Hardware & Devices

BMW and Global Bet on Native Audio Apps to Sideline CarPlay

Credit: global.com

Key Points

  • BMW Group partners with media company Global to integrate the Global Player app natively into new UK vehicles, creating an alternative to Apple CarPlay.
  • Access to the app, available in over 180,000 vehicles, requires a subscription to a BMW or MINI digital package, establishing a new revenue source for the automaker.
  • The partnership represents a strategic move by both companies to control the in-car user experience and retain engagement within their own ecosystems.

Global and BMW Group have partnered to launch the Global Player app as a native, built-in feature for new BMW and MINI vehicles in the UK. The move is a clear attempt to keep drivers within the automaker's own software ecosystem, bypassing phone-mirroring platforms like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

  • Beyond the phone: The app syncs with a user's existing account to carry over personalized playlists and podcasts, and supports on-the-fly features like rewinding live radio. It is initially available in over 180,000 vehicles, a number projected to grow to over 300,000 by the end of 2026.
  • Pay to play: While the Global Player app itself is free, it’s not a free-for-all. Using it requires an active subscription to BMW’s Digital Premium or MINI’s Connected Package, which bundles the necessary data costs and creates a new recurring revenue stream for the automaker.
  • Dashboard dominance: The partnership is a strategic pushback against Big Tech's control of the in-car screen. For Global, it secures a permanent foothold for its audio content directly in the dashboard, while BMW gets to enrich its native ecosystem and keep user engagement within its own branded environment.

This collaboration shows how both automakers and media companies are building alliances to retain control of the valuable in-car experience, betting that a seamless native app can be more appealing than a generic, phone-dependent interface.