Rivian is bringing Apple Music with spatial audio to its CarPlay-less EVs

Rivian isn’t offering phone mirroring features like Apple CarPlay in its electric vehicles, so the company is instead pushing a new software update today that adds built-in Apple Music streaming support, which might scratch customers’ connectivity itch.

Last month, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said on Decoder that CarPlay can’t leverage other parts of the vehicle experience and takes control away from automakers. In this case, control comes in the form of a paid subscription service needed to enjoy some of the features available on Rivian’s big Android-based infotainment screen.

The new native Apple Music app, which includes support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, is launching after Rivian introduced its new Connect Plus data subscription in June. In an email to The Verge, Rivian product spokesperson Courtney Richardson wrote that Connect Plus is needed for Gen 2 vehicles to have “native app experiences like Apple Music and streaming connectivity no matter where the vehicle travels.”

When asked about the difference between connectivity for Gen 1 owners, who already can listen to music in apps like Spotify on the go with no additional subscription, Richardson shared the same information available on Rivian’s website. Many Rivian owners have enjoyed the included data services thanks to the Rivian Membership, which the company has said it’s phasing out.

It seems all owners of R1T and R1S vehicles will soon need Connect Plus to stream their media apps on the go and to continue using the vehicle’s built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Rivian vehicles can run apps like TuneIn and Amazon Audible, and will soon have native YouTube and support for Google Cast — as long as owners subscribe to Connect Plus.

To help ease the change, Rivian is extending a new two-month free trial of Connect Plus for all Rivian owners starting today. That means drivers with Apple Music subscriptions can go ahead and jam out with the car’s built-in data for a bit before needing to pay extra for the privilege. After the free trial, Connect Plus will cost $14.99 a month, or $149.99 annually.

Rivian isn’t the only company pushing customers towards connectivity subscriptions. Tesla had long included unlimited data on its vehicles before switching over to a $99 per year Premium subscription (although early Tesla owners continue to enjoy grandfathered unlimited plans).

But neither company offers CarPlay or Android Auto, which can mirror one’s phone screen and use its services on the car’s display — so you never need to worry about unpredictable changes in the automotive world.

For those who aren’t looking to pay extra, RivianTrackr reports the company will allow native media apps to work when connected to a separate Wi-Fi hotspot. You could also try mounting your phone and connecting audio with Bluetooth for a more 2013-feeling experience.