CarPlay

Over the years, CarPlay has slowly gained in popularity as more auto makers adopt the platform for in-car use. J.D. Power is out this week with a new report that looks at user satisfaction between CarPlay and Android Auto, and Apple comes out ahead.

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Apple’s CarPlay infotainment feature in cars is available in more places than ever today, but it’s not a standard in every make and model yet. Read on for a roundup of some of the latest new cars to offer CarPlay.

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As a Toyota driver, I’ve been subjected to the company’s horrible Entune-powered head unit for the last 6 years. On my 2012 model, it’s bundled with a matte resistive touch screen that requires you to press in on the display to control the unit. As you can probably imagine, the stock unit is extremely clunky and difficult to use. It’s so bad that I wouldn’t purchase a new Toyota without a new capacitive CarPlay unit built in. Thankfully, Toyota recently wised up and decided to adopt CarPlay after holding out for several years.

If you’re like me and stuck with a terrible stock head unit, then a CarPlay-enabled aftermarket radio may be the key to a much better audio, messaging, and navigation experience while on the go. There are caveats associated with having an aftermarket head unit installed, but as my recent experience with the Pioneer MVH-1400NEX shows, the upsides outweigh the potential downsides.
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At WWDC on Monday, Apple officially announced that CarPlay is gaining support for third-party mapping applications such as Waze and Google Maps. Apple offered additional details about this feature, as well improvements to existing CarPlay apps, during a WWDC session this week…

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As part of iOS 12, Apple has announced changes to some of the core iOS applications. On stage, the company touted improvements to Apple Books, Apple News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and more.

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This evening, Pioneer has officially confirmed the availability of its aftermarket wireless CarPlay head units. The company first showcased a prototype version of its wireless CarPlay products at CES, but has now made three new head units available for purchase…

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This is the year Toyota and Lexus — among the last major CarPlay holdouts — finally release new cars that work with Apple’s infotainment system.

Lexus announced today that its seventh generation ES luxury sedan will be its first model to include CarPlay, and customers will have an option for a 12.3-inch widescreen display that makes room for two extra apps on the Home screen.

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Both Android Auto and CarPlay have been gaining momentum over the last several years, with more carmakers signing on board. Now, a new study shows that users are becoming increasingly reliant on those in-car infotainment systems…

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After being touted as a CarPlay partner for over 3 years, Mazda today officially announced its plans to bring Apple’s in-car system to its vehicles. Mazda made the announcement at the New York International Auto Show, which has brought a handful of CarPlay announcements already…

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Toyota has shown off its 2019 Corolla Hatchback and RAV4 SUV at the New York Auto Show, and both new vehicles will come standard with Apple’s CarPlay.

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Lexus and Honda have both announced new models at the New York International Auto Show, both equipped with CarPlay.

Lexus has announced a compact luxury crossover known as the UX, seen above. All UX models include CarPlay as standard …

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Apple has teamed up with Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler to offer a new perk for customers buying certain CarPlay-equipped cars. From May, eligible vehicles will come with a 6 month Apple Music trial, which typically runs $9.99 per month.

Apple has partnered with Volkswagen in Europe and Fiat in the US to giveaway these extended trials. New Apple Music subscribers will be able to take advantage of the full six month free offer, existing subscribers can get 3 months free. More details after the jump …

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CarPlay isn’t expected to gain any major features this year according to recent reporting, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream. One simple change I would love to see in some future update is support for HomeKit alerts through CarPlay. Going a step further, a dedicated Home app for CarPlay with a few key features could be very beneficial.

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Acura is the latest car brand to release a new hybrid vehicle equipped with CarPlay. The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid hits the road tomorrow and includes an upgraded 7-inch capacitive touch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard — no subscription required.

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With its latest update, WhatsApp users are finding a new icon app appear when they connect to CarPlay. A WhatsApp icon and basic on-screen app interface are now part of the CarPlay experience, beyond what was already offered by WhatsApp’s SiriKit integration.

You can’t browse a list of conversations, but you can tap on the icon to start sending a new message using dictation. Notifications from WhatsApp also appear in the CarPlay UI and users can tap to listen and respond.

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BMW has been the shining example of an automaker embracing Apple CarPlay until now. The German car maker was the first (and only) brand to offer Wireless CarPlay, but BMW reportedly plans to charge an annual subscription fee for access in the future.

To be clear, that’s ludicrous — and so is BMW’s reasoning…

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As the Detroit Auto Show continues, BMW today revealed its plans to turn CarPlay into a subscription service. The automaker only started supporting CarPlay last year, making it a $300 option on select cars, but it’s already planning to revamp its pricing scheme…

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Apple CarPlay is on display this week at the International Auto Show in Detroit, and Toyota isn’t the only company making news. 2019 model trucks, hybrids, and hatchbacks with CarPlay have all been announced.

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After initially planning to support CarPlay, and then later backtracking on those plans, Toyota has had an interesting relationship with Apple’s in-car interface.

Today, however, marks a notable change in the Japanese automaker’s stance. During the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Toyota officially announced that CarPlay will appear in its upcoming 2019 Avalon sedans.
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