian is bringing Apple Music with spatial audio to its CarPlay-less EVs

Rivian isn’t offering telephone mirroring features similar Apple CarPlay successful its electrical vehicles, truthful the institution is alternatively pushing a caller bundle update contiguous that adds built-in Apple Music streaming support, which mightiness scratch customers’ connectivity itch.

Last month, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said on Decoder that CarPlay can’t leverage different parts of the conveyance acquisition and takes power distant from automakers. In this case, power comes successful the signifier of a paid subscription work needed to bask immoderate of the features disposable connected Rivian’s large Android-based infotainment screen.

The caller autochthonal Apple Music app, which includes enactment for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, is launching aft Rivian introduced its caller Connect Plus information subscription successful June. In an email to The Verge, Rivian merchandise spokesperson Courtney Richardson wrote that Connect Plus is needed for Gen 2 vehicles to person “native app experiences similar Apple Music and streaming connectivity nary substance wherever the conveyance travels.”

When asked astir the quality betwixt connectivity for Gen 1 owners, who already tin perceive to euphony successful apps similar Spotify connected the spell with nary further subscription, Richardson shared the aforesaid accusation available connected Rivian’s website. Many Rivian owners person enjoyed the included information services acknowledgment to the Rivian Membership, which the institution has said it’s phasing out.

It seems each owners of R1T and R1S vehicles volition soon request Connect Plus to watercourse their media apps connected the spell and to proceed utilizing the vehicle’s built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Rivian vehicles tin tally apps similar TuneIn and Amazon Audible, and volition soon person autochthonal YouTube and enactment for Google Cast — arsenic agelong arsenic owners subscribe to Connect Plus.

To assistance easiness the change, Rivian is extending a caller two-month escaped proceedings of Connect Plus for each Rivian owners starting today. That means drivers with Apple Music subscriptions tin spell up and jam retired with the car’s built-in information for a spot earlier needing to wage other for the privilege. After the escaped trial, Connect Plus volition outgo $14.99 a month, oregon $149.99 annually.

Rivian isn’t the lone institution pushing customers towards connectivity subscriptions. Tesla had agelong included unlimited information connected its vehicles earlier switching implicit to a $99 per twelvemonth Premium subscription (although aboriginal Tesla owners proceed to bask grandfathered unlimited plans).

But neither institution offers CarPlay oregon Android Auto, which tin reflector one’s telephone surface and usage its services connected the car’s show — truthful you ne'er request to interest astir unpredictable changes successful the automotive world.

For those who aren’t looking to wage extra, RivianTrackr reports the institution volition let autochthonal media apps to enactment erstwhile connected to a abstracted Wi-Fi hotspot. You could besides effort mounting your telephone and connecting audio with Bluetooth for a much 2013-feeling experience.