While most automakers either offer CarPlay as a standard feature or charge a flat fee to include it, BMW is making a curious move to charge an $80-a-year subscription fee for the Apple feature, The Verge reports. Last year BMW added CarPlay as an option for a $300 one-time fee, but Don Smith, technology product manager for BMW North America, said the company will now offer the service free for the first year and then charge $80 each year after that to keep it active.
“This allows the customer to switch devices,” Smith said. “A lot of people buy [CarPlay] and think it’s OK, but sometimes they stop using it or switch to Android.” While some may balk at having to pay every year to keep CarPlay active, the move is particularly geared toward those leasing cars, leaving those choosing a three-year lease paying less over the life of the agreement than if they opted for a $300 payment.
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