BMW No Longer Charging Monthly Fee for CarPlay in Cars With Newest Software

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BMW in early 2018 decided to begin offering BMW customers CarPlay access for a subscription fee rather than a one-time fee, requiring BMW owners to pay $80 per year to use ‌CarPlay‌ after the first year of owning a BMW vehicle.

No other car manufacturer that offers ‌CarPlay‌ charges a monthly fee, so this change was understandably unpopular with BMW customers. Prior to the subscription fee, BMW charged a one-time $300 upgrade fee.


Given the negative sentiment over the subscription charges, BMW is now changing its plans. According to a BMW spokesperson that spoke with British site AutoCar, BMW will now offer ‌CarPlay‌ for free for the lifetime of the car on all models that have the latest ConnectedDrive infotainment system installed.

Models that do not use the latest system, such as the i3 and the i8, will now require a one-time fee instead of the subscription access. Going forward, in vehicles with the new system, ‌CarPlay‌ will be available at no cost.

U.S. site Autoblog has confirmed that BMW is also making this change in the United States. "BMW is always looking to satisfy our customers' needs and this policy change is intended to provide BMW owners with a better ownership experience," a BMW spokesperson told Autoblog after being asked why the change was made.

It's not yet clear when BMW customers who already pay for a subscription will be able to stop paying for ‌CarPlay‌ access, nor is there word on whether BMW will be reimbursing customers who already paid for a longterm ‌CarPlay‌ subscription.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

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Upcoming Apple TV+ Show 'Foundation' Gains New Cast Members

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Apple this week signed on several new cast members for "Foundation," an upcoming Apple TV+ series that's based on Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" novels.

Lee Pace and Jared Harris have already been cast in the key roles of Brother Day (the Emperor of the Galaxy) and Hari Seldon, respectively, but now Apple is filling out the rest of the roles.

According to Variety, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrance Mann, and Cassian Bilton have joined the "Foundation" series as series regulars.

Asimov's "Foundation" series follows a psychohistory expert and mathematician Hari Seldon who is able to predict the future. Seldon creates a group called the Foundation to preserve humanity's collective knowledge ahead of the impending fall of the Galactic Empire. There are multiple novels in the "Foundation" series that span many years and cover the rise and fall of multiple empires.

Llobell will play Gaal, a mathematical genius from a repressed planet, while Harvey will play Salvor, a protective warden of a remote outer planet. Birn will play the roll of Demerzel, an aid to Brother Day, Mann will play Brother Dusk, the eldest member of the ruling family, and Bilton will play Brother Dawn, the youngest member of the ruling family and Brother Day's successor.

Once casting finishes for "Foundation" it will move on to filming, which suggests we can expect the show to premiere sometime in 2020. There's no word yet on a potential release date.

‌Apple TV‌+ is available now for $4.99 per month with TV shows like "The Morning Show," "For All Mankind," "Dickinson," "Servant," and more.

Tags: Apple TV Shows, Apple TV Plus

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Apple Supplier Shrinks Down Capacitors Needed for 5G iPhone, Freeing Up Valuable Internal Space

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Apple is planning to implement 5G technology in all of the iPhones coming in 2020, and Apple's suppliers are gearing up for the transition. One supplier, Murata Manufacturing, recently developed an "ultrasmall" version of a key electronic component, which will allow Apple to free up a bit of valuable space in its 5G iPhones.

According to Japanese news site Nikkei, Murata Manufacturing is set to start mass producing tiny multilayer ceramic capacitors that take up one-fifth of the space of the existing capacitors, but also offer 10 times the electrical storage capacity.


Each individual capacitor measures in at 0.25mm by 0.125mm, which is miniscule. The capacitors are designed to regulate power usage within circuits used in the iPhone, and to create its ultrasmall capacitors, Murata was able to refine the ceramic powder that provides the base material for the sheets used in the capacitor, which allows more sheets to be stacked up for higher capacity without more space consumed on a circuit board.

5G technology is a bigger power drain than 4G technology, necessitating larger batteries and more efficient components. Murata's new capacitors will give smartphone designers like Apple freedom to use that space for other important components within the ‌iPhone‌, such as higher-capacity batteries.

There's no confirmation that Apple is going to use Murata's technology, but it seems likely as Murata is a supplier for Apple. Murata also works with other smartphone companies such as Huawei.

Apple is planning to introduce at least three new iPhones in the fall of 2020, all of which are expected to include 5G technology to allow the ‌iPhone‌ to take advantage of 5G networks and better compete with Android smartphones.

Related Roundup: iPhone 12

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Chrome OS prepares to embrace USB 4.0

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Lenovo Chrome OS Tablet testing confirmed and it won’t be alone

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Plex's Ad-Supported Free Video on Demand Feature Now Available Worldwide

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Plex today announced that its ad-supported video on demand feature is available worldwide in more than 200 countries and accessible to anyone who creates a free Plex account.

Content includes thousands of free movies and TV shows from Plex partners like MGM, Warner Bros, Lionsgate, and Legendary. There is no subscription or special hardware required, though the content will include ads.


Plex has been offering this free content in limited countries for a few months now, but it is rolling out to all Plex users as of today. Available shows and movies span a range of genres, from comedies and dramas to documentaries and Bollywood musicals. Over time, Plex plans to continue to add additional free content.

Plex's free media can be played on almost all platforms, including Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad, along with Roku, smart TVs, Android devices, and consoles. All that's needed is the Plex app.

After downloading Plex, users will find the new content right on the Home screen, though existing Plex users who prefer to prioritize their own content can remove the free content. Personal media collections will not be subjected to ads, as ads will be limited to the new free on-demand video content.

Plex says that it may potentially take some time for the rollout of the new feature to reach all users. More information is available on the Plex website.

Tag: Plex

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Huawei Nova 6 SE Specifications Leaked, Might Feature 48MP Quad Camera, 40W Fast Charging, and More

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