November 4, 2025
App-ageddon hits the dashboard
GM Deprecating In-Car App Store for Models as Recent as 2020
GM shuts down dashboard apps; drivers say 'no CarPlay, no sale'
TLDR: GM permanently shut its in-car App Store for many 2017–2020 models, and deleted apps can’t be reinstalled. Comments explode with “no CarPlay, no sale,” calls for simple Bluetooth radios, and a hot take that GM is cutting phone integration to push new car purchases.
GM quietly pulled the plug on its in-car App Store for 2017–2020 models on September 30, and the comment section lit up like a check engine light. Owners say their dashboard app icon is now a museum piece: delete or factory-reset an app and it’s gone forever — no reinstall, no fix, just RIP. A GM rep says they’re focused on newer platforms, but the crowd hears “planned obsolescence.”
The loudest chorus? “No CarPlay, no sale.” As CarPlay and Android Auto let old cars feel new, some argue GM is ditching them to push upgrades. One hot take claims that phone-powered dashboards keep buyers from trading in, which is “exactly why GM wants out.” Others beg: “Why not keep it on life support?”
Then came the backlash against “smart” cars. Commenters want a normal radio with Bluetooth, no subscriptions, no surprises. Memes rolled in — “404: Dash Not Found,” “Ultifi’d and Mummified” — and predictions of a buyer revolt, especially from Buick Encore, Envision, and Equinox owners still within what most consider a car’s normal lifetime.
A few pragmatists shrug that tech ages fast. But today’s vibe? Drivers feel their cars got digitally ghosted — and they’re not laughing.
Key Points
- •GM permanently closed the GM App Store for vehicles with legacy NGI infotainment systems effective September 30, 2025.
- •Affected models include 2017–2021 Buick Encore, 2019–2020 Buick Envision, and Chevy Equinox.
- •Previously downloaded apps no longer receive support and cannot be reinstalled after deletion or factory reset.
- •GM states this is a planned sunset, not a malfunction requiring a service visit.
- •The company is shifting focus to newer platforms, previously referenced under the name Ultifi.