Mercedes-Benz and parent company Daimler has an exciting new change for a handful of their models. Apple Music is now available alongside the existing Apple Carplay in the new EQS, S-Class, and C-Class models in the lineup. It’s not just Apple’s music service that is integrated now either. Mercedes has also integrated a host of new music platforms into their spectacular Mercedes-Benz User Experience, or MBUX infotainment system.

How does it work?

There are over 75 million songs available for streaming on the music platform from the company famous for its phones. Phone companies and car companies working together on infotainment software is a welcome step forward in the industry. It used to be that to get a car to integrate in any way with your phone you had to make a tedious and very expensive trip to your local car audio store for an expensive new head unit.

Now, all 75 million available songs will be seamlessly integrated into MBUX, and the world is better for it. The streaming service is all controlled through either the steering wheel buttons or touchscreen, reducing the need to fiddle with your cell phone. Moreover, current owners of newer Mercedes models equipped with MBUX will have access to the new software via an update soon, but no word on exactly when yet.

Will Apple Music be available in other Mercedes-Benz?

It likely won’t be for some time that the software is more widely available in other Mercedes models. The addition of Apple Music is a marketing strategy in and of itself. The shiny new software will help pull people into dealerships, and Mercedes won’t be looking to spoil that sales boost just yet. However, it has to be said that Apple Music, like other music streaming applications, is subscription-based.

If you’d rather not pay for a music streaming service, Spotify is happy to help with their free option. Of course, Spotify will also allow you to pay for a premium service as well. It’s also one of the music services being integrated into new Mercs, along with Amazon Music. That said, all options will be fully integrated and are excellent choices for music streaming in your new Mercedes.

Do you need Apple Music and Apple Carplay?

The real question here is: do you need both Apple Carplay and Music? Carplay that is running free Spotify already integrates so seamlessly with MBUX in any new Mercedes-Benz that it’s hard to see why. Of course, personal preference is everything, and no one service is the right answer. Whenever technology and car companies work together to integrate a vital piece of tech like a cell phone, everyone wins. Cellphone integration is the future of in-car infotainment, and it’s good to see Mercedes-Benz putting some more options out there for its customers. Here’s hoping other brands begin to follow suit.