Apple Music with spatial audio is now available in Rivian electric vehicles as part of the company's Connect+ subscription.
Rivian's latest software update brings a unique, built-in Apple Music app to the company's electric vehicles, such as the R1T truck and R1S SUV. The Apple Music app allows users to access a library of over 100 million songs, 30,000 curated playlists, and global live-streaming radio stations as part of a fully-integrated experience in Rivian's infotainment system.
Rivian's Connect+ subscription is required to access streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify. The subscription is priced at $14.99 per month or $149.99 annually and enables other features such as Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities, satellite imagery, and enhanced voice commands via Alexa.
Vehicles equipped with Rivian's Premium Audio system, which includes an 18-speaker, 960-watt surround sound setup, can also play Dolby Atmos Apple Music songs with spatial audio, enabling music to be experienced in a more three-dimensional space in the vehicle. Rivian is offering a two-month free trial of Connect+ starting today.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently explained that the company has no plans to introduce support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, remarking that "we just believe that it is such an important piece of real estate, the digital ecosystem, that it was something we want to retain" and "we have taken the view of the digital experience in the vehicle wants to feel consistent and holistically harmonious across every touchpoint."
