You might not need it again
General Motors made a bold move that might prompt you to reconsider whether you actually need Apple CarPlay. Starting today, the automaker is rolling out native Apple Music integration to select 2025 and newer Chevrolet and Cadillac models, bypassing your iPhone entirely and plugging the streaming service directly into your vehicle’s infotainment system.
Unlike CarPlay, this isn’t Apple Music mirrored from your phone; it runs directly on GM’s software platform that powers its infotainment. For drivers tired of fumbling with cables or dealing with wireless connection hiccups, this could be a game-changer.
This new integration means that drivers of select GM vehicles will gain access to all the features of the streaming service, including ad-free access to over 100 million songs, curated playlists, exclusive content, live global radio, and personalized recommendations, without needing to connect their iPhone.
General Motors
Apple Music will come with OnStar Basics
According to GM, it is making audio streaming capabilities a standard feature through OnStar Basics, a suite of core OnStar features that includes Automatic Crash Response, remote commands, Google Maps, Google Assistant, and navigation, for all 2025 and newer vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. In essence, this means that you can stream using Apple Music at no additional cost for eight years after purchasing your vehicle.
“We are bringing the Apple Music app to GM vehicles in a way that takes full advantage of our industry-leading audio capabilities,” Tim Twerdahl, GM’s vice president of global product management, said in a statement. “It’s the latest example of how we’re expanding entertainment choices built directly into our vehicles.”
General Motors
Cadillac owners get the premium experience
However, drivers in Cadillacs will reap the most significant benefits from the GM-Apple Music integration. The native Apple Music integration also unlocks access to the service’s full library of Spatial Audio tracks with Dolby Atmos, transforming the cabin into what GM describes as a “studio-grade acoustic space.”
According to them, Cadillac models like the 2026 VISTIQ, for example, which packs a commanding 23-speaker AKG audio system with strategically positioned Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers, would be transformed “into an immersive, three-dimensional sound environment designed around the vehicle’s acoustics.” GM states that with Apple Music’s spatial audio capabilities, the cabin of the VISTIQ would turn into a “soundstage where instruments occupy distinct physical spaces and vocals float precisely where the artist intended.”
Select Chevy and Cadillac vehicles will get it, with Buick and GMC to follow
The rollout starts with select Chevrolet and Cadillac models, with Buick and GMC vehicles coming soon. On the Cadillac side, you’re looking at the 2025 and 2026 CT5, the 2025 ESCALADE IQ, and the 2026 VISTIQ (which gets the premium Spatial Audio treatment). Chevy drivers aren’t left out either—the 2025 and 2026 Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV are included, along with the 2026 Corvette, Suburban, and Tahoe. Even the upcoming 2027 Chevrolet Bolt is on the list.
Honda’s tech integration continues to improve, and in the 2026 Civic Sport Touring Hybrid, it finally feels cohesive. The dash-mounted 9-inch touchscreen isn't big or fancy, but its no-nonsense functionality doesn't detract from driving focus. Reponses click with satisfaction, and the accompanying physical controls are easy to use while driving. The system runs a straightforward interface that avoids the clutter of overly animated menus. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are wireless phone charging, a premium 12-speaker Bose audio system, and a fully digital 10.2-inch gauge cluster.
If you’re already an Apple Music subscriber, just sign in with your existing account when connected via OnStar, and you’re streaming. New to the service? Sign up with just a tap on your dashboard. The app appears automatically in eligible vehicles after the latest software update, so there’s nothing to download or install manually. In addition, Apple Music connects through GM’s continuous delivery model, which means that owners will receive new features and updates over the air long after driving off the lot.
This development follows a clarification the automaker provided a few months ago regarding the phase-out of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, which it announced will occur in its electric vehicle lineup. Following an interview between The Verge and its CEO, Mary Barra, GM has quickly clarified to MacRumours that CarPlay and Android Auto will remain in all gas-powered vehicles "for the foreseeable future." It plans to roll out a new centralized computing system, featuring a new conversational AI assistant, starting with the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ.
In a statement at the time, GM emphasized that this AI feature will help drivers do everyday tasks, as “it will be fine-tuned with your vehicle’s intelligence and your personal preferences, all connected by OnStar.”
Final thoughts
In the end, GM is not the only manufacturer that is leaning on the CarPlay/Android Auto alternative that is full-on infotainment integration, where automakers have them "built-in" into the car, instead of relying on drivers to mirror their smartphones onto their screens. Notably, EV brands such as Tesla and Rivian, as well as luxury automakers like Mercedes-Benz, have had this kind of integration for a while and also include integration for services like Tidal and Spotify.
Personally, I find this type of experience to be much less cumbersome than dealing with smartphone mirroring, such as CarPlay or Android Auto, as it doesn't require any wires or a Bluetooth connection to function. From what I have experienced, using Spotify in a Rivian feels like tuning into SiriusXM in any other car.
It would be interesting to see whether GM will follow up on this partnership with integration for other services, such as Audible, Spotify, or even Tidal, as the latter two feature lossless audio capabilities that should sound incredible in the back of a Cadillac.
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