// THE VERGE — MOBILE & WEB
Spotify is busting free of CarPlay with the launch of its first native car app
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Say goodbye to those aux cables. Spotify’s new in-car app is here, and it’s rolling out to Audi vehicles today.
Say goodbye to those aux cables. Spotify’s new in-car app is here, and it’s rolling out to Audi vehicles today.
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Spotify announced Wednesday the launch of its next-generation, fully native in-car app, built directly on Google’s Android Automotive operating system. The standalone app, which is launching today in select Audi models, runs directly on the vehicle’s infotainment hardware — eliminating the need for phone tethering, Bluetooth connections, or aux cables.
It’s the clearest sign yet that Spotify is ready to move beyond Apple CarPlay and Android, popular phone projection systems that currently dominate the way most people consume media in their cars. And with 34 percent of Spotify’s monthly active users and 77 percent of Premium subscribers streaming music in their cars, the platform they use to listen has never been more important.
Spotify’s new native app will launch with several Audi models, including the electric A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron, as well as the gas-powered A5, Q5, and A6. Jonathan Tarlton, Spotify’s automotive business development lead, said the app, which has been in development for a little more than a year, is about delivering a more inviting experience to users — and specifically one that’s completely controlled by Spotify.