Standard or automatic, Android or Apple?

The battle between blue and green bubbles is about to get a whole lot uglier as cars evolve into drivable devices and tech companies set their sights on partnerships with automakers. 

Picture this: When you hit up the dealership, the second question you might get (after the kind of vehicle you're looking for) might be “and what phone do you have?" to determine the type of software you’ll need to connect your phone to your car, per The Wall Street Journal.

  • Google already offers car companies open-source software and licensing options, but Apple has also snagged partnerships to bring the next-gen of CarPlay to life.
     
  • There’s also the possibility of an electric car sometime this decade, but with a primary focus on safety, it may be a long time before one’s up and running. 

Why it matters: If the mobile industry is any indication of what’s to come in the auto industry, this could set the stage for a duopoly that could limit your options and create price differences between the same makes and models based solely on the operating systems.

Why it's happening: Tech companies create cool stuff but are also in the business of data collection. Building software into vehicles offers them insight into everything from where you go, to how to drive, to how well you stay on top of your vehicle's oil changes.