Volvo is adding native Apple Music to more than two million cars through an over-the-air software update, giving owners direct access to the streaming service without relying only on a phone connection.
The update will cover selected Volvo models from model year 2020 onwards. The list includes the EX90, ES90, XC90, S90, V90, XC60, S60, V60, XC40, EX40 and EC40, although timing may vary by model.
The new EX60 will go one step further by having Apple Music built in when first customer deliveries begin this summer.
Once installed, drivers can sign in with their Apple account and use Apple Music through the car’s touchscreen or voice controls.
Eligible new and returning subscribers can also get up to three months of Apple Music at no cost, redeemable through the Volvo Cars app. The offer is valid until July 6, 2027.
The richer experience is reserved for Volvo’s newer electric models. Drivers of the EX60, EX90 and ES90 can use Apple Music Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, provided the car is fitted with the optional Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system.
Music apps in cars are hardly new. Volvo is trying to make this about sound quality, not just another app on the screen.
The EX60, EX90 and ES90 are also claimed to be quieter than previous Volvo models, helped by stronger soundproofing.
Less road and wind noise gives the speakers a cleaner base to work from. Volvo said the Bowers & Wilkins system is tuned to suit each car’s cabin acoustics.
Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo Cars’ head of global software engineering, said many customers already use Apple Music on their phones or at home. Bringing it directly into the car, he said, should make the cabin a better place to experience music.
For Volvo owners, the update means more built-in software, less phone juggling and better audio in cars with the right hardware.
