Skip to main content

A Helpful App

                                                              apple.com 

A Helpful App

We all want to be safe on the road, as well as others. But some of us can't help being on our phone or becoming distracted with other things while driving. Thankfully there are a few hand-free options out there, and Apple's CarPlay is one of them. Standard infotainments don't offer what CarPlay does. With CarPlay, you are applying iPhone software expertise to your driving experience, with Siri voice commands.

Sending messages, playing music, asking for directions, streaming radio, or calling people hasn't been easier. All without touching your phone. It relies on Siri voice commands so you can keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Keep in mind, CarPlay is an app, it doesn't replace your standard entertainment system. Your cars typical tasks like adjusting the temperature, view a backup camera, listen to SiriusXM or change your vehicle's general settings must be done after you exit CarPlay. So as long as you have an iPhone 5 or newer, running iOS 7.1 and above, your phone will work with CarPlay. There are 24 different car makers listed, with a total of 114 car models offering CarPlay support.

Can Your Car Work With CarPlay?

A majority of the cars on the list are 2016 or newer models. But you can retrofit it to an older year vehicle with CarPlay through third-party solutions. Pioneer offers 11 different aftermarket options; JBL, Alpine, and Kenwood do as well.

After plugging your phone into Lightning-to-USB cable, you'll need to go through a quick approval process. The app will automatically launch or select from your infotainment system's menu. The screen will show up as a version of your iPhone's home screen. The app is as easy to navigate as any app on your phone. Nothing new, right!

Are All Apps Available?

Here a few things to keep in mind though. Not all apps are available through CarPlay. You can't add, remove or rearrange the icons. The default setup is set in stone. Also, the app is basic. There is no dial pad, you can't view Messages app the way you can on your iPhone. The rest of the apps are the same, simple and Siri dominated.

Oh yeah, if you're a fan of Google Maps, don't expect it to work with CarPlay anytime soon. But a good thing about CarPlay is Apple lists some of the better-known music and radio apps like Spotify, Slacker, and others as being CarPlay-compatible. Siri will work while your phone is in CarPlay mode. So feel free to command Siri to call your mother, she worries about you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Few Facts About the Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company The Ford Motor Company has seen it all since Henry Ford opened the Ford Motor Company in 1902. From producing vehicles for the public to helping with military equipment, going through some rough times in the past, and to some financial problems. The company has proven to be a brand that plans on sticking around for a long time. Here are a few interesting facts that many have not worked out and some that we still see today. Ford Facts Ford was the first company to manufacture and sell cars. Their first model, the Model A, sold for $850 and only hit a max speed of 30 mph.  The Ford assembly line was devised after Henry Ford got the idea from a pig-slaughtering plant.  They offered better pay to their employees offering double the market average pay at $5 a day.  While the first Ford was sold in 1903 to Dr. Pfennig (Ford’s current CEO, Jim Hackett, owns it today), the iconic Ford logo was first introduced in 1907.  Many may not know that H...
Post a Comment
Read more

Classic Automobile Features in You Won't See in Modern Cars

  Classic Features Classic Features in Cars You Won’t See Today Who knows what kids will reminisce about years from now about their first car. Heck, there’s a chance vehicle won’t run on gasoline anymore, and that is something they will look back on and find nostalgic. Vehicles can start with the push of a button on your keychain, you can open the hatchback with the swipe of your foot, and heated seats (my personal favorite) are just a few features you can find in cars today. Here are a few classic features you won’t see today but were the best. Oldies and Goodies One of my favorites, bench seats. For some reason, I always thought they were fun as a kid, but looking back now, I realize how horrible they really were. Being squished between two adults was actually uncomfortable during long rides. I guess as a kid, you feel the front seat was larger than it really was, and sometimes you had it all to yourself- that’s fun. I’m sure several teenage boys took advantage of the seat design...
Post a Comment
Read more

Interesting and Random Facts About Cars

Interesting and Random Facts About Cars We can all agree that the world is a big place. It’s not surprising that there would be unexpected facts about everything from pencils, to history, to science, and everything in between. Some fun facts to know would be about cars. These facts might not make you a millionaire, but they might help you win an argument or make you look good in front of that one girl at the bar. GearHeads have come up with a list of random facts about cars that will possibly educate you and amuse guest at a party. Here Are a Few to Get You Started The most stolen car in the United States is the Honda Accord. One of the ugliest vehicles ever made, the AMC Gremlin, pioneered the style that is now commonly seen in SUV’s – sloped side-window and high hood. The car was only manufactured for eight years (1970-1978) and numbered 671,475 units. The RRP was $1,879.00USD when it was first released, which these days would be over $11,000 USD. In the past 50 ye...
Post a Comment
Read more