Is Tesla Finally Embracing Apple CarPlay?

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Tesla is reportedly tinkering with Apple CarPlay integration for its infotainment systems.

Bloomberg dropped the news on November 13, 2025, revealing that Elon Musk’s crew is knee-deep in development—though, fair warning, this could fizzle out before it hits the road.

For years, Tesla’s played the rebel, ignoring pleas from owners and shoppers to add CarPlay or Android Auto.

Their native apps for Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal? They’re there, but some are glitchy at best, and locked behind a $9.99 monthly or $99 yearly premium connectivity fee.

This shift screams strategy pivot: lure in the masses who demand seamless iPhone syncing

A McKinsey survey from a couple years back nailed it—half of drivers flat-out refuse to buy a car without CarPlay or Android Auto. Tesla’s betting this could flip the script on sales slumps.

Don’t get too excited, though. It’s the basic CarPlay version on the table, not the fancy next-gen CarPlay Ultra that’s rolling out in Aston Martins, per TechCrunch.

Carmakers have long pushed back against Apple’s dashboard domination, as Ars Technica notes, citing control freak vibes from the company. If it launches, expect a rush of reconsidered test drives.

Kevin is KnowTechie’s founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com.