Though it’s now all caught up, Toyota was once behind the curve when it came to providing Apple CarPlay functionality to its vehicles, so new Supra buyers may be pleased to learn the car’s iPhone compatibility feature will be free for four years.
You may also be inclined to ask: “But wait a minute, don’t other automakers simply offer Apple CarPlay for free already?” And the answer to that question is “Not always,” or, more specifically, “not BMW.”
This is relevant because BMW, with which Toyota developed the Supra, provided the onboard infotainment system, so it wasn’t previously clear whether there would be a free for Apple CarPlay in the Toyota-badged car, even though Toyota traditionally doesn’t charge for the service.
Related: The 2020 GR Supra is ready to roll
In fact, as recently as in May, it was still an open question. When asked by Motor1 whether there would be a charge for using CarPlay, Toyota Connected’s Jarrod Marini said, “We haven’t decided yet.”
Apple CarPlay is offered in the GR Supra 3.0 and GR Supra 3.0 Launch Edition models, which upgrade the base 6.5-inch infotainment system to an 8.8-inch unit. BMW customers get CarPlay for free for a year, but it costs $80 per year to use it after that, though there’s an option to spend $300 to get the service for 20 years.
But there’s really no reason not to keep the service free, and fortunately for Toyota buyers, that’s how it’ll be with the new Supra. That being said, we don’t know what will happen after those four years are up.
Related: 2019 Toyota sedan lineup
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