Does car play support YouTube Music?

What is CarPlay?

CarPlay is an interface developed by Apple that allows iOS devices like iPhones and iPads to integrate with a vehicle’s built-in display screen (Macrumors https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/carplay/). It provides a familiar iOS interface specially optimized for use in the car, allowing users to access certain apps, make calls, send messages, listen to music, get directions, and more while driving.

CarPlay was first announced by Apple in 2014 and has been adopted by most major auto manufacturers. It aims to provide a safer and less distracting experience than using your iOS device directly while driving, as CarPlay displays a simplified UI optimized for voice control and hands-free operation. Key apps like Phone, Music, Maps, Messages and select third-party audio apps are available.

Once an iOS device is connected to a CarPlay compatible vehicle either wirelessly or via USB, the CarPlay interface automatically displays on the vehicle’s center console screen. The driver can then use the vehicle’s touchscreen display, knobs, steering wheel controls or Siri voice commands to control CarPlay features. It essentially mirrors the iOS experience onto the in-car display in a pared down, driving-focused way.

Does CarPlay Support YouTube Music?

Currently, YouTube Music is not a supported app on CarPlay. CarPlay, Apple’s in-car software platform, only allows apps that have been approved by Apple to be used while connected to a vehicle’s infotainment system.

At this time, Apple has approved less than 50 apps to work with CarPlay, including common apps like Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, and Podcasts. However, other popular streaming services like YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud are notably absent from CarPlay’s limited app library.

According to insanejeepaudio.com, CarPlay’s restrictions allow only 45 approved apps to be used through the system, compared to over 3.8 million total apps available on iOS. This closed ecosystem limits options for consumers who want full access to their favorite apps while driving.

So in summary, no, YouTube Music is currently not supported by CarPlay due to Apple’s tight control over apps allowed on the in-car platform. Drivers hoping to access YouTube Music in their CarPlay-equipped vehicles are out of luck unless Apple decides to add support in the future.

What Apps are Currently Supported on CarPlay?

CarPlay supports a wide variety of popular apps across major categories like music, podcasts, navigation, and communication. According to The Ultimate Guide To The Best CarPlay Apps In 2024, some of the most commonly used apps on CarPlay include:

– Maps and navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, and Sygic.https://www.ottocast.com/blogs/carplay-adapter/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-carplay-apps-in-2024

– Music and audio apps like Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Audible, and Pocket Casts for podcasts.

– Communication and messaging apps like Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Skype.

CarPlay also supports various automaker apps, parking and EV charging apps, food and coffee apps, and more. According to a Reddit list, some other popular CarPlay apps include Overcast, Castro, Downcast, NPR One, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and MLB At Bat.

Why isn’t YouTube Music Supported on CarPlay?

The main reason YouTube Music is not supported on CarPlay is due to restrictions Apple places on third-party apps. CarPlay has strict guidelines for media apps in order to ensure a consistent and optimized experience. Apps must use specific Apple-approved frameworks and APIs to integrate with CarPlay.

YouTube Music does not currently utilize Apple’s required media playback frameworks like AVFoundation to integrate audio into CarPlay. The app likely relies on its own playback system optimized for Android Auto and Google’s ecosystems. Without adjusting their code to follow Apple’s CarPlay requirements, YouTube Music cannot be officially supported.

Apple maintains tight control over which apps are allowed on CarPlay. According to some sources, the company has rejected Google’s request to add YouTube Music in the past (1). This may be due to competitive factors since Apple Music is already supported.

Workarounds and Alternatives

While YouTube Music is not natively supported on CarPlay, there are some workarounds and alternative options for listening to YouTube Music in your car with CarPlay.

One option is to use the regular YouTube app, which is supported on CarPlay. You can search for and play music videos and songs on YouTube through the YouTube app. However, this lacks many features of the dedicated YouTube Music app such as customized playlists, radio stations, and full listening history. The YouTube app also isn’t optimized for music playback while driving.

The most popular alternative to YouTube Music is Spotify, which offers a robust music streaming platform similar to YouTube Music. Spotify has a native CarPlay app that provides access to its vast catalog of songs, playlists, podcasts and more. Other alternatives like Apple Music, Pandora, Tidal and Amazon Music also have native CarPlay support.

While these alternatives don’t provide access to all the same content and features as YouTube Music, they do allow uninterrupted music streaming over CarPlay without the need for workarounds. However, users committed to YouTube Music will likely find the workarounds worth the effort to access their preferred platform on the road.

Will YouTube Music Ever be Supported?

While Apple has not officially announced plans to support YouTube Music on CarPlay, there is speculation that it could happen in a future iOS update. In 2023, Apple announced a major revamp of CarPlay coming in 2024 vehicles that will enable apps to have more flexibility and customization on the CarPlay interface (https://www.stuff.tv/features/apple-carplay-new-features/). This update shows Apple opening up CarPlay to third-party apps in a bigger way than before.

Since YouTube Music is a highly popular music streaming app, many expect it will eventually get added as an approved CarPlay app. Apple may also face pressure from users and automakers to support YouTube Music given its widespread use. While integrating with CarPlay does require development work from app makers like YouTube, the 2024 CarPlay update shows Apple is trying to be more accommodating of third-party apps going forward.

Overall, there is optimism that YouTube Music will eventually get CarPlay support, even if Apple has not yet provided a specific timeline. The expanded CarPlay capabilities coming in 2024 vehicles make it more likely Apple will approve YouTube Music once the app is adapted to the new CarPlay framework. But users may need to wait patiently for official YouTube Music integration given Apple’s slow and methodical approach to updating CarPlay.

Pros of Having YouTube Music on CarPlay

One of the biggest benefits of having YouTube Music support on CarPlay is the ability to access your full music library, playlists, and personalized recommendations directly through your vehicle’s infotainment system. With YouTube Music, users have access to not just official songs and albums, but also a vast catalog of remixes, covers, live performances, and other user-generated content.

By integrating YouTube Music with CarPlay, the recommendations and custom playlists you’ve built within the streaming app can seamlessly follow you into your car. This allows you to continue enjoying your personalized listening experience while driving without having to manually rebuild playlists or make recommendations from scratch in a different app.

According to users on Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/YoutubeMusic/comments/onbfkk/apple_carplay_and_youtube_music/), premium YouTube Music subscribers already have access to the full catalog of music, playlists and recommendations through CarPlay. However, free users are more limited in their ability to access their full library due to restrictions in the free tier of YouTube Music.

Cons of Lacking YouTube Music Support

There are several downsides to YouTube Music not being supported on CarPlay. The most significant drawback is having limited music options and needing to use multiple apps while driving. As one Reddit user complained, “Its illegal to use your phone while driving and very inefficient to pull over and park every time you want to listen to a specific song/album.”

Without YouTube Music integration, CarPlay users don’t have full access to YouTube’s extensive music catalog and recommendations. They have to switch between apps, which makes music browsing and discovery cumbersome. For users who rely on YouTube Music, it means their primary music service doesn’t have a true CarPlay app. This impedes the in-car entertainment experience and disconnects YouTube Music from the car compared to Apple Music and Spotify.

User Demand for YouTube Music on CarPlay

There has been growing demand from users for YouTube Music to be supported on CarPlay. Many users have started petitions and flooded forum discussions expressing their desire for this feature.

For example, one Reddit thread asks about the ability to use the free version of YouTube Music on CarPlay, indicating interest in having YouTube Music integration. The original poster asks “Do i need YouTube Music premium to use the app as part of Apple CarPlay still? or can the Free version now do it.”

Additionally, on the Apple Support Communities forum, there is a long discussion thread from users troubleshooting problems getting YouTube Music to work properly with CarPlay. One user complains “YouTube music not working on CarPlay” and details issues with the media interface.

These online discussions demonstrate many users’ strong demand to have YouTube Music fully supported on CarPlay. There is clearly a high level of interest in this feature addition despite current limitations.

Summary

In summary, CarPlay is Apple’s in-dash infotainment system that allows iPhone users to access apps, make calls, send messages, listen to music, get directions, and more through their vehicle’s display. While CarPlay does support popular media apps like Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and iHeartRadio, it currently does not support YouTube or YouTube Music.

The main reasons YouTube and YouTube Music are not supported on CarPlay seem to be business and technical limitations. Since Google and Apple are competitors, especially in streaming music, there are strategic reasons why Google may not want to enable YouTube Music on CarPlay yet. There are also technical challenges because CarPlay runs off the iPhone and limits background activity, which the YouTube app relies heavily on.

While YouTube Music is not natively supported, there are some workarounds using AirPlay or third party apps. However, these often lack full functionality. Based on strong user demand, there is a possibility YouTube Music will eventually get added to CarPlay, but Google has not yet indicated specific plans to launch support.

In summary, the inability to access YouTube Music natively through CarPlay is a major drawback for people who rely on the service. While not impossible to use YouTube Music in the car, the lack of direct integration and background play options provides a poor and limited experience. Hopefully this feature gap gets addressed soon, as it’s one of the top requests from CarPlay users.

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