Apple CarPlay touch screen integration
 

Apple's CarPlay looks intriguing. An iOS display on your car's touch screen. with direct Siri integration.

It says it will be available for Nissan "soon" but doesn't make clear if this is just an app and a lightning connector, or if more hardware integration is required. Anyone know more about this? Does is require specific hardware, or will it interface with the existing Nav system display? Will current systems be upgradeable to accept CarPlay?

Apple Announces 'CarPlay' iOS Vehicle Integration Feature - Mac Rumors

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new.../carplay_3.jpg

ahh, new ways to cause more accidents! :tup:

;)

looks good.

All I've heard was for Ferrari, Mercedes and Volvo for now. But I'm pretty much fine with my Nissan Navigation. Seems to do all this via bluetooth, my entire music collection in the cloud for free and can link with any phone.

yah, im not sure if i want to put in a mobile phone maker's factory device in my car since they can live or die within a year.

i rather have the car manufacturer's device that is compatible to the services offered by these companies and app providers.

.. like wat if someone had blackberry factory installed device in their car? LOL :icon17:

yah, that wouldn't be very cool any more. it's hard because cars take 3-5yrs to design and get built. phone makers can die within that time frame.

It is an interesting debate, was discussing with some friends.
Would almost be ideal if the car manufacturers just provide a screen with an input (or bluetooth) and your phone syncs up to it. The average phone is just as if not more powerful than the built in A/V equipment in your car, plus has more functions with deeper details and easier to upgrade. This means if you get a new phone for whatever new feature your car can use it because all it is doing is projecting it onto the screen.

Downside, Apple/Google/MS control more things.

yep, if BT could provide more data and use less power on the device side, this would be the most ideal way. even today aftermarket HU's like my pioneer can sync up to contacts and run native apps (pandora) without even taking the phone out of your pocket.

if the device can be wirelessly charged while in the car (without taking it out of your pocket), and have faster wireless connection to the HU, then that would be the most ideal :tup:

Something else to kill my terrible Iphone battery life?

Well, if it's plugged into the car then it charges at the same time. This device doesn't provide additional functionality over what is already part of the Nav package. When my phone us in the car, I already have Siri available through the car's speakers, but this system looks like it will provide me with a consistent and easier-to-use interface with better integration into my phone. And if they integrate more apps than are available right now at launch (they say more app integration is coming), so much the better. IMHO MotionX Drive blows Nissan's Nav away, especially in the area of map detail.

Why not just use a appradio and AppRadio Extensions, of course I am an android guy myself.

Fairly confident that Apple has another year or two of life left in it.

yah, but i keep my cars for like 10+ yrs these days.
can you safely say apple will be around in 2024? :confused: :icon17:

if one's plugging in the device, it's really meaningless to me. this is 2014...if this is suppose to be new, use wireless charging and wireless connection to the HU. no meaning paying a premium for wired.

Right now this design Apple has released requires you plug in your device via its new connection (forget the name). So it charges while it is in use, this is probably to skip over any battery issues right now until later down the road. Plus a cable connection is probably faster than BT honestly.

On the comment of Apple, they have many years to go, they are positioning themselves into other industries (ie cars) to keep their leverage going. I would prefer to see auto makers do more of a general connection, supports iOS, Android, WP, etc.

is the screen capacitive or resistive? if capacitive makes even less sense cause i cant control it with gloves on. unless you get one of those special gloves.

another reason why i run my pioneer HU to make calls through BT. i can dial from the screen with gloves on while my phone is in my pocket.

That is probably on the car side of choices.
Honestly this just sounds like Apple has put forth a setup that if your phone gets plugged into one of these cars the car will load up an Apple specific UI and allow apps to run.

yep, same thought as my post#4.

I'm guessing this will be terrible for anyone who doesn't have an iPhone? Apple isn't exactly known for making its products play nice with competitors...

yah, i think it would be like a factory option to get this HU. the standard model will probably have a regular HU maybe?

have to remember, steve jobs's goal was to beat out sony. and he did. sony also loves its own proprietary formats and plugs. :ugh: memory stick? :ugh: beta? :ugh2: MD? :wtf2: they are somewat alike in some ways.

Yeh, it doesn't appear to be an all-or-none thing. If you have an iPhone 5 or greater and the right app, you can run CarPlay, but you don't have to. Otherwise, it's just Nissan's Nav package as usual. No reason car mfgrs can't allow other apps, like Android apps, to run too. Hardware might be a problem. Does the Nav package allow Android devices?

Nissan (and others) already have a iPod/iPhone interface. If I plug my iPhone into my 2014 Z or my wife's 2012 Murano, the iPod/iPhone music controls come up on the touch screen. That's old technology.

As to wireless access...apparently that's in the cards. Volvo has already announced it as imminent. Wireless charging? Not ready for prime time in the industry. My original question was whether or not this is likely to be usable on current Nissans with touch screen and iOS interface (in other words, with Nav package)

I thinks it's the car companies' standard touch screen head unit, just with the ability to interface with iOS. You don't have to, just an added benefit for those who want to, only for the price of an app. (of course, you have to have bought the Nav package).

Yeah, it only works with an iPhone. If you have Android, you're stuck with the car company's native software in their Nav package. Just like you are now.

This is why this type of technology should not be proprietary and should be built around a standard interface that Google, IOS, BlackBerry, Microsoft...etc would all need to develop their software (downloadable app) to conform to.

It shouldn't be Apple or Microsoft dictating how it's done. Of course that means someone has to have the technological and monetary swagger to make them all fall behind the idea. But if I were building this, that's what I'd do. Create an open standards interface for all devices to connect to...probably have them use BlueTooth like some of you are suggesting or even a private Wi-Fi LAN for connectivity instead of Lightning or some other proprietary hardware interface.

Yes. I have a Note 3 linked to mine. Streams perfectly, navigation even has all my starred locations from my google maps. The nav interface can be controlled by physical buttons/dial, touchscreen, or from the steering wheel as well. Even voice commands from steering wheel. iPod hookup is in the arm rest.

While driving, its nice to have physical buttons such as the big dial on the nav, answering calls, scrolling through menus, etc. Touch screen can be tricky and dangerous while driving.

Apple had an idea, sold it to the car companies. Android/Google/Microsoft/Blackberry could do the same. Buy the Apple app and hook up to the car. Don't have an iPhone? Buy the Android/Google/Microsoft/Blackberry app and hook up to the car. If such an app exists. If not, blame Android/Google/Microsoft/Blackberry, not Apple or Nissan.

Don't have a smart phone? Your phone mfgr hasn't been smart enough to arrange the app compatibility? Then use the standard Nav package interface. You don't lose anything by not having it, you just gain a little something extra if you do.

I really have no clue if Androids can plug into Nissan's Nav package USB port for on screen control like iOS devices can, but that iPod/ipad/iPhone interface has been an option on most or all of the car mfgrs for years.

If some Android phone mfgr came to the same companies and pitched the same kind of connectivity for Android, I'm certain that they'd all listen.

Not to sure I want to follow directions from Apple maps. LOL But does seem neat, similar to Pioneer Appradio which is nice.

There are quite a few Android stereos out there. This is just iOS step into a dash unit.

I have the Nissan's Navigation package and its pretty awesome, Android/iOS devices are great via bluetooth. As for the iPod hook up, its pretty much trash for me because scrolling through a 160gb iPod can be painful. I rather use Google music, its smart enough to know what i wanna hear.

Hence the expanded Siri interface that's part of CarPlay. All those functions, and more, are available via Siri's voice interface.

It wont be enough to make we wanna dive into that mess. Never a Siri fan, dont wanna get lost either. I'm fine with Nissan's Nav, it's available now, does it all already and has physical buttons (easy and quick). Voice control is a pain and very slow.

Also has backup cam, can play DVD's & video files and best of all, never have to deal with iTunes, the worst program in the world...

Ferrari FF with the Apple integration video (7 minutes)

Unfortunately, Nissans Nav isn't a great system outside of major metro areas, especially compared to some of the $2 navigation apps available for the iPhone. Siri, for all her foibles, simply blows Nissans voice interface away, not to mention all the other features that let do things like access voice messages, radio controls, etc. As to backup cameras, CarPlay has no effect on that. That function works as it always does. Likewise DVDs and other video. Those features not affected.

and constant free update on maps running apps is also a good thing...and not having to have to re-enter contacts.

i know my nuvi has 'life-time maps' option, but still doesnt get the updates like google maps, etc. do

Well, we all know who the apple fanatic is in this room. :icon17:

I hate siri. It can never answer anything consistently and when I need it. The only reason I switched from my Nexus 4 to the iPhone 5s was due to a new job. While the battery life is great, I desperately want Google Now back, which is why I'm not sure I'll be getting another iPhone.

shouldn't you be wiring up LED's or something, bdavis? :confused:

You know Google Now is on the iPhone, with about 90% of the same functionality as its Android counterpart.

Maybe once busy season is over... :shakes head:

Yeah, I like the integration with android. I use it on the iPhone when I remember :ugh2:

I never use it because all my data is currently going through apple services, so Google now really does not pick up on my stuff.
If I switched over to an Android phone I probably would more so.

In the future all Factory OE Car Radios will be able to work with either iOS or Android. They'll be little Linux PC's running a car interface skin like QNX or something with a real time OS.

Neither Google or Apple will own the Infotainment space in the auto exclusively. The Apple Hands Free is Apples first attempt to get into the car in a big way. Google can do the same thing, just wait....

... say, do you drive a delorian by any chance? :icon08:


:rofl2:

Haha, I get it! Future, Delorean, hehe.

My original question has been answered. Apparently it is possible to retrofit Airplay in older vehicles, although the actual mechanism for doing so hasn't been explained. Hope Nissan goes along with that. For my wife's Murano and for me, it would significantly amplify the usefulness of the Nav package on my Z that I was initially reluctant to spend the money on.

CarPlay Integration May Be Possible in Older Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Working on Aftermarket Solution - Mac Rumors