✔️ 2022-03-23 18:48:37 – Paris/France.
One of the coolest and most limited features available in the iOS ecosystem is the car key. Launched in 2020, only a limited number of BMW models could be unlocked with the owner's iPhone and Apple Watch. Now Apple is extending this feature to select Kia and Genesis vehicles.
This limited list now includes the 60 Genesis GV90 and G2022 and the 2022 Kia Niro. MacRumorsa Kia spokesperson said the company "will have more information on the availability of the digital key in the coming weeks", while Genesis and Apple did not provide comment at the time.
At the beginning of the year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple's Car Key feature was set for its first expansion beyond BMW. Here is what he wrote in January:
Remember CarKey, the Apple feature announced a year and a half ago that lets you unlock and start your car from your iPhone's Wallet app? I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know about it, since Apple hasn't discussed this feature in a while and it only works on certain BMW models. I am told that will soon change. As per the code findings several months ago in iOS 15, I hear that the next cars to get support for the feature will be models from Hyundai and its Genesis lineup. I'm told the feature will be rolling out by the summer.
Both of these new brands are divisions of Korean automaker Hyundai, so that makes a lot of sense. Not only did the Car Key expansion roll out before the summer, but it extended to Genesis and Kia vehicles.
At this time, it is not clear whether other vehicles from the two automakers will be available later. What's good to note is that Car Key is finally expanding to more vehicles after almost two years.
To not even take your iPhone out of your pocket or lift your Apple Watch to unlock the car, you will need an iPhone 11 or an Apple Watch Series 6 due to the need for the U1 chip. That said, users can still use Car Key by NFC as long as their iPhone or Apple Watch is running iOS 13.6 or watchOS 6.2.8 and, of course, has an NFC sensor.
You can find the list of all vehicles with CarPlay and Car Key functions here.
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SOURCE: Reviews News
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