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Twelve South launches tiny new ‘Airfly Drive’ wireless CarPlay adapter [Updated]

Update, October 2: Many of you have asked for a full vehicle compatibility list for the Twelve South Airfly Drive. Our friends over at 9to5Toys have just published exactly that. Take a look!


Twelve South, the company behind a range of premium Apple accessories, has launched a notable expansion of its Airfly brand. The company today unveiled Airfly Drive, a dongle that turns wired CarPlay into wireless CarPlay. It’s available to order starting today for $39.99. Here’s how it works.

Airfly Drive works with most cars that have factory-wired CarPlay, according to Twelve South. This covers more than 75 makes and model years back to 2014. Airfly Drive itself has a USB-A connector, but Twelve South includes a USB-C adapter in the box. It has a compact, aluminum design and is meant to stay plugged in.

Twelve South’s Airfly Drive doesn’t require an app or account. You simply plug it into your car’s USB port, pair it to your phone once, and you’re set. Going forward, the Airfly Drive will automatically reconnect to your phone to enable the wireless CarPlay experience. It also supports two paired phones, controlled by a single button that switches between them.

Twelve South outlines some specs and features:

  • Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the car’s built-in display.
  • Plug-and-play setup with no app, account, or charging required.
  • Fast automatic reconnection every time the car starts.
  • One-press switching between two paired phones.
  • Compact aluminum housing designed to stay plugged in.
  • USB-A and USB-C support, with a USB-A to USB-C adapter included.
  • Works with the car’s existing display, buttons, and steering-wheel controls.
  • Ongoing compatibility updates.

Wireless CarPlay is significantly more seamless than wired CarPlay, especially for those shorter trips around town. It’s a great quality-of-life update for your CarPlay experience.

You can order Airfly Drive from Twelve South today for $39.99. It’s available in black and white. It also works with Android Auto.

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is the editor-in-chief of 9to5Mac, overseeing the entire site’s operations. He also hosts the 9to5Mac Daily and 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcasts.

You can send tips, questions, and typos to chance@9to5mac.com.