CARPLAY - nobody seems to know

[itolond]

Hi Forum,

I was not sure where to place this but at a guess given it was iOS related maybe this is the best place.

I am considering getting a car play unit for my older car... but nobody locally can give me a straight answer so i'd thought i could reach out to the forum for guidance.

i live in Asia, and often drive in countries where my primary carrier either does not provide data or charge huge amount for the privilege:

Questions:

Navigation: can you on carplay save map data like the iphone 6

GPS: does carplay rely upon my phone for GPS (data or cellular???) for navigation - can a sim be fitted to car units?

Wifi: most carplay devices support wifi, ie can updates be applied when parked at my house on wifi?

Bluetooth: carplay provide all function when connecting phone by BT or do you need a cable?

Any guides on in car units, good review sites...

 

[Lobwedgephil]

It runs off your phone. It's basically what is on your phone, but limited to avoid distracted driving.

Navigation: can you on carplay save map data like the iPhone 6

I don't know, the maps play however it does on your phone.

GPS: does carplay rely upon my phone for GPS (data or cellular???) for navigation - can a sim be fitted to car units?

Yes, it uses your phones gps and cellular.

Wifi: most carplay devices support wifi, ie can updates be applied when parked at my house on wifi?

There is no update, it is a limited mirror of your phone.

Bluetooth: carplay provide all function when connecting phone by BT or do you need a cable?

Depends on your unit, most require cable. Mine does.

 

[lagwagon]

All CarPlay requires to use a cable right now I think. I know it's in iOS 9 code to allow wireless but I don't think that feature has been officially released. VW was going to showcase wireless CarPlay I believe at CES but Apple stopped them from showcasing it.

 

[C DM]

All CarPlay requires to use a cable right now I think. I know it's in iOS 9 code to allow wireless but I don't think that feature has been officially released. VW was going to showcase wireless CarPlay I believe at CES but Apple stopped them from showcasing it.

I have Bluetooth off most of the time and a few times when I accidentally or out of curiosity have gone to CarPlay in Settings it would always pop-up an alert saying it's only enabled via USB and asking me if I would like to use it wirelessly in which case I'd need to enable Bluetooth.

 

[ajiuo]

CarPlay units do have a GPS antenna that help with your phones accuracy. However it still requires data because Apple does not allow the iPhone to save maps offline... I hope that they add offline maps to iOS 10... And not just for CarPlay

 

[ToddJ]

Does CarPlay support 'Up Next'?

 

[itolond]

It runs off your phone. It's basically what is on your phone, but limited to avoid distracted driving.

Navigation: can you on carplay save map data like the iPhone 6

I don't know, the maps play however it does on your phone.

GPS: does carplay rely upon my phone for GPS (data or cellular???) for navigation - can a sim be fitted to car units?

Yes, it uses your phones gps and cellular.

Wifi: most carplay devices support wifi, ie can updates be applied when parked at my house on wifi?

There is no update, it is a limited mirror of your phone.

Bluetooth: carplay provide all function when connecting phone by BT or do you need a cable?

Depends on your unit, most require cable. Mine does.

Still coming to terms with the apparent reliance upon the phone. CarPlay systems cost a relative premium.
What if the phone is stolen or lost...., multiple users, Friend driving car?

How dues it compare to android?

Am I missing something here

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Still coming to terms with the apparent reliance upon the phone. CarPlay systems cost a relative premium.
What if the phone is stolen or lost...., multiple users, Friend driving car?

How dues it compare to android?

Am I missing something here

Relies completely on the phone. I can use it with my phone, then my wife can plug in her phone and use hers, only one at a time though. Android Auto is similar, a few more apps work, but the theory of using the phone the same.

 

[Chundles]

If a friend is driving it uses their phone. It relies on A phone, not specifically YOUR phone.

 

[itolond]

Relies completely on the phone. I can use it with my phone, then my wife can plug in her phone and use hers, only one at a time though. Android Auto is similar, a few more apps work, but the theory of using the phone the same.

Understood on operation. I am just not seeing any great advantage ove say s BT stereo with built in GPS and ability to link to phone for calls and music.

Again wheres the significant advantage here..... Seems to me the system is pretty much brain dead but costs more?

 

[Spankey]

Understood on operation. I am just not seeing any great advantage ove say s BT stereo with built in GPS and ability to link to phone for calls and music.

Again wheres the significant advantage here..... Seems to me the system is pretty much brain dead but costs more?

I've used Carplay for over a year now and it definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. If you use your phone for Music and other certified Carplay apps then you will see an advantage. Apple Music will get better support in iOS 9.3 and I use iHeart Radio and Slacker daily. I had XM in the car and those two services have completely replaced it. Also, using Siri's voice commands to pull up Playlists, Artists, Songs, etc is a big plus.

GPS-I have a Pioneer AVIC 8000NEX. To be honest, the built in GPS blows Apple's Nav out of the water. That is not to say that what Apple gives you is bad. It just does not have the features of the built in Nav. The big problem with Navigation from the iPhone is if you lose your data signal and need to put in a new destination you will be hosed. Once the directions are laid out though all seems to work fine.

Bottom line. It's a mixed bag but I wouldn't want a car without it. It has been getting better and worse and better with each iOS update.

 

[gwhizkids]

Understood on operation. I am just not seeing any great advantage ove say s BT stereo with built in GPS and ability to link to phone for calls and music.

Again wheres the significant advantage here..... Seems to me the system is pretty much brain dead but costs more?

Most existing vehicle infotainment/nav units do not have access to the wealth of mapping and traffic data that Apple (and, even more, Google) has. Being able to display that data on the vehicle's built-in screen is a huge win. It's also a big win to be able to navigate music and podcast apps with big, vehicle appropriate "buttons" over fumbling with your phone while driving. These 2 features alone make it worthwhile.

 

[lionsy]

I've been using CarPlay for a while now, on a pioneer AVIC-F970DAB in my car, apart from the music and podcast apps I don't find myself using anything else, it's nice to have the display on screen but I use the steering wheel controls anyway because it's safer. The only bonus is being able to choose albums and playlists easier when stopped, and the Siri integration through the cars built in mic and speakers, which is handy.

Replying to text messages is pretty cool too, but it'd be nice to be able to view them on the screen when stopped. The maps option is useless because the built in navigation on the stereo is probably the smoothest sat nav I've ever used. It's specific to the unit I'm using but the CarPlay experience is quite fluid too, switching between the stereo's navigation, to the stereo's home screen and back to CarPlay is instant, I've read it's pretty slow and a poor experience on cheaper low end stereos (although obviously CarPlay itself is run from your phone, if it matters I'm using a 6S plus and the performance is fine)