![]() ![]() Of course, the $80 yearly subscription fee was short-lived. Not quite as dramatic as running Doom on a Raspberry Pi, but still. After all, CarPlay sucks phone batteries dry because it uses an iPhone to power an infotainment UX. Sure, a sales guy could push the narrative of updates, but basic infotainment updates were free and CarPlay-specific updates generally happen on the phone side. I mean come on, really? You can get CarPlay included on a $14,000 Chevrolet Spark, but apparently CarPlay was too posh for a 540i luxury sedan. Four whole years ago, BMW decided that it could justify making Apple CarPlay available on subscription for $80 per year. Let’s flash back to 2018, a year when we could freely blast saliva particles at each other in crowded hole-in-the-wall bars, unaware of any future sickness in store for humanity. Here’s what happened the last time BMW tried nickel and diming customers with subscription services. ![]() Not only is paying to use an offline feature you already own completely insane, it’s also not the first time BMW has pulled something similar. While it’s definitely possible to pony up a flat fee and have a lifetime heated seat subscription in your Korean-market BMW, the phrase “lifetime heated seat subscription” simply shouldn’t exist. However, pre-installed hardware like heated seats and basic features like Apple CarPlay prep really shouldn’t require a data connection. In-car LTE requires a data connection, as do certain advanced driver assist systems like GM’s Super Cruise. Come on, did corporate really think nobody would notice? Look, I’m not entirely against subscription programs for some automotive features. ![]() Presumably in an effort to make the 4-Series’ front end styling not the worst part of the car, BMW recently attempted to slowly and quietly roll out subscriptions for use of pre-installed hardware on Korean-market models.
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