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By Apple projecting a simplified iPhone layout onto the car’s central screen, CarPlay lets you use apps such as Apple Maps, Spotify, make hands-free calls, and dictate text messages. It is seamless, free, and loved by millions of iPhone owners.

Last month, General Motors announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto. Surveys suggest that CarPlay and Android Auto are considered must-have features among many new-car shoppers. But according to GM, the company can create an even better experience for drivers by dropping Apple and making its own software. And like it or not, car makers are watching carefully.

GM has gone as far as invoking Apple in defending its decision: Remove a feature, such as the disk drive on a laptop, and people eventually adapt and move. GM the change “will happen over time, not overnight” and “if your car supports Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, that will continue.” Before its announcement, GM had already nixed CarPlay and Android Auto in EVs. But it’s not CarPlay. Some popular apps are missing, such as Apple Podcasts and Apple Music.

There is one other crucial difference. Because GM’s software isn’t tied to a phone like CarPlay is, access to the full suite of software requires its own data plan—through GM, of course. (The cheapest plan costs $10 a month.) Get used to these kinds of subscriptions, regardless of what kind of car you drive. In recent years, automakers have realized how much money they can make from in-car technology: Maybe they charge a subscription fee for hands-free highway cruise control. Maybe they charge for apps that let you control aspects of the car from your phone. Maybe they sell data that your navigation system collects about you.

Apple sees tremendous value in expanding its presence in your car: The next step is CarPlay Ultra, which enables your phone to temperature? Ask Siri to do it. It’s an Apple lover’s dream and a car company’s worst nightmare.

NYS Republicans file federal lawsuit challenging planned switch to even years for local elections

GOP officials are trying to get federal courts to intervene after a similar lawsuit failed in state courts. Just two weeks ago, New York's top court ruled the law constitutional in a 7-0 decision.

The suit argues moving county, town and other elections to even-numbered years is a violation of candidates' free speech rights. The plaintiffs claim the fact that local candidates will be trying to communicate with voters at the same time as statewide and national candidates amounts to an illegal restriction.

The law "imposes a direct and substantial burden on core political speech and association under the First Amendment - not merely by raising costs, but by degrading visibility, distorting content and increasing bias in the act of voting. This burden cannot be justified by generalized appeals to convenience."

Their other primary claim is that the switch will "exacerbate racially polarized voting" and, therefore, violates federal voting rights laws. The Republicans assert: that "minority-preferred candidates... will face reduced visibility and increased racially polarized voting, resulting in minority voters losing the ability to elect candidates of their choosing."

The Democratic-led State Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, enacted the law making the switch in 2023. Democrats and good-government groups noted voter turnout is always better in even-numbered years, so the law would boost participation. Also, Democrats in New York have higher turnout in even-numbered years.

Republicans opposed, saying local races and candidates would be overlooked by voters. Also, the GOP historically had seen better turnout numbers than their rivals in odd-numbered years.