New icon spotted; Is Tesla announcing Apple Music?

By Not a Tesla App Staff
A comparison between Tesla's old music logo, the new icon and Apple Music's logo
A comparison between Tesla's old music logo, the new icon and Apple Music's logo
Not a Tesla App

Apple Music is one of the most requested features by Tesla owners.

Tesla already supports a variety of music services, including Spotify, Slacker, SiriusXM (for Model S and Model X), TuneIn and Caraoke (by Stringray). These services are in addition to Bluetooth and FM radio support.

Apple Music is the second largest music streaming service worldwide with an estimated 88 million subscribers. It's currently behind Spotify and ahead of Amazon Music and YouTube Music respectively.

Service Subscribers
Spotify 116 million
Apple Music 88 million
Amazon Music 70 million
YouTube Music 50 million

Apple Music Icon?

When Zoom announced that Tesla will soon support their meeting software in their vehicles, they showed off a video of Zoom being used inside of a Tesla.

The video featured a woman parking her car and joining a meeting in her Model Y. When Zoom displayed the Tesla screen it also showed off the Tesla app launcher, which looked exactly how we'd expect, except for one small icon.

The new icon looks very similar to Apple Music's logo. The new icon was only displayed during the first segment of the Zoom demo, as when they cut back to the Tesla screen a second time, the icons in the launcher had changed.

What Does This Mean?

Although the icon displayed in the Tesla launcher is very similar to Apple Music's logo, it's not a perfect match.

Besides the color being in grayscale, the top bar connecting the music notes is also thinner than what Apple uses in the Apple Music logo.

A music icon in the Tesla launcher isn't completely new. Before Tesla's launch of its v11 software late last year, Tesla used a single music icon in the launcher. Whenever someone wanted to play any music they'd first have to tap Music and then choose their music service.

A new music icon appeared in the launcher during Zoom's demo
A new music icon appeared in the launcher during Zoom's demo
Zoom

Although Tesla's old music icon is similar to what's displayed in the Zoom video, it's not a perfect match either. Tesla's old icon had musical notes with a smaller head and it didn't include a rounded square background like Apple Music does.

Interestingly, the music icon in the launcher is not only grayscale but also misaligned when compared to the other icons. This could mean that it's either a teaser or a mock and not something that would appear in production.

One possibility is that Tesla is indeed adding Apple Music and this is an early version of it that was either added as an easter egg or left in accidentally.

However, there are other possibilities. According to sources Tesla is expected to launch another holiday update later this year with new features.

It's possible that Tesla is giving us more flexibility with the launcher, enabling us to have a single music icon instead of having to pick individual music services.

Did we just receive a hint that Apple Music is arriving on Teslas? We're not sure. The new icon seems like a placeholder, and since it doesn't match Apple's logo perfectly, it's hard to determine whether this will actually be for Apple Music. Whatever it is, the logo is awfully close to Apple's logo and if it's not intended for Apple Music, Apple may not be thrilled with its use.

Elon Musk has talked about his disapproval of Apple's AppStore fees numerous times in the past. It's clear the two companies don't have the best relationship and that could be one reason why Tesla hasn't implemented Apple Music, AirPlay or CarPlay in their vehicles, but at the same time, customers are demanding Apple Music integration. What will Tesla do? We're hoping they're listening to their fans and adding Apple Music.

Tesla’s Cabin Overheat Protection: What It Does, Options, Battery Drain

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Your Tesla is packed with features designed to improve your comfort and safety, and Cabin Overheat Protection (COP) is a prime example. While all the materials and equipment in your car are built to withstand the summer heat, this feature prevents the interior from reaching excessively high temperatures when parked. 

But what does it do, how does it work, and when should you really use it? Let’s dive in.

What is Cabin Overheat Protection?

Cabin Overheat Protection is a climate control feature that activates automatically after you’ve left your vehicle. Its primary goal is to keep the interior cabin temperature from soaring on hot days, and helping to keep the surfaces humans touch most often - like the seats, steering wheel, and screen- at a more manageable temperature.

You can also use Cabin Overheat Protection to protect temperature-sensitive items from excessive temperatures; however, its primary goal is to prevent the cabin from becoming excessively hot.

For moderate durations, Cabin Overheat Protection can actually reduce the amount of energy spent cooling your vehicle, as it’s more efficient to maintain a temperature rather than letting cooling it down from 130ºF. However, it most cases, Cabin Overheat Protection will use additional energy.

It is important to note what Cabin Overheat Protection is not. It isn’t designed to protect people or pets. For that, you’ll want to use Tesla’s dedicated “Dog Mode” or “Keep Climate On” features, which offer more robust control over the internal temperature. You can read a comparison of the major climate features here.

Enable Cabin Overheat Protection

Tesla offers several options for cabin overheat protection, allowing you to choose when and how it operates. You can enable it in your vehicle or through the Tesla app:

In the Vehicle: Navigate to Controls > Safety > Cabin Overheat Protection.

Via the Tesla App: Go to the Climate, swipe up, and toggle Cabin Overheat Protection.

Cabin Overheat Protection Settings

When enabling COP, you can pick from three settings:

Off: The system is completely disabled and will not activate when the vehicle is parked. This is the default option.

No A/C: If the interior temperature exceeds your set threshold (see below), your vehicle will only use the HVAC fan to circulate outside air through the cabin. This helps cool the vehicle since outside air is often cooler than the inside, which can easily reach 130ºF or higher. This is our recommended setting, as it helps prevent the cabin from getting too hot in most situations and uses minimal energy.

On: If the interior temperature exceeds your set threshold, the system will use both the fan and the air conditioning to actively cool the cabin down to and maintain it below that threshold. This is the most effective cooling option, but it also uses a significant amount of energy.

You can also set a Temperature Threshold for activating Cabin Overheat Protection. Tesla provides three options: 90°F (30°C), 95°F (35°C), or 100°F (40°C). Cabin Overheat Protection will attempt to maintain your vehicle at the threshold while it is active.

Battery Drain

The main reason you might choose to leave Cabin Overheat Protection off is its energy impact, which will not only increase your costs but also reduce your vehicle’s range. Ultimately, this feature keeps your vehicle’s HVAC system—or at least its fans—running to help cool the cabin.

While the No A/C mode consumes minimal energy, the On mode (which uses air conditioning) will noticeably drain the battery, particularly on hot days when the system works harder to maintain the set temperature.

The amount of energy COP uses will vary greatly based on your selected activation temperature, the exterior temperature, and whether your vehicle is parked in the sun. However, in general, the energy impact will be minimal if COP is set to No A/C, and significant if it’s set to On.

As a reminder, Cabin Overheat Protection will automatically shut off after 12 hours of operation or if the vehicle’s state of charge falls below 20%. COP and several other Tesla features will increase the cost of using your vehicle. We recently reviewed all Tesla features that continue to use power while your vehicle is parked.

Is Cabin Overheat Protection Necessary?

This is a common question, and the answer is no, Cabin Overheat Protection is not essential. Tesla vehicles, including their interior components, are designed and tested to withstand the typical automotive temperature cycles, including both hot and cold. While keeping the cabin cooler could potentially provide some marginal benefit in preventing the leather or other surfaces from degrading, the primary purpose is for the comfort of the occupants when they return.

What About Extreme Cold?

We’ve talked about heat, but what about extreme cold? Cabin Overheat Protection, as the name implies, deals with heat and will not prevent your vehicle from getting too cold. For cold weather, your Tesla has different mechanisms.

Your vehicle will automatically use energy to keep its high-voltage battery within a safe temperature range in extreme cold, whether or not you’re in the car. This helps protect the battery’s health and ensures you’ll have a minimal level of performance even if you enter the vehicle without preconditioning.

For optimal comfort in cold weather, preconditioning your vehicle will warm up the cabin and battery for improved performance.

Cabin Overheat Protection is a valuable feature that improves the comfort of your Tesla, particularly during hot weather. However, it’s not designed to improve the lifespan of your vehicle's interior, and it should not be used for people or pets (use Keep Climate or Dog Mode for those situations).

If you're parked in extreme heat and have sensitive items in the car, this could be an ideal use case. Use Keep Climate if you need to keep the items below 80°F, or Cabin Overheat Protection if you’re just looking to protect them from excessive temperatures.

Tesla Gains Support for Australian Battery Recycling Facility

By Karan Singh
Electrek.co

Tesla’s recent focus on expanding and vertically integrating its battery production is beginning to take global steps, starting with a battery recycling and service center in South Australia. In Marion, a suburb of Adelaide, the council recently voted in favor of a proposal that would see contaminated public land developed and leased to Tesla.

The move promises local jobs and environmental remediation but has garnered a lot of public debate focused on Elon’s moves outside his role as CEO. 

The proposal involves a site that’s currently unusable for recreation due to chemical contamination. A local developer plans to acquire and remediate the land, constructing a new facility specifically for Tesla. This site would reportedly serve two purposes: recycling old lithium-ion batteries and serving as a Tesla Service Center.

Tesla’s Commitment to Recycling

Tesla recently announced its intention to ramp up its battery recycling and repurposing efforts. During the Q1 2025 Earnings Call, Tesla’s executives highlighted substantial progress. Tesla had recycled enough materials in Q1 2025 to build approximately 21,000 Model Y RWD vehicles, representing a 136% year-over-year increase from Q1 2024. 

Dedicated regional hubs like this one would be a logical next step in expanding the recycling loop and furthering Tesla’s vertical integration while also reducing its reliance on new materials. In addition, local sources also mentioned that Tesla could be repurposing older lithium-ion batteries for other purposes, including their inclusion in stationary battery storage systems like Powerwall or Megapack.

Of course, the facility also has major benefits for the local community, including creating around 100 local jobs, as well as injecting approximately $56 million into the local economy. Further, developing the contaminated land as a renewable facility is one of the safest ways to use the land that’s been sealed off from the public for nearly a decade.

Elon’s Image

The proposal isn’t without its critics. Local opposition was voiced during community consultations, with most of the negative sentiment directed towards Elon rather than the facility itself. Despite these complaints, the local council elected to proceed, arguing that tangible economic and environmental benefits far outweigh any perceived geopolitical or symbolic harm that shutting down the project could cause.

With the council’s endorsement on record, the proposal now moves to the South Australian state government for approvals regarding the change in land classification.

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