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CarPlay is a smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car. CarPlay takes the things you want to do with your iPhone while driving and puts them right on your car’s built-in display.

Apple CarPlay Guide 9to5Mac

CarPlay is a smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car. CarPlay takes the things you want to do with your iPhone while driving and puts them right on your car’s built-in display.

“It’s a car, it’s a phone, it’s an Internet communicator…It’s a car, it’s a phone… are you getting it!”

Apple first announced CarPlay in 2013 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) under the name “iOS in the Car.” The initial release supported basic functions like calls, messages, maps, and music. The $120k+ Ferrari FF was the first car to feature the new technology. It wasn’t until March 2014, with the release of iOS 7.1, that Apple rebranded the product to CarPlay. And the rest is history.

TuneIn Radio adds real radio stations to CarPlay + Apple Watch controls

TuneIn Radio is the latest addition to Apple’s short list of App Store apps that work with the iPhone’s CarPlay feature. The service streams “over 100,000 real radio stations from around the world, including sports, news, talk, and music.” The latest version of TuneIn for iPhone brings radio station streaming to the CarPlay interface and includes Apple Watch support for controlling stations from your wrist.
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Apple announces CarPlay availability in five new countries

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After expanding the feature to five new countries earlier this month, Apple today has again rolled out CarPlay to new countries. As noted on Apple’s iOS 8 Feature Availability page, CarPlay is now supported in Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, and Sweden. CarPlay is available in 25 countries total with today’s additions.


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iOS 8.4 beta moves audiobooks to iBooks app, dedicated CarPlay app

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In redesigning the iOS Music application for iOS 8.4, Apple removed support for audiobooks from the app, electing to move it to the iBooks app. iBooks itself has gained an all-new audio player with support for swiping gestures to fast forward or rewind, view a chapter list, and more.


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Pandora CFO promises CarPlay support, talks Apple relationship in recent interview

The limited selection of CarPlay apps has not grown much since its launch, with one of the most prominent hold-outs being Pandora. In a recent interview with Fox Business, however, Pandora CFO Mike Herring said that the company plans to add CarPlay support soon. “We’ll definitely be in CarPlay,” Herring said in the interview.


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Pioneer’s second-gen CarPlay NEX head units are now available

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Pioneer’s second generation NEX series of in-dash receivers with CarPlay support are now available through authorized retail channels, the company announced today. Apple’s CarPlay feature made its aftermarket debut last fall through a firmware update to several models of Pioneer’s first-gen NEX head units, and the improved models are the first from Pioneer to be designed with CarPlay support (and Android Auto) from day one.
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Is Apple’s ‘Titan’ electric car project being operated by “SixtyEight” shell company in Sunnyvale?

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A report from AppleInsider claims Apple is using a shell company called SixtyEight Research and small office building in Sunnyvale, California to work on its secretive electric vehicle project. The report doesn’t definitively confirm that Apple is actually using the site for its car project, but it does discover some connections with Apple and points to recent automotive related renovations at the building:
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BMW denies Apple Car collaboration, but report hints i3 electric car could get Apple OS

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BMW has denied a report in the German car magazine that it is developing or building a car for Apple, but not responded to a claim suggesting that Apple may be developing an ‘operating system’ for its i3 electric car.

Auto Motor Sport claimed that Apple was in discussion with BMW about the possibility of developing an electric car based on the BMW i3, following numerous reports that the Cupertino company plans to develop an Apple Car. However, Reuters reported shortly afterwards that BMW had denied this.

German carmaker BMW said on Thursday its talks with technology giant Apple did not involve developing or building a car, denying a German magazine report.

BMW did confirm that it was holding “regular talks” with Apple on “topics like connected vehicles,” offering no comment on the idea that Apple may be working on an ‘operating system’ for the car … 
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Apple wins patent for Maps feature that could help you avoid routes w/ weak cellular signal

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Apple applies for and gets awarded patents for everything under the sun, and patents don’t always translate to shipped features. Disclaimer aside, the iPhone maker was recently awarded a patent for a potentially useful feature that could help you avoid areas with weak cellular coverage when planning your trip with navigation in Maps.

The USPTO awarded Apple with a patent (via Gigaom) to analyze routes between two locations and “employ an algorithm that considers wireless network signal strengths along those routes.”

In other words, because your iPhone can collect and measure cellular signal data and many iPhone users anonymously share travel data with Apple, there’s potential for Maps to know which routes problematically contain dead zones and suggest lengthier routes with better signal.
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Koenigsegg includes CarPlay in crazy (and gorgeous) new 1782bhp hybrid hypercar

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You’d think putting three electric motors into a sportscar to generate a total of 697bhp would be pretty impressive in itself, as would a 1085bhp 5-litre V8 gas engine, but no: Koenigsegg had to combine the two. The exclusive Swedish supercar manufacturer’s new Regera hybrid delivers a total output of 1782bhp.

With all that power, it might be a little hard to hear the stereo over the engine noise and tire screeching, but Koenigsegg has fitted a CarPlay unit to the car for those times when you’re taking things a little easier … 
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Toyota further backtracks on CarPlay plans in statement to NY Times

Toyota, listed by Apple as an official CarPlay partner, has told the NY Times that it “currently has no plans” to offer the system in the USA.

John Hanson, the national manager of Toyota’s advanced technology communications, said while the company talked frequently with both Google and Apple, it currently had no plans to adopt Android Auto or CarPlay in the United States.

“We may all eventually wind up there, but right now we prefer to use our in-house proprietary platforms for those kinds of functions,” Mr. Hanson said.

Toyota’s backtracking began last year, when the company posted a statement on its UK blog that CarPlay would be coming to 2015 models before hastily deleting the post. A brief replacement statement said that “no announcements have been made about if and when Apple CarPlay will arrive in Toyota cars.”

Toyota remains listed as a “committed partner” on Apple’s own website.

Apple hires head of Mercedes-Benz R&D, other auto experts for new secret research lab

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Apple has hired former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Johann Jungwirth to join the company as Director of Mac Systems Engineering. The hire was confirmed by Jungwirth’s LinkedIn page, and first noted by a report in the Financial Times detailing Apple’s recent hires in the automotive industry and secretive new automotive research lab.

The report claims Apple’s automotive hires are for a new research lab where “experienced managers from its iPhone unit, are researching automotive products.”
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iOS 8.3 brings wireless CarPlay, improved Google login, new Emojis, China Apple Pay

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Earlier today, Apple seeded the first iOS 8.3 build to developers alongside Xcode 6.3 beta with Swift 1.2. Readers have discovered that the new operating system brings a new wireless CarPlay feature to the iPhone. This means that users can now wirelessly connect their iPhone to the car to bring an iOS-like experience the dashboard. Previously, users would have to connect their iPhone to the car via a USB Lightning cable. We first reported in March 2014 that Apple has been working on wireless CarPlay. It’s yet to be seen how long the wireless CarPlay rollout takes and which cars support it in the future. The new update also, like with OS X 10.10.3, brings easier Google login functionality for users with two-factor accounts:


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Why my next car probably won’t have CarPlay (Spoiler: Apple Watch)

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My next new car probably won’t have CarPlay. I’ve reached this decision in part due to automakers’ slow crawl to put CarPlay in vehicles that you can actually buy today. While 2015 may bring the feature to more vehicles on the road with more than 30 automobile brands committed to ship CarPlay in the future, we’re still not there yet and the roll out is slow.

More influential, though, is my experience using aftermarket CarPlay in my current car for several months convincing me that CarPlay’s features are not yet where they need to be. As I noted in my hands-on review last fall, CarPlay introduces a new set of problems while trying to make using your iPhone in the car safer and easier.

So if CarPlay isn’t ultimately the answer to creating a better iPhone experience on the road, then what is? I’m convinced the Apple Watch will be better suited…


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Roundup: Find all of 9to5Mac’s CES 2015 coverage in one place

If you’ve somehow missed the overflow of coverage from CES 2015 last week, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. During the show we took a look at the latest devices and accessories that are expected to be released throughout 2015. The show was packed with new smartphones, home automation tools, cases, and some unexpected surprises. If you didn’t catch all of the coverage from the show, check out the roundup below with links to everything that we found interesting…


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Harman debuts touchscreen-free CarPlay solution, Integrated Essentials Cockpit

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Demonstrating how Apple’s CarPlay will be integrated into upcoming budget vehicles, Harman has shown the Integrated Essentials Cockpit, a new OEM solution that does away with direct touchscreen interaction in favor of a steering wheel-mounted touchpad. The Integrated Essentials Cockpit eliminates the currently popular center console-mounted screen, instead bringing Apple’s CarPlay interface directly into the dashboard behind the steering wheel.

Unusually, the CarPlay UI then sits between a left-side speedometer and a right-side tachometer, below a bar with a thermometer and above a fuel gauge and odometer. More pictures and details are below.


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Pioneer unveils its improved NEX in-dash receivers with CarPlay

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Pioneer was first to bring CarPlay to the market without requiring you to buy a new car, and at CES 2015 today the company announced the second generation of its CarPlay-enabled NEX in-dash receivers. The latest Pioneer NEX displays all support CarPlay and start at $700 with 6.2-inch and 7-inch resistive and capacitive touch displays.


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Kenwood introduces its first aftermarket CarPlay display at CES 2015

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Kenwood announced today at CES 2015 its first entry into the aftermarket CarPlay space with its new DDX9902S multimedia receiver. Kenwood’s announcement follows the roll out of competing aftermarket CarPlay head units from both Pioneer, which was first to bring CarPlay to the market and Alpine, which built a dedicated CarPlay display. In addition to supporting CarPlay, Kenwood says its DDX9902S display will support Google’s Android Auto feature in the same unit.
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Volkswagen confirms plans to launch CarPlay support later this year

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Volkswagen, at CES 2015, has finally announced what it plans to do with both CarPlay and Android Auto. The German auto manufacturer has confirmed that it will begin shipping cars with CarPlay capabilities later this year in its 2016 models. We reported back July of last year that Volkswagen and Apple were in talks to bring CarPlay to VW’s 2016 models.


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Parrot introduces CarPlay-powered RNB6 infotainment system

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfrN8IVQB84&channel=parrot]

Parrot today introduced its new infotainment system, currently known only by its model number, “RNB6,” that features a 7-inch 720p display. The system runs on a custom build of Android, but has full support for the iPhone’s CarPlay feature, allowing control of your cell phone’s key functions through your dashboard.

Even without a phone connected, the system offers onboard navigation (integrated with the dashcam), phone call capability (presumably over Bluetooth unless connected via CarPlay or Android Auto), vehicle diagnostics, music and climate control, and more.


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Apple fast tracks CarPlay hardware development w/ official MFi specs for head units

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Apple’s new CarPlay iOS feature has recently arrived through a limited number of in-dash vehicle entertainment systems and aftermarket products, but Apple has now introduced official guidelines for companies building CarPlay hardware through its Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program, according to sources. 
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Zac’s holiday gift guide – a little something for everyone’s iPhone, iPad, & Mac

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Most of my favorite gift picks this year fall into the category of using the iPhone and iPad on the road so I already shared my favorite gift items for road warriors including CarPlay in-dash receivers and more. The Mac, though, is less transit-friendly when it comes to gifts unless you’re looking for a power adapter for charging in the car, so below I’ve collected some more Mac-friendly gift picks as well as a few analog options and more. Catch up with the rest of 9to5Mac’s holiday gift guides for more ideas and follow 9to5Toys.com for the latest deals. 
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Apple CarPlay vs Google Android Auto — full comparison (Video)

Apple and Google are back at it again and attempting to bring a safe and friendly mobile experience to your car. Android Auto and CarPlay are the two company’s re-imagining of mobile user interfaces for the car and both are gearing up for a major rollout over the next year.

Each system is designed to work with its respective native mobile platform, but there are differences between the two that may appeal to different people. Today we’re comparing Apple’s CarPlay to Google’s Android Auto using the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. This car comes packed with both systems, so you won’t have to compromise either way, but there are some important differences between the two…


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