TikTok in your car? New in-car app store makes it a reality

Volkswagen Group is bringing an in-car app store for Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche cars. Apps like Spotify, TikTok, and Yelp will be available on the app store, and users can download them to their cars’ OS.

According to Investopedia, Volkswagen AG is the largest car manufacturer in the world by revenue, with a $284.34 billion revenue and $19.76 billion net income as of December 21, 2022. The company is bringing an app store to its cars, including a few of the most popular applications. Apps like TikTok, Spotify, and Yelp will be available with the initial launch, and more are expected to be added soon. Spotify is one of the most used car apps, and now it will be possible to download it from the car’s own app store.

CARIAD/VW Group

VW is looking to start a new era with its Audi cars. According to the company, the app store will be equipped on 2023 model year Audi A4, A5, Q5, A6, A, A8, Q8 e-tron, and the e-tron GT vehicles. It aims to start the action with the mentioned Audi cars and expand it to the rest of the Audi lineup. Once Audi is done, Porsche will get the new feature, and the finale will be made with the Volkswagen cars. Apart from these three, Lamborghini and Bentley are also two of the VW brands to get this new feature. Audi goes both ways with better overall cars than Volkswagen and has cheaper models than Porsche, and it is preferred more. It is still unclear when the other models will get the new feature.

Using the in-car app store on older models

Unfortunately, the in-car app store won’t be available with a software update for older vehicles. The new cars will be using CARIAD’s new infotainment. It will only be available with the new 2023 models this summer in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. “Until today, cars have been purely about driving. A car is an object that you own and a means of getting from A to B. But in the future, with greater and greater digitalization in the automotive industry, the way that you enjoy your ride will change. The driver of today will be the passenger of tomorrow,” says CARIAD.

One of the most used apps on the market now, TikTok, is also coming to Audi’s selected cars. It sounds quite strange to watch TikToks directly from your car’s OS. The cars don’t have in-cabin selfie cameras. A spokesperson said, “For now, the TikTok App can only be used to consume content.” CARIAD CEO Dirk Hilgenberg says this is only the beginning and just one small puzzle piece.

Mercedes-Benz

Volkswagen Group is not the first company when it comes to have apps like TikTok within the car. Mercedes Benz has already announced its own feature around a month ago, as seen above. The company unveiled the 2023 E-Class interior, including a selfie camera and built-in apps for TikTok and Zoom.

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