Latest news with #AppleCar
Top Gear
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Apple's new CarPlay Ultra: hit or miss?
Apple's new CarPlay Ultra: hit or miss? Does it create a more seamless user experience, or will it make car manufacturers lazier with infotainment? Skip 4 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 4 Jack Rix: 'At last, the Apple Car has arrived! Sort of...' If you're already hooked on Apple, and a user of CarPlay, you're going to love this even more. Everything is integrated and shot through with Apple's hallmark clarity and familiarity – something that carmakers are so hit and miss with when it comes to their in-house software. By the way, you can always switch back to the manufacturer's UI if you prefer, or MkI CarPlay if you must. Advertisement - Page continues below I'm pumped to see how other manufacturers, especially those with multiple screens measured in acres, interpret this new found freedom. At last, the Apple Car has arrived! Sort of... Ollie Kew: 'Now we can't have a bespoke digital experience' First, they came for our lovely, uncomplicated physical dials, with their characterful clock faces and subtle illumination that didn't erase every trace of serotonin. Now we can't even have a bespoke digital experience, because all Apple's interior invasion will promote is carmakers getting even lazier with infotainment. Why flush away trillions on a brand-specific skin for each readout when half the global smartphone population is going to default to a rounded corners playschool interface? I'm not an Android user, by the way. I just miss a time when car interiors felt special. Advertisement - Page continues below 18 minutes 32 seconds Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Tom's Guide
19-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
The iPhone Fold's crushingly slow development may have just hit another roadblock — but it's not all bad news
Just when you thought Apple might be making some headway with its foldable iPhone development, a new report comes out to make us doubt everything. Analyst Ming Chi Kuo claims that while iPhone manufacturers Foxconn are going to "kick off the project" later this year, the specs are still not fully confirmed. The good news is Kuo claims the foldable screen is "one of the few components with finalized specifications." Considering the display has reportedly been a key factor in the iPhone Fold's slow development, that point is a little bit more comforting. According to Kuo, Samsung Display will be building somewhere between 7 and 8 million foldable panels for iPhone Fold. Though Kuo points out that since 2026 production is only going to be a few months, actual panel shipments may not be at full capacity. Apple itself is said to have ordered 15-20 million foldable iPhones, which the analyst expects will cover the duration of the phone's 2-3 year lifecycle. While the number sounds big, it isn't a whole lot when compared to the likes of the iPhone 16 — which had an estimated 84 million units produced in the second half to 2024. Why so low? Kuo speculates that it could be the phone's premium pricing affecting demand, which may be why Apple would keep it around for a little longer than your standard iPhone models. One thing Kuo notes is that all plans are still subject to change, and will stay that way until the iPhone Fold project officially kicks off. Which means it could end up being delayed again, especially if Apple takes issue with some of the other components available. Another delay isn't outside the realms of possibility but considering how much time Apple is taking — possibly down to its own perfectionism — I think it's about time the company just got it over and done with. There's only so many times you can delay a project before it risks turning into another Apple Car. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Right now the iPhone Fold is reportedly due to arrive in late 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Hopefully Apple can stick to that, because pushing it back any further would risk stealing the iPhone 20's thunder in late 2027. In the meantime be sure to check out our iPhone Fold hub for all the latest news and rumors about the upcoming foldable.
Motor Trend
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Apple CarPlay Ultra First Look: Taking Over the Entire Dashboard
Three years ago, Apple showed the world a sneak peek of the next generation of CarPlay and left us with more questions than answers. Was it actually a preview of the long-rumored Apple Car? Was this Apple taking over the dashboard? Or was it really CarPlay 2.0? Now, we have our answer, and it's called CarPlay Ultra. As Promised Turns out, Apple wasn't messing with us. Ultra really is the next generation of CarPlay, and it looks nearly identical to what was teased back in 2022 (and elaborated on last year if you're a Worldwide Developer Conference devotee). It's not Apple taking over all the software programming in your dashboard but rather inserting itself between you and the automaker's software. To do that, it's expanding CarPlay's reach beyond the central infotainment screen to every screen on the dashboard. The biggest target: your digital instrument cluster. Unified, Harmonized People already like CarPlay, and many prefer it to the native, automaker-designed software that comes with their car. A lot of CarPlay users would prefer their car to include a blank screen that only mirrors their phone, and that's in effect what CarPlay Ultra is. Think of it as a mask, taking data from your car and reimagining it in Apple's design language and taking inputs from you and translating them to your car. All the while, you never have to leave the CarPlay user interface you already know. Rather than various color schemes, designs, and graphics with different controls on each screen, there's one harmonious look that works the same everywhere. That's the biggest thing: CarPlay Ultra will look and work mostly the same in every car, so you'll never have to learn a new infotainment system as long as the vehicle you're driving supports it. Whether it's your spouse's car, your friend's car, or a rental car, it'll all be basically the same. CarPlay Ultra can be ordered today today on 2025 Aston Martins in the US and Canada and Apple says Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis have now signed up in addition to already announced partners including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Renault, and Volvo. Those brands will make their own launch announcements in the future. GM is unsurprisingly absent from the list, given its goal to kick Apple out of its cars. Ultra is also somewhat backwards compatible; 2024 Aston Martins, for example, will need a dealer-installed update to use Ultra. CarPlay Ultra works on iPhone 12 or newer with iOS 18.5 or newer. Right in Front of Your Face Far and away the biggest change happens where you can't miss it: the digital instrument cluster. Running Ultra will hand over the screen to Apple's software, which launches with several different gauge layouts ranging from minimalist to traditional and, of course, full-screen Apple Maps. Each automaker can tailor the gauges to some extent, and you can customize them yourself by changing the colors and the background wallpaper among limited options. If you've seen the previews, you'll recognize these new gauges, as the designs have barely changed since the 2022 announcement. Apple's instrument designs are either round or horizontal bars and come in different layouts chosen by the automaker. Some feature a selectable section with various widgets from audio to Maps, tire pressures, driver aids, and more. The only things not redesigned by Apple are the warning lights, which are strictly regulated by the feds. Even warnings and pop-ups appear in Apple's design language. More Control The old part of CarPlay, over on the center infotainment screen, gets a major upgrade, too. It still looks like CarPlay, if the automaker wants it to, albeit with climate controls in the upper corners. If a particular carmaker is feeling bold, though, it can opt to use a new layout that looks familiar to anyone who's used a Mac or driven a Tesla. It moves the recently used apps and the climate controls to a dock at the bottom of the screen where four apps can be displayed instead of the usual three. The climate controls are a big deal. Previously, you'd have to back out of CarPlay into the automaker's software to change vehicle settings. No more. Tapping the climate controls brings up a number of shortcut buttons for various HVAC functions. Otherwise, you can go to the new Climate app that appears with the rest when running CarPlay, along with a new Radio app. This is the second biggest change: CarPlay can control your car's systems now. If you've driven a new Porsche, you've already got a taste of this, but Ultra takes it much, much further. Tapping the Climate app brings up an Apple-designed menu where you can change all your settings. Same for the Radio app. You never have to use the automaker's software again, and of course, the physical knobs and buttons still work. The only time you might see the automaker's software is in specialty menus. While CarPlay can do graphics and animations, automakers may choose to keep some of the custom software they've already paid for, such as interfaces for high-end stereos, massaging seats, and wellness programs. Even then, those screens will open within CarPlay rather than boot you out. That's right, once you're in CarPlay Ultra, you'll never have to back out unless you manually turn it off. In fact, in the Aston Martin demonstrator vehicle, it was difficult to figure out how to get out of CarPlay Ultra. Diving into settings and then phone pairings was the only way we found to get back to the automaker's software. It Loads Super Fast While all the data is still processed in your phone (and therefore covered by Apple's privacy policy), Ultra software must be installed on the vehicle to translate between the iPhone and the onboard computers. The benefit of this is CarPlay Ultra will load immediately when you start your car, long before your phone connects. There's no waiting and no sudden switch from the automaker software to CarPlay Ultra. Ultra also brings a new widgets page to your center infotainment screen. When you're on the home screen—Maps, now playing, and audio controls—swipe right to get to the widgets. Displayed in two columns, you can choose from clocks to calendars, reminders to weather. More widgets will be added in the future. Old CarPlay Still Exists If you prefer your automaker's gauges or just don't use CarPlay that much, never fear. You can still choose to run regular CarPlay in the infotainment screen alongside the automaker's software. You'll still get the new enhancements (depending on which your automaker chooses to enable), but it'll look a lot like the software you've been using since CarPlay was introduced in 2014. Namely, standard CarPlay doesn't get the widgets screen. Hardware Agnostic CarPlay Ultra is flexible, so it doesn't matter if your vehicle uses physical buttons, touchscreens, trackpads, or some combination thereof. Any function the automaker gives CarPlay access to works regardless of where the input comes from. What's more, as some cars begin to offer programmable hard buttons that you can assign different functions, CarPlay will be able to work with those, as well. Ultra is also designed to work with new screen shapes. Previously, CarPlay always existed in its little rectangle. Now that it can take over all the screens, it can be set up to show multiple apps and widgets simultaneously on the massive screens we see in some new cars. It also has the ability to work with irregularly shaped screens and bleed graphics all the way to the edge of the screen rather than maintain strict rectangular borders as in the past. CarPlay Ultra is also designed to work wirelessly, so you won't have to plug your phone in for it to work. You can, though, and it helps make the initial setup go a little quicker and keeps the phone charged, but for short drives, your iPhone never has to come out of your pocket. Siri Does More, Not Everything Now that CarPlay has more control of your car's systems, Siri does, too. It's not a one-to-one relationship, but a lot of the things you might control through the screens you can ask Siri to do. Some functions the automaker may not want to turn over to voice control, and some may simply require more software development down the line. What Siri continues to lack is context. It doesn't know what car it's in, and it isn't connected to the car's digital owner's manual, so you can't just ask it questions about your car. Apple wouldn't say if this would be possible in the future but suggested in the meantime you ask Siri to ask ChatGPT those kinds of questions (and hope ChatGPT provides a useful answer). The future is here, but automakers may want to think about whether to fully embrace it.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
M&M prefers caution as its mantra while ramping up EV output
HighlightsMahindra is deliberately slowing EV deliveries to ensure quality customer experience amid complex new tech and delivery processes. A strong shift in demand toward higher-range EV variants is prompting M&M to rework its product mix and introduce new 79 kWh options. Despite industry-wide slowdown, M&M expects to outpace market growth driven by new launches, strong EV bookings, and sustained demand for Thar Roxx. New Delhi: Mahindra & Mahindra is taking one step at a time when it comes to ramping up electric vehicle numbers, its top management told analysts at a recent Q&A session following the fourth quarter results. The transcript has since been uploaded on the company's website. 'This is a business which we don't want to be rash and ramp up for two reasons. There is a lot of product complexity and we are learning new technologies as we ramp up and so are our suppliers. So, we have to be very cautious in the way we ramp up production,' Rajesh Jejurikar , ED and CEO, Auto and Farm Sectors, said. Over the last 40 days, he continued, the company has also learnt that it need to be as cautious on the delivery process with customers since EVs are 'way, way, way more complex than what we thought or what we are used to in the ICE world'. It takes at least two hours to execute a delivery to a customer and even that is not enough. There are apps which have to be installed on multiple phones in the family and all of this takes time and resources. To start growing volumes, we will have to have a reasonable mix in Pack 1 and 2 because otherwise, we will saturate at a price point which will not be able to sustain high volumesRajesh Jejurika In big dealerships, the delivery momentum is 'way more than what we have the bandwidth' to give a really good experience to the customer. 'So, we have actually decided to slow down the pace of deliveries through April and May to make sure that we are not compromising on customer experience,' said Jejurikar. Also Read: Mahindra's EV biz turns EBITDA positive; profitability still a long road ahead New learnings The M&M team was categorical that it had to carry out a lot of learnings before delivering the first order of vehicles. This meant missing out on customer dates which, in turn, led to them pressurising dealers for quick deliveries of vehicles that were not completely updated. 'We put a stop to that process and started missing dates to customers. There was a lot of learning that we got through that but even as customers are driving vehicles, there are learnings coming on, things that we need to improve and we will keep updating the product,' he elaborated. Using software updates smartly to enhance customer experience is really 'what we would want to do' on an ongoing basis. For instance, there will be updates on Apple Car play on all vehicles. 'We are continuously working on feedback and will try to keep updating the product, but fundamentally we have a set of very happy customers,' said Jejurikar. The design story is actually really beginning to play out because the product has an amazing presence and the more vehicles come on the road, the more it is going to create desirability and aspirational valueRajesh Jejurikar The BE 6 and XEV 9e are doing precisely what they were intended to in terms of creating an aspirational value at accessible prices for a segment that was to be driven by design. 'The design story is actually really beginning to play out because the product has an amazing presence and the more vehicles come on the road, the more it is going to create desirability and aspirational value,' he said. Also Read: Mahindra seeks CCI nod to acquire majority stake in SML Isuzu Great experience The confidence in their success also stems from the fact that some of the features installed are 'not even available in top end luxury cars' in terms of the kind of music, auto park assist and so on. And finally, the EV driving experience, the quietness of the vehicle, the refinement, 'all of that makes for a very good experience'. From M&M's point of view, the other advantage is that it is not setting up a separate factory to do this and is leveraging existing manufacturing assets. This benefit also extends to the dealer network where there is viability by way of additional throughput without disproportionate additional investment. We have actually decided to slow down the pace of deliveries through April and May to make sure that we are not compromising on customer experienceRajesh Jejurikar According to Jejurikar, it was not going to be easy for any global player to come and create a network of 300 outlets overnight at the kind of price points that they come in with. 'We are able to reach the smallest towns because we have a well-established dealer network there and get volumes,' he added. However, when it comes to a Tier 2/3 region, 'you can't create at that price point which is going to be viable on an ongoing basis'. The booking momentum for the two EVs continues to be very steady and strong. The company wanted to wait a little bit longer to see how production ramp up was stabilising and with greater confidence now in daily production rate, will soon be putting out committed delivery dates to customers. Clarity on waiting time 'There is a little bit of uncertainty amongst people who had booked because we haven't given dates, but the average waiting time is going to be about four months as an average right now,' said Jejurikar. Interestingly, a lion's share of customers buying these EVs are non-Mahindra owners and a 'very different' target group that is coming in. Booking trends show a huge tilt towards the Pack 3 top end though e the management is confident that the mix will hopefully start changing. While enquiries are 'good' on Pack 1 and Pack 2, they are not getting converted into bookings since people want to see the vehicles first. For some period of time, a large chunk of the volumes sold will have a mix 'similar to this' through the April-June quarter since only Pack 3 vehicles are being retailed. 'To start growing volumes, we will have to have a reasonable mix in Pack 1 and 2 because otherwise, we will saturate at a price point which will not be able to sustain high volumes,' said Jejurikar. There is a lot of product complexity and we are learning new technologies as we ramp up and so are our suppliers. So, we have to be very cautious in the way we ramp up productionRajesh Jejurikar Simply put, this means that M&M we will have to start getting at least 25per cent -30per cent of its volumes from Pack 1 and 2. There is a very large segment of people who want 79 kWh in lower packs which has been 'very different' from M&M's assumption about 79 kWh for the top end while everything else would be 59 kWh. Also Read: A failed deal plan for the Scorpio, and a failed attempt that helped change M&M fortunes Range is everything 'There is a segment of people for whom range is really important and they will value this over many of the other features that we are offering. So, we will have to re-variant, and create some new variants which are 79 kWh with lesser other tech so that consumers get the 450 km, 500 km and 500 km plus range which we are promising,' he explained. Prior to their launch, M&M had skewed capacity 'much more' to BE 6 rather than XEV 9e but the mix now is 60:40 in favour of the latter. The battery pack is identical between the two products and whether 79 kWh or 59 kWh, it is mutually interchangeable. Jejurikar said the company is now following a supply chain process where it has identified what is unique and common between all the packs. 'We are not ordering by variants now but by exclusive parts versus common parts and following a process by which we are building inventory on these exclusive parts,' he added. In the process, there can be variability and these common parts will get consumed irrespective of the pack produced. Also Read: M&M to launch new vehicle platform; plans greenfield plant Outpacing industry growth While the growth outlook for the automobile industry this year has been forecast at barely 2per cent , M&M believes that it will do a lot better. This optimism is based on the fact that it will have a 12-month for Thar Roxx which was not present for six months of last fiscal. Likewise, XUV3XO will have a good 12 months too unlike last year. 'When we did not have 3XO, so we did not sell XUV300 in that period of time either because we have phased it out. So, these are two factors when we think about growth,' said Jejurikar. Beyond this, a lot of the EV volume will be 'additional incremental' without cannibalisation. 'We have also seen that our three-door is on a very strong momentum and it has not slowed down with Roxx coming. They are just appealing to two totally different segments. Putting all of this together in our best wisdom, we believe that we will do better than the market,' he signed off.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Apple is reportedly exploring humanoid robots
Apple is exploring both humanoid and non-humanoid robotic form factors, according to a new scoop from longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The intel comes on the heels of a research paper from the iPhone maker that explores human interactions with 'non-anthropomorphic' robots — specifically a Pixar-style lamp. While Apple's research paper highlights elements that could inform an eventual consumer robot, the work primarily shines a light on progress from a company still mired in the early research stages of a complex field. Kuo qualifies the work as 'early proof-of-concept,' adding that the Apple Car project was effectively abandoned in a similarly early stage. Citing 'current progress and typical development cycles,' Kuo projects 2028 as an optimistic timeline for mass production. What makes robots unique compared to other early-stage Apple projects — such as a rumored foldable iPhone — is the level of transparency from the notoriously tight-lipped Apple. (This is the same company that, as part of a legal settlement, recently demanded a public apology from a former iOS engineer who leaked details about the Vision Pro.) It's unavoidable. Progress in robotics is supported by work from universities and research facilities, along with behind-the-scenes corporate projects. For the past several years, many robotics companies have faced difficulties hiring quickly enough to support release timelines that have accelerated in the age of generative AI. Publishing research for the public to read is a great resource for recruiting engineers. Kuo suggests that the research paper's use of the "non-anthropomorphic" qualifier is designed to distinguish the robot from humanoid research. 'While the industry debates the merits of humanoid vs. non-humanoid designs,' he writes, 'supply chain checks indicate Apple cares more about how users build perception with robots than their physical appearance … implying sensing hardware and software serve as the core technologies.' Broadly speaking, "anthropomorphic" can be applied to robotic systems beyond what we might normally classify as a humanoid. This includes systems that are influenced by human characteristics but aren't exactly a one-to-one humanoid with two arms, two legs, and a face. Apple appears to currently be in the "throw it at the wall" phase, with work ranging from simple systems to complex humanoids. Kuo broadly refers to the proof-of-concept system as part of a 'future smart home ecosystem.' That could mean anything from a full humanoid designed for household chores to a smart home display with a mechanical arm. Leaks around the work have suggested the latter — which is far more plausible than coming out of the gate with a humanoid capable of folding your laundry. Such a product could have a place on a far-off road map, but to get there, Apple first needs to prove that people want a home robot that isn't just a vacuum. Numerous companies that are building industrial humanoids, including 1X, Figure, and Apptronik, are researching a path from the factory floor to the home. Pricing and reliability are two major sticking points. If you think the $3,499 Vision Pro was a tough pill to swallow, wait until you see the first batch of humanoids for the home. For now, the goal is getting reliable industrial humanoid production to scale, which will bring the price down over time. After abandoning the Apple Car and stumbling out the gate with both the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence, it's fair to assume that Apple is taking a cautious approach to robots. While Apple has a solid track record of popularizing existing product categories, Silicon Valley is littered with the husks of failed home robots. The same can also be said for the smart home category. One thing we can say for certain is that Apple is actively exploring robotics. Beyond that, we can probably look forward to at least another three years of leaks and speculation. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
