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CarPlay Now Available in Select 2014 and Newer Mazda Vehicles as $199 Dealer-Installed Upgrade

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Mazda today announced that CarPlay and Android Auto are now available as part of a dealer-installed upgrade in select 2014 model year and newer Mazda vehicles equipped with the Mazda Connect infotainment system in the United States.

mazda-carplay.jpg

The dealer-installed upgrade has a suggested price of $199 plus the cost of labor and includes both hardware and software components. Eligible vehicles will be equipped with a faster-charging 2.1-amp USB port, in addition to the latest version of Mazda Connect with CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Eligible customers can schedule an appointment with a Mazda dealership to have the approximately two-hour upgrade service completed.

CarPlay and Android Auto will also be preinstalled in 2018 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured in November 2018 or later, excluding the Sport model, in the United States. Those who purchased a 2018 Mazda6 earlier in the year can opt for the dealer-installed upgrade option with the $199 fee waived.

CarPlay and Android Auto are also preinstalled in the 2019 Mazda CX-9 and the 2019 Mazda CX-5 in the United States.

CarPlay is Apple's in-car software that enables iPhone users to access a range of apps from a vehicle's dashboard display, such as Messages, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Radio, Pandora, WhatsApp, Downcast, Slacker Radio, Stitcher, and as of iOS 12, Google Maps and Waze.

Mazda previously announced that CarPlay would be available as a dealer-installed upgrade for a suggested price of $443 including labor in Canada by November, but it's unclear if the option is available there yet. It's also available in the UK for £350.

Article Link: CarPlay Now Available in Select 2014 and Newer Mazda Vehicles as $199 Dealer-Installed Upgrade
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/11/21/carplay-mazda-2014-and-newer-vehicles/
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redpandadev

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2014
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If Toyota offered this, I'd already be at the deal giving them my money. It sucks for 2018 buyers, but I feel like $199 is a fair price given that hardware components are part of the deal. An aftermarket unit could cost anywhere from double to ten times that much
 
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Vanilla35

Vanilla35

macrumors 68040
Apr 11, 2013
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Evan Blue said:
Yay! Now I can call my dealer for them to say “what’s CarPlay?”
Click to expand...

When I was waiting on the RF model's to ship for the first time I was telling my dealer where the boat had left from, where it was headed, and what inventory was on it. The dealer guy had none of that information himself, I just had to tell him what to do the entire time, was pretty funny.
 
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makingdots

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Aug 14, 2008
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Nicksd84 said:
Such a joke they put in under powered USB ports to begin with. Straight cash grab to install and software upgrade. Could easily do both on my own.
Click to expand...
Just do it. They are not forcing you to upgrade, avail their service nor buy their cars.
 
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zoozx

zoozx

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Jul 23, 2002
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scottrngr said:
Maybe it's me, but CarPlay is pretty underwhelming. Especially if your car has built in navigation. The only thing I use it for is sending and receiving texts.
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Yeah i just got a new car and thought wow great CarPlay.
SNOOZE.
Come on Apple This could be so much better. Kind of a Joke.
Can't imagine what a POS it was before the last update that allowed other apps to work in it.
 
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AustinIllini

AustinIllini

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Oct 20, 2011
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scottrngr said:
Maybe it's me, but CarPlay is pretty underwhelming. Especially if your car has built in navigation. The only thing I use it for is sending and receiving texts.
Click to expand...
  1. CarPlay gets upgraded over time with the iOS and App upgrades. Auto nav doesn't usually get upgraded.
  2. CarPlay is far better than what people are doing (mounting their phone in particular)
  3. Like you mentioned, sending messages and calling people is super easy.
  4. While the input method varies from car to car, it standardizes the interfaces for iPhone users
It's meant to be safer and upgradable. It's both of those things.
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zoozx said:
Yeah i just got a new car and thought wow great CarPlay.
SNOOZE.
Come on Apple This could be so much better. Kind of a Joke.
Can't imagine what a POS it was before the last update that allowed other apps to work in it.
Click to expand...
What do you need it to do? It's designed to be pretty limited because you're DRIVING A CAR
 
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dmylrea

macrumors 601
Sep 27, 2005
4,797
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zoozx said:
Yeah i just got a new car and thought wow great CarPlay.
SNOOZE.
Come on Apple This could be so much better. Kind of a Joke.
Can't imagine what a POS it was before the last update that allowed other apps to work in it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. A decade old user interface doesn't help it. People say it's basic, drab UI is to keep drivers from being distracted, but I see more exciting billboards on the freeway that distract me more than just some decent album art, etc., would...
 
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dewski

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Aug 20, 2011
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That's not awful considering what they charge for the parts. I did mine myself but the parts were $160 alone.
[doublepost=1542809630][/doublepost]
scottrngr said:
Maybe it's me, but CarPlay is pretty underwhelming. Especially if your car has built in navigation. The only thing I use it for is sending and receiving texts.
Click to expand...
It's only really useful for navigation. Factory navigation in our Jeep and Mazda is garbage. Its nice have google maps with satellite view and waze.
 
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AlphaTeam

AlphaTeam

macrumors regular
Sep 26, 2005
189
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Does CarPlay suck for anyone else?
Mine is riddled with problems. When I make calls people hear an echo of themselves back. Depending on when I plug my phone in, it will sometimes connect and others it won't. It will just randomly disconnect. It happens over multiple phones, multiple OS's, and multiple model of phone. Its very frustrating.
 
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locovaca

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May 14, 2002
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Nicksd84 said:
Lol. Yea, but they sold the cars with promise of it coming that it was ready for upgrade. I will be upgrading, but it’s a cash grab plain and simple.
Click to expand...

CarPlay was not even around when the first of these cars were made. And no manufacturer can just switch up their design in a few months. I applaud Mazda for this, it is a trend we need more manufacturers to follow. The cost of the upgrade is a shadow of what a new, DECENT aftermarket unit would cost, and it still wouldn’t integrate 100% like a factory unit does.
 
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ghostface147

ghostface147

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May 28, 2008
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I had a 2016 Mazda6 and while the rotary knob wasn't an issue for me, the overall responsiveness of the infotainment system was terrible. You also aren't allowed to use the touchscreen if above 5 mph. Bluetooth is slow to connect and the graphics are low resolution. Compare it to my 2018 Accord and their infotainment is markedly faster and advanced.

$199 doesn't seem too bad for a hardware upgrade and software update. I am curious on how they are updating the software since they blocked USB access with a recent version of the current software since people like me were hacking the infotainment system. The only thing I ever did was disable the touchscreen lockout.

As for CarPlay itself, I don't really use it. If it was wireless, I'd use it a lot more.
 
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nebo1ss

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,903
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I am yet to see the benefit to CarPlay at least in my case. I have a new BMW and the CarPlay option i declined was extremely expensive. My iPhone is linked bluetooth to the car and I have access to all of the music and the contacts for the nav and audio system. I have handsfree phone capability and can make and end calls from the car with the phone in my pocket. i am very happy with the NAV system on the BMW.
 
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