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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Pioneer Electronics, a company that manufacturers many in-car electronic systems, is looking into the possibility of implementing CarPlay compatibility with both its existing and future products. The news comes courtesy of a Pioneer customer service representative and was relayed to MacRumors via a reader.

Introduced in early March, CarPlay is Apple's iOS vehicle integration system that allows an iPhone to take over the in-dash display of a car, providing Siri-controlled voice access to features like Maps, phone functions, messages, and music.

carplay_screenie_2-800x337.jpg
While the service initially debuted solely in new cars from Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo, it appears CarPlay could be introduced into a wide range of existing vehicles through Pioneer, which offers aftermarket navigation and audio systems for cars.

Because Apple has thus far only announced CarPlay partnerships with specific car manufacturers for new 2014 models, it has been unclear whether the service is compatible with older vehicles. CarPlay does, however, work in conjunction with BlackBerry's QNX Car Platform, which is used to power many existing in-car infotainment systems installed in a wide variety of automobiles, suggesting aftermarket solutions are indeed a possibility.

Mercedes-Benz, one of Apple's official CarPlay partners, has also indicated that it is working on aftermarket installations, but Pioneer's potential solution is more promising as it would be available in a wider range of existing vehicles.

Apple has officially announced deals with several different vehicle manufacturers including Honda, Ford, GM, Jaguar, and Hyundai, in addition to Volvo, Ferrari, and Mercedes-Benz, but it appears the company is also striking deals with accessory manufacturers like Pioneer, suggesting CarPlay could be widely distributed to vehicle owners over the course of the next few months.

(Thanks, Matt!)

Article Link: Pioneer Working on Aftermarket CarPlay Compatibility
 

Rudy69

macrumors 6502a
Mar 30, 2009
790
2,415
I would be interested (since I'm not going to buy a new car just for Carplay), but in the end it will depend on the quality of the product and the price.
 

moldy lunchbox

macrumors 6502a
Sep 9, 2010
777
340
Sunny California
This would be perfect as I'm in the market for a touchscreen aftermarket car head unit, but I'm looking to buy one this week and not at the end of the year or later.
 

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
Wish Alpine would do it for their 2013+ lineup.

Pioneer seems to have always supported existing models better than Alpine for the most part.
 

christarp

macrumors 6502
Oct 29, 2013
478
768
Does apples carplay have any caveats that they require to let automakers use carplay integration? I would really love if they got rid of resistive touch screens... and were actually responsive within like 100ms of being touched rather than a second delay.
 

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
I'm almost scared to consider how big Apple are going to become in the next 5 years. This, with the addition of a rumoured wrist device and TV, is going to take the market by storm. And of course 5 years' worth of incremental iPhone updates ;)
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
Oo yeah, that's a great solution !!
It should be available for the Aftermarket.
 

KindredMAC

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2003
975
218
Aftermarket is a MUST if Apple wants it to take off. I would buy one for each of my cars.
 

CrAkD

macrumors 68040
Feb 15, 2010
3,180
255
Boston, MA
Awesome I'll be first inline if they offer it in their app radios or any radio that doesn't include expensive innards. Their top of the line gps units are like $1000. Too much but id be willing to spend $500 tops to get carplay.
 

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
3,327
3,015
I have a 11 year old car with 90k miles on it. Probably another year or so to get to 100k and then I will buy a new car and CarPlay will be a requirement. Until then, I don't know if I will do any mods to my current heap of a car. Still for those that have a more recent car that is worth investing in, this sounds like a good thing.
 

ogun7

macrumors regular
Sep 20, 2001
187
57
Pioneer already has the AppRadio 3. Theyv'e been iterating on it and it works pretty well. I think CarPlay would give it a boost. I've been considering it for my old trusty GTI.
 

CindyRed

macrumors member
May 26, 2011
77
0
Thanks Pioneer, I was about to sell all my worldly possessions and rob a bank to buy a Ferrari just to use Carplay. *rips out crappy stock stereo and lousy bluetooth visor clip from his second hand Buick.
 

radiologyman

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2011
755
271
Carplay is built upon blackberry os. So looks like pioneer is looking at updating firmware/os on some head units to add carplay.
 

Swift

macrumors 68000
Feb 18, 2003
1,825
964
Los Angeles
Somebody's getting Pioneer now

Oh, damn. Now that nice Sony with Bluetooth is going to have to be replaced.

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Carplay is built upon blackberry os. So looks like pioneer is looking at updating firmware/os on some head units to add carplay.

Not quite right. It will run on top of a number of OSes. But it's still iOS.
 
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