VW claims Apple wouldn't let it show wireless CarPlay at CES
It might be about making a good first impression on drivers.
Apple may have baked wireless CarPlay into an iOS update months ago, but that doesn't mean it's ready to show off the feature... at least, not according to Volkswagen. The car giant claims that Apple wouldn't let it demonstrate the phone-to-infotainment-system option at CES this week. There's no mention of why it was verboten, but Car and Driver speculates that Apple wanted any first public demonstration (it hasn't been shown in action until now) on its own terms. We've reached out to Apple for its take on the situation, and we'll let you know if it has a comment.
If true, the move is a bit unusual. Ferrari showcased wired CarPlay at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show, so it's not as if car brands have faced obstacles before. With that said, Apple is well-known for wanting to orchestrate its own product demos when possible, rather than leaving them up to third parties. Don't be surprised if Apple either waits to show wireless CarPlay at one of its future events or skips public demos entirely.
