This Microsoft Alternative to Android Auto and CarPlay Looks Good, Doesn't Make Sense

However, tech giants adopt different strategies for their automotive ambitions, some going as far as building vehicles from scratch to become genuine carmakers.

Xiaomi has already launched its first car, and Apple tried a similar approach before surrendering and sticking with what it does best: software and services. Google focuses on a similar strategy, and so does Huawei, the Chinese tech behemoth working with domestic carmakers to supply software for smart capabilities.

Microsoft never seemed too interested in the automotive battle despite investing in products that would have supported a potential expansion in this direction.

Many years ago, Microsoft was a competitor to Apple and Google, investing in a mobile platform called Windows Phone (later renamed Windows 10 Mobile). Microsoft took over Nokia's devices and services unit, and after launching Lumia phones under the Nokia brand, it started selling phones with a Microsoft badge.

A mobile platform competing against Android and iOS would have allowed Microsoft to easily expand in the automotive space with a dedicated phone mirroring system like Android Auto and CarPlay. However, Microsoft's mobile strategy changed overnight when it discontinued Windows 10 Mobile and the complete Lumia series. Its mobile focus switched to Android, Google's mobile operating system, with some apps also released for iPhone users.

Microsoft turned from a stand-alone phone maker into a software developer for Android. The company eventually launched an Android device, the Surface Duo, which also supported Android Auto, surrendering to Google's domination in the mobile space. Now Microsoft is dropping its Android strategy, too, this time without intending to relaunch Windows Mobile or another phone series.

Because Windows 10 Mobile had a solid fanbase, I asked ChatGPT to create a rendering of a phone mirroring system developed by Microsoft that competed with Android Auto and CarPlay. The request was to envision a system allowing a Microsoft phone to connect to an infotainment system for an experience similar to Android and iPhone owners.

The rendering isn't surprising, and I'm surprised ChatGPT retained some of Microsoft's signature design cues. One rendering proposes a live tile-based interface, which would have made sense during the Windows 10 Mobile when the so-called Fluent Design language wasn't yet adopted. Microsoft eventually abandoned live tiles for more modern design elements, including transparency and acrylic (which evolved into Mica), to make the next Windows versions feel new and fresh.

The interface makes sense for a Microsoft product (excuse the font; ChatGPT seems to have a big issue rendering clear text in images), albeit one concept proposes two taskbars instead of one (as is the case with Android Auto and CarPlay). While two taskbars would allow users to launch more apps with one tap, I don't think they make sense in a car. The number of apps drivers typically use is very low, so creating two taskbars and eating valuable screen estate wouldn't work.

Microsoft's automotive strategy revolves around products that bring home the bacon, such as Azure, with the software giant powering cloud capabilities for other products running in the car. Microsoft has slowly stepped away from its consumer focus to become an enterprise-obsessed company, investing in money-making software like cloud solutions and productivity tools.

Microsoft doesn't seem interested in following in the footsteps of Google and Apple, leaving the two companies to fight in the consumer mobile market. It's still committed to improving its mobile apps, though.

Meanwhile, Apple has changed its strategy following the demise of the Apple Car. The iPhone maker hoped Project Titan would play the role of an innovative vehicle showcasing all its technology, including deep integration of products like Apple Maps, Siri, and CarPlay. The Apple Car was supposed to work seamlessly with iPhones and integrate into the Apple ecosystem.

However, the development of the vehicle eventually stopped, so Apple had to rethink its automotive strategy. Without the hardware platform to showcase its technology, Apple now relies on carmakers to adopt software like Apple Maps and CarPlay.

A new-generation CarPlay is coming this year, with Porsche and Aston Martin confirming that the first models would see daylight with CarPlay 2.0 preloaded. More carmakers, including Ford and Honda, will likely adopt the new CarPlay experience, though no ETAs are currently available.

Apple explored multiple approaches for the new CarPlay, even planning to turn the platform into a stand-alone operating system similar to Android Automotive. The idea was eventually dropped, as Apple still wanted the experience to be powered by an iPhone. It's a familiar concept that everybody already knows how to use, and Apple doesn't want it to go away with the next generation. However, CarPlay 2.0 will only be available in new cars, as it requires upgraded hardware, so you won't be able to use it in a vehicle already fitted with the first CarPlay iteration.