CarPlay

Spotify has today released its iOS 13 update, which allows users to ask Siri to play albums and playlists using their voice. This brings Spotify up to par with other music apps; SiriKit integration for audio apps was exclusive to Apple Music until iOS 13.

To use Spotify with Siri, install the update and then ask to play an album or song ‘with Spotify’. The update also allows hands-free control through CarPlay. Spotify is also launching a tvOS app for Apple TV today.

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Libby, a popular ebook and audiobook iOS app that works with 90% of public libraries in North America has been updated today with support for CarPlay.

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Spotify has recently updated its Spotify Stations app for iOS to add support for CarPlay. This enables you to control playback directly from your CarPlay head unit, rather than having to use your iPhone.

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Apple upgraded CarPlay in iOS 12 with support for third-party navigation apps including Google Maps and Waze, allowing drivers to use alternatives to Apple Maps for the first time. CarPlay has an even bigger update in iOS 13 with the introduction of Dashboard, new apps, and updates to existing apps.

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While CarPlay is more common than ever in new cars, aftermarket solutions are still an economical option for many. Kenwood has announced today that it is expanding its receiver lineup with seven new CarPlay head units, including five that support wireless CarPlay.

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Many BMW owners have been unable to access CarPlay in their vehicle for the past several days, according to several reports on Reddit. This CarPlay downtime is seemingly related to BMW’s ConnectedDrive service suffering from outage – and further shows the risk associated with locking these features behind paid options and subscriptions.

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BMW made a controversial move last year, implementing an annual CarPlay subscription. Instead of a one-off option payment of $300, it made CarPlay a free option in the first year, but then charged $80/year to keep it active.

It’s now reported that a second car manufacturer may be following BMW’s example …

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Toyota has gradually been expanding its lineup of CarPlay-enabled vehicles, announcing earlier this week that it would be retrofitting the infotainment system to select 2018 models. Now, Toyota has announced the first-ever Prius with CarPlay integration.

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As more and more cars add support for Apple’s CarPlay infotainment platform, owners of older cars are often forced to turn to aftermarket solutions. Toyota, however, is beginning the process of retrofitting select 2018 cars with both CarPlay and Amazon Alexa.

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Toyota has announced its latest vehicles to receive Apple CarPlay during the Chicago Auto Show today. The 2020 TRD Pro family of trucks and SUVs includes the Sequoia, Tundra, Tacoma, and 4Runner which are all getting CarPlay, Android Auto, and Alexa integration.

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Back in the summer we went hands-on with Pioneer’s budget-minded MVH-1400NEX CarPlay head unit (review). What we found was an excellent no-frills aftermarket head unit with a clean design.

The MVH-1400NEX with its ~$300 entry-level price point was nice, but it lacked wireless CarPlay capability, which made it a non-starter for users desiring a wire-free experience. Enter Pioneer’s ~$800 AVIC-W8400NEX, a truly wireless CarPlay aftermarket head unit. Is it worth paying more for wireless connectivity?
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After a handful of CarPlay announcements at CES 2019 last week, Toyota today announced that its 2020 GR Supra will support wireless CarPlay. Meanwhile, Kia and Fiat Chrysler announced new cars with wired CarPlay integration.

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CES 2019 is bringing us new wired and wireless aftermarket CarPlay head units from brands including Sony, Kenwood, and JVC. These are the latest CarPlay screens coming this year.

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Mazda CarPlay plans took a step forward today when the company announced a retrofit option for some older models.

Mazda was named as a CarPlay partner way back in 2015, but it wasn’t until this year that it finally launched the option on new cars, starting with the Mazda6. It promised a Mazda CarPlay option for older cars at the time, and says that this is now available …

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Navigating with Maps and Apple Watch can be very useful with distinctive taps for upcoming turns, but the feature can be distracting if you have a better solution with CarPlay. Starting with iOS 12 and watchOS 5, Apple now lets you choose when you want to receive navigation alerts on Apple Watch.

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Waze for iPhone finally works with Apple CarPlay on iOS 12. The latest update to Waze lets you use the smart navigation app on the built-in screen in your car with CarPlay support. Waze on CarPlay includes voice search, reporting issues for other drivers, and more.

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