Alpine devices already integrate with the Siri Eyes Free feature of iOS devices.
In March, Mercedes-Benz said that it had plans to offer aftermarket CarPlay units by the end of 2014. As noticed by MacRumors, a Nikkei report from Saturday reveals that car electronics manufacturer Alpine has similar plans.
Alpine will begin selling a standalone car console that integrates CarPlay in the fall. Although many car manufacturers are going to offer CarPlay-equipped cars in their new ranges very soon, Alpine will be the first company to sell an independent CarPlay unit, that can be installed on current cars. The cost is reported to be between $500 to $700.
The unit will offer the same functionality as CarPlay cars, from text messages to maps to Siri, but in a standalone device (‘likely 7 inches’ in size) sold aftermarket. Like other CarPlay solutions currently announced, the unit will talk to the iPhone over a wired connection.
Interestingly, Alpine is not listed on Apple’s CarPlay page so it is currently unclear whether the device will actually be ‘officially certified’ by Apple or whether it will exploit a sneaky workaround to interoperate with iOS 7 devices.
As shown in the image above, Alpine currently offers navigation systems that integrate with ‘Siri Eyes Free’. Therefore, it seems likely that the company is genuinely exploring CarPlay-integrated consoles, as they are already familiar with iOS connectivity.
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Wired? Is bluetooth not good enough?
Actually no, it’s not. Not for the amount of data sent to the screen. It’s actually mirroring the screen, similar to airplay, but using a better UI for at-a-glance touches. It was stated that future versions would be able to work over a wifi-direct connection, but it is not yet available from any of the manufacturers.
I personally still love Volvo’s screen and implementation, but this will be huge for the iPhone owners that don’t have/want one of the cars listed on the supported page. Hopefully this unit is released soon and will fit my dash without a crazy modifier.
I agree with everything in this post. I plan on keeping my Jeep for at least another 2-3 years. I’ll be game for an aftermarket solution.
Boom. Sign me up. Love Alpine too.
Unfortunately, car manufacturers are moving away from standards. They each have their own unique infotainment system that ties in a lot of car functionality.
And nobody will pay $199 or $299 for a phone, either. That’s ridiculous.
Bluetooth is good enough. With a little imagination anything is possible. https://vimeo.com/91033041
Well, barring any offering from Kenwood, I know what’s going in my cars this fall. Hubba Hubba.
Why not just make a good dashboard for the iPad mini and a pre-amp add on through lightning for a dock for it? Why do I need a second device?