New icon spotted; Is Tesla announcing Apple Music?

A comparison between Tesla's old music logo, the new icon and Apple Music's logo

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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.

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

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 Improves Wrap Services: Switches to Vinyl, Cuts Prices Drastically, Adds New Colors and Expands Availability

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After canceling the in-house wrap program for the Cybertruck last month, Tesla has reintroduced the program with a lot of changes. Let’s take a look at the original program, then we’ll dive into what’s changed.

Tesla began the wrap program for the Model 3 and Model Y in the fall of 2023. With the arrival of the Cybertruck, Tesla launched Matte Black and Satin White options for the Cybertruck and later added 11 more colors.

Tesla initially offered high-quality PPF (Paint Protection Film) wraps, which protect the paint in addition to changing the color of the vehicle. PPF is thicker than traditional vinyl wraps, but the material costs more and is more time-consuming to apply.

Tesla’s updated program switches away from PPF wraps and now offers traditional vinyl wraps at a cheaper price. This makes Tesla’s wrap service more comparable to third-party installers.

Correction: We initially reported that the new wrap program offered PPF rather than vinyl and that the program was only available for new deliveries.

New Wrap Prices

First things first - the price of the wraps has dropped considerably, mostly due to the change away from PPF. While these prices are still a little more expensive than what you could find at a third-party location, you have the advantage of getting it directly from Tesla.

Tesla initially offered 11 wrap colors, but that selection has now been reduced to eight per vehicle. Interestingly, the color options vary by model—Model 3 and Model Y owners have their own distinct palette. The Cybertruck also boasts its own unique set of colors, though unfortunately, the popular Satin White option is absent from its catalog.

Of course, the ever-popular Matte Black is still available, along with a fairly unique set of other vivid colors.

New Locations

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When the wrap program launched, it was limited to just three locations in California and one location in Texas. That meant that unless you were taking delivery at West Covina, Oceanside, Costa Mesa, or Santa Clara, you’d be unable to get a first-party wrap done by Tesla.

Under the new program, Tesla is offering wraps out of all the original locations and adding Seattle, Washington. What initially seemed like Tesla scaling back its wrap service has turned out to be them making it more affordable and efficient. While the switch to vinyl may disappoint some owners, in reality, a lot of owners probably didn’t know the difference between PPF and vinyl, making Tesla’s service seem disproportionally more expensive.

No Longer New Purchases Only

While the original wrap program was constrained to new vehicle purchases—you can now have Tesla wrap a vehicle that’s already been delivered. Paint damage and scuffs can impact the installation of wraps and require additional time to smooth out the vehicle surface, and most third-party installers charge additional fees to prepare the surface.

Tesla doesn’t appear to be charging any additional surface prep fees at this time and is able to install on any Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck that’s been delivered after 2023.

Either way, with cheaper wrap options, Tesla is now directly competing against third-party wrap shops. While it’s still a bit more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, it also comes with a level of care and precision from technicians intimately familiar with your vehicle.

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Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

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For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.

Price Increase

The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.

The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series. 

The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.

Free Lifetime Supercharging

For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.

There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.

We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.

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