I have no additional information on the Apple Music app coming back. Mercedes did announce a partnership with Apple and said that they were going to be a reference platform for ATMOS music. Unless Mercedes is changing strategy, easy access to ATMOS music through Apple Music should return.

Apple says they support ATMOS through CarPlay, so it is odd that Mercedes didn't support ATMOS in CarPlay from the start. If they add ATMOS support through CarPlay instead of an MBUX app, that would be a better experience.

 

Thank you for clarifying. While I don't disagree with your logic in thinking Mercedes should bring Apple Music back, for all the reasons stated, I would feel better if they were publicly committing to it (with a timeline!). I also would never have assumed they would remove the standalone app without an Apple Music Dolby Atmos alternative, given the big splash they made with the original announced partnership with Apple on the Dolby Atmos sound system. That is why I am so leery of relying on assumptions or rational thinking about it, since MB have already defied both. I also agree that if MB would just write the interface to pick up the Dolby Atmos transmission that CarPlay is now capable of, a standalone app would be a moot point and a more stable experience for customers than the often clunky and unstable Apple Music standalone app. My experience with it was volatile. It sounded incredible when it functioned properly, but I was left frequently frustrated when the MBUX would not connect to Online Music (despite having a strong internet connection in the car), there would be a long pause between songs in a playlist, and the ability to browse my extensive Apple Music library (over 60,000 songs) was slow and pretty much impossible without an A to Z index similar to what can be found in the iPhone app. Overall this entire experience and the way MB has handled it (no knowledge by the customer support staff on the phone, no awareness by the dealership, no appropriate warning from MB about the consequences of accepting the OTA update to MBUX 3.3, and no communication to their own mechanics to troubleshoot the issue) has been a huge disappointment and left me with a rather bitter experience in owning one of vehicles, which I otherwise love.

 

Makes total sense.

I continue to dream that Mercedes will have ATMOS through CarPlay with absolutely no information from Mercedes supporting that dream.

 

In the meantime, the Tidal app works. Sounds great. God awful interface.

 

Writing that down in my E53 notes for future reference.

 

Yes, I have had the same exact experience. Apple Car Play working by Bluetooth does not have sufficient bandwidth to stream ATMOS files. My Apple Music app and integration into my MBUX in my 2025 E450 was removed in the latest update and has not yet returned. I have purchased a Tidal account and uploaded my Apple Music Library. It streams ATMOS. Tidal app is downloadable from Mercedes App Store and works well enough. Only issue is its interface is not as smooth as Apple Music. Its a costly workaround until or if Mercedes brings back Apple Music streaming/ATMOS as rumored!