Audi Adds Apple Music Integration for 2022 Models
Crank those tunes!
What's happening
Audi is integrating Apple Music into the infotainment system of its 2022 model year vehicles.
Why it matters
Infotainment integration reduces the obligation to use smartphone mirroring like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in order to access popular streaming services.
Smartphone mirroring via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto has extended to nearly every new car in the US. But automakers aren't content to stop there: Some OEMs offer music-service integration directly through their infotainment system, and Audi is the latest to join the fray.
Audi on Thursday announced that it will offer Apple Music integration directly through the latest version of its MMI infotainment system. This incorporation will be offered free of charge for "nearly all" 2022 model year Audi vehicles, according to the automaker. Cars already with owners should receive the same software by way of an over-the-air update. This applies to Audis in Europe, North America and Japan.
Instead of relying on a tethered smartphone connection to access a user's Apple Music library, Audi's setup allows the owner to bypass that and access it directly through MMI. This means data will be delivered through the car's built-in modem and is thus subject to whatever data package an owner has purchased for their vehicle. If you don't have a data subscription for your car, CarPlay and Android Auto will continue to work just fine for accessing Apple Music.
Getting everything set up isn't difficult. Once the app is installed, users can enter their Apple ID and finish the process via two-factor authentication. After that, it's just a matter of hopping in the car every morning and tapping the screen a couple times.
