INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Years ago, no one minded if their car’s dashboard only offered the most basic of digital information
There was a clock, for example, and if you were lucky you might have even be told what temperature it was outside.But as smartphone
technology improved, drivers quickly demanded more from their vehicles
After all, why should the phone in your pocket have a better screen and more responsive user interface than the one in your car, which cost
considerably moreTo their credit, car manufacturers are faced with five, or even 10-year product cycles, so no matter how advanced their
infotainment system looks at launch, it is bound to look dated well before the car gets its first facelift.That’s where Apple CarPlay
Powered by your iPhone, CarPlay gives your car an interface which looks like iOS, but is simplified so it can be safely and legally used
while driving.Are you Android rather than iPhone Then you'll need Android AutoWhat is CarPlayIn simple terms, CarPlay takes the user
interface of your iPhone and puts it onto the infotainment screen of your car dashboard.This means when your iPhone is plugged in, the
car’s own system is replaced by the iOS home screen, complete with app icons and a virtual home button. CarPlay can be interacted with
via whatever controls your car already has, whether that be a touch screen, buttons, knobs, voice or a combination of all of these.CarPlay
doesn’t include every app on your smartphone, because playing PUBG on your car dashboard is clearly a disaster waiting to happen, and some
elements of apps are replaced by voice and dictation. For example, incoming iMessages and WhatsApp messages are read out to you by Siri
instead of shown on the display.The 2017 Hyundai Elantra supports CarPlay for under $20,000Most cars require you to plug your iPhone into
the USB port with a Lightning cable, but some newer models (like the latest BMW 5-Series) now support wireless CarPlay, which works via the
car’s Bluetooth connection. This is more convenient, but you’ll want to make sure your iPhone is sat on a wireless charger if using
wireless CarPlay, as it can drain the battery quickly if you’re streaming music over 4G and using the Maps app for navigation.CarPlay is
designed to remove the urge to take a quick look at your iPhone behind the wheel
It’s safer, easier and more convenient - or that’s the idea, anyway.Which cars support Apple CarPlayAs of March 2018, there are over 300
models of car with CarPlay available either standard or as a paid-for optional extra. Some cars bundle CarPlay when you opt for the
enhanced sound system, for example, or pick a higher level of cabin trim level. Other manufacturers charge a premium for adding CarPlay on
its own, and the price can vary significantly. For example, Honda includes CarPlay as standard on some models, and Ford includes CarPlay
with its £750 (around $1,000) Sync 3 system in the new Fiesta (along with a larger touch screen and six speakers). At the other end of the
scale, Ferrari charges a huge £2,400 (around $3,000) for adding the software necessary to make it work.We have included a list of
manufacturers currently offering CarPlay at the end of this article
Although it doesn’t include everyone just yet, you’ll be doing well to name a car maker off the top of your head that doesn’t offer
CarPlayApple CarPlay aftermarket solutionsIf you’re not in the market for a new car, you can still get some CarPlay in your life by
installing an aftermarket stereo. Manufacturers like Alpine, Clarion, JBL, JVC, Kenwood, Pioneer and Sony all sell car stereo systems with
CarPlay, as well as other goodies like Android Auto, Bluetooth and DAB digital radio.The JBL Legend CP100 with Apple CarPlayPrices start at
around £200 ($280, AU$360) for an entry-level unit from a company like Power Acoustik, and go beyond £500 ($700, AU$900) for a fold-out
system from Pioneer. What you need to know about these systems is that car stereos come in two sizes; single DIN and double DIN
Single DIN units are usually two inches tall, while double DIN means a system which is four inches tall.The former, like the Pioneer
AVH-Z7000DAB we referred to above, is a single DIN unit with a motorised screen which folds out of your dashboard
Modern cars with their curved dashboards tend to not cater for aftermarket stereos like these without modification to the dashboard -
something which is generally not advisable.Is my iPhone compatible with CarPlayIf you’re still rocking an old iPhone with a 30-pin
connector, then you’re out of luck; any model before the iPhone 5 does not work with CarPlay
No model of iPad or iPod Touch work with CarPlay.But it also means a lot of iPhones do - and here they are:iPhone 5iPhone 5SiPhone 5CiPhone
SEiPhone 6iPhone 6 PlusiPhone 6SiPhone 6S PlusiPhone 7iPhone 7 PlusiPhone 8iPhone 8 PlusiPhone XWhat does CarPlay look likeCarPlay is
designed to look a lot like iOS
Sure, the home screen background is made black and most of your apps are hidden from view, but CarPlay is still the bare bones of your
iPhone. The main screen shows a selection of apps like Phone, Music, Maps and Messages, along with the time, your phone’s signal
strength, and a virtual home button.As you open and close apps, the most recent three appear at the side of the user interface nearest the
steering wheel, making it easy to return to the map, for example, without taking your eyes off the road for more than a quick glance.That
really is the point of CarPlay; it offers access to your iPhone’s core features without distracting you from driving. That’s why most
apps are hidden, and why many employ Siri to read things out rather than letting you read them off the screen. For example, open the
Messages app and you’ll see a list of the most recent people to chat with you, but when you tap on a name Siri reads out any unread
messages, or asks if you’d like to dictate a reply.Notifications appear at the top of the screen as they do on your iPhone, but these are
limited to apps which can be used by CarPlay
If your phone receives a breaking news alert from the BBC, for example, it won’t show up.CarPlay also employs several tricks to make you
spend less time looking at it
If you scroll through the artists list in your Music app, the interface will start showing large letters instead of every artist
Scroll until you get to the right letter, then pick the artist you want.The home screen also shows an app to tap on if you want to return to
the car’s own infotainment system.To adjust the layout of apps on CarPlay you have to head into the Settings app on your iPhone itself
(when it isn’t connected to the car). Tap General, then CarPlay, then the car you want to change the home page of, and move the apps
around as you would on the home screen of the phone itself.Third-party apps compatible with CarPlay:WhatsAppSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle Play
MusiciPlayer RadioCBS RadioPandoraSlacker RadioTidalAudibleNPR OneVOXClammrDowncastWhile this should cater for most people’s music and
messaging needs, mapping is an area where CarPlay could be vastly improved
Only Apple Maps works, so you won’t be able to access Google Maps or Waze while on the move.Default iPhone apps on
CarPlay:PhoneMusicMapsMessagesNow PlayingPodcastsff65e85b7e88cbfd78910d940ac177c3.jpg#
