Maybe it was something of a pipe dream to think that Apple could corral all the automobile manufacturers into doing the company’s bidding the way music executives did for iTunes and iPod back at the turn of the century.
Yes, Apple’s CarPlay exists in most new cars these days, so what’s not to like?
CarPlay is an Apple standard that enables a car radio or head unit to be a display and also act as a controller for an iPhone. It is available on all iPhone 5 and later with at least iOS 7.1… According to Apple’s website, all major vehicle manufacturers are partnering with CarPlay.
Again, what’s not to like? After all, CarPlay does all this and more.
CarPlay provides access to Apple apps such as Phone, Music, Apple Maps, iMessage, iBooks, and Podcasts, as well as third-party apps such as iHeartRadio, Radioplayer, At Bat, Spotify, CBS Radio, Rdio, Overcast, Audiobooks.com, and Audible
Here’s the problem. With one lone exception, CarPlay requires you to plugin your iPhone via a USB and Lightning cable. For most iPhone users with cars, that also requires a number of steps that are cumbersome to painful, hence I have yet to meet anyone who actually uses CarPlay even if they have an iPhone and a car with CarPlay installed.
What’s the problem?
The cable. iPhone users are required to pull the iPhone out from pocket, backpack, purse or bag, then plug it in. CarPlay doesn’t work over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It needs the aforementioned extra cable and every time it gets used, all those steps get repeated. Before and after.
The lone exception? The BMW 2017 5 Series. But there is another option. If you don’t mind the expense.
The Alpine iLX-107 in dash receiver makes CarPlay goes wireless with your iPhone.
The Alpine iLX-107 receiver is compatible with the iPhone 5 onwards, and allows CarPlay to be accessed through the touch screen as well as by Siri voice control. It then delivers the complete CarPlay experience so you are able to make voice calls, read texts, choose music and get real-time traffic updates. Although it will still depend on the particular vehicle, in many cases you should also be able to receive vehicle information too, such as park assist. The best thing is that there’s no need to connect a cable as the receiver simply connects your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
That’s the way CarPlay should work but usually does not, even though Apple made wireless CarPlay available since iOS 9 (almost two years ago).
Our most recent vehicle has a CarPlay option and comes with a couple of built-in USB ports to make it happen. Unfortunately, CarPlay does not do much by itself, and the aforementioned issues with taking out iPhone from wherever, finding a place for it near the dash and cable, are just too much effort for anything except longer travels.
Wireless everywhere CarPlay goes- built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth- would go a long way toward adoption and usage. Unfortunately, that journey has just begun for carmakers.
Scott says
I have an Alpine iLX007 installed in my Porsche Boxster and love having the phone plugged into the head unit. Using Car Play for navigation without having it plugged in would simply drain the battery over trips of any distance. Even when I’m driving in my Lexus which doesn’t have Car Play, I’ve always got the phone plugged in to keep it charged while I’m driving and using a GPS or playing music. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination with a phone that’s got 15% battery life left.
Ben says
My commutes are about 15 minutes. Why bother with whipping out the phone and plugging it in. There is more to CarPlay than Maps and turn-by-turn directions. Hello! Apple Music.
When we travel longer distances we plug the phone in to keep it charged but that’s the only time.
Thanks, Ron, for calling it like it is. CarPlay should have had wireless in the beginning. Now it is starting to show up. More is better.
Mark C says
Porsche? Lexus? Another member of the 1-percent class telling everyone else how to live. Meh.
If you drive longer distances, plugging your iPhone into anything to keep the battery charged is a no-brainer. I do just that on my low class Hyundai which has CarPlay- when for anything approaching an hour. For lesser trips, I prefer to keep my iPhone in my pocket, but of course, CarPlay doesn’t work then, so all I get to use is music over Bluetooth.
To be honest, after using CarPlay for almost a year all I can say is the same as the article. ‘Disappointment.’ Wireless would make it better, though.
Kel says
Apple announces that it’s going wireless with CarPlay and line delivers, and you spell doom because wireless didn’t happen first. Also, no mention the Android Auto did exactly the same thing - it’s wireless support is slowly rolling out now too.
cal worthington says
I didn’t see doom anywhere, just disappointment that CarPlay doesn’t do much, and that wireless would be much easier to use than fishing around for a phone.
I gotta agree with that.
CarPlay users seem to fall into two categories. Those who drive longer distances use it and don’t mind plugging it in because battery life. Duh. Those who drive shorter distances do not.
But wireless CarPlay is where it’s at.
Kelly Ing says
It’s hard to believe that a blog about ‘all things Apple’ would neglect to mention Android.
Anyway, therein is the tale of the tape. The commute.
I live in the city and NEVER use CarPlay because my commute is about six minutes, and driving anywhere else doesn’t take much time. If I go on a long distance jaunt, CarPlay works OK, and the charger is needed.
My brother lives in the outer suburbs and commutes to downtown, and, yes, he ALWAYs uses CarPlay for traffic and charging. A 60 minute commute will do that to your habits.
CarPlay’s value depends upon how you use iPhone while traveling, but for many of us, a wireless CarPlay is a plus, not a panacea. Car makers could make it easy with wireless.
Mark says
I use CarPlay every day, since I got it in my new car over a year ago. To me it’s head and shoulders above any connected car audio/phone experience I’ve ever had before (and I’ve been doing this pretty much since connecting cars to phones has been possible).
Besides Music and Podcasts, I also use Maps all the time (especially the no-voice ETA feature), because it’s so easy and occasionally it’ll suggest a different route because of an accident or other delay. So for me plugging the cable into my phone is part of sitting in the driver’s seat, like putting on my seat belt. I would rarely use wireless CarPlay even if it was available.
Casey says
I agree. I absolutely love CarPlay. But I have two issues.
First, It could do more (better integration with third party apps).
Second, I would love to have wireless CarPlay and will use that as one of my criteria for the next car purchase.
Randy says
Plugging your phone into the car is a hassle? First World Problem.
Mr. Willis says
It’s funny, of course, but it is a problem of sorts. I hate digging into my pocket or backpack for my iPhone. I have Apple Watch and it gathers and displays information, alarms, alerts, sends and receives messages and email, and counts steps- all things my iPhone can do, but I prefer to keep it in my pocket, and not fish around for it when every little alert or notification comes in.
Wireless CarPlay would be the same for those of us who don’t want to scour around bag, backpack, pocket, or purse for an iPhone, simply to plug it in before we drive.
First world? Yeah, but so is Watch. And, maybe even iPhone.