CarPlay Feedback: CarPlay or LTE iPad Mini Mounted

[eyeseeyou]

Wanted to upgrade my car deck and since I basically use it as an output for everything on my iphone I began researching the most IOS compatible options out there which basically boiled down to carplay enabled decks which are pretty expensive. Then I saw that someone mounted their ipad mini in their car which I originally thought was ridiculous until I saw how close in size they are to the carplay decks which got me thinking.

LTE(gps) equipped iPad Mini 1($200) + CD iPad Mini car mount($30) = Roughly $230 +- $10 Monthly data fee if you want to go that route

or

New Carplay equipped Pioneer Deck = Approx. $450 plus installation if you decide to pay someone

My loose requirements:
- Hands free Siri
- Semi driving specific interface(carplay) to make it easy to use music apps as a standard car deck
- GPS view

iPad mini
Pros
- Familiar, easy to use interface
- OS is consistently updated by apple
- App store full of gps and music apps
- Multi use product
- Easily viewable information, gps, music, etc

Cons
- Can be bulky depending on how it is mounted
- Might attract potential thieves
- Can be distracting when driving for those who aren't responsible while driving
- If you're not paying for data will need to download and possibly pay for gps apps and music
- Doesn't look "stock"
- Bulky

CarPlay
Pros
- Clean, stock look
- Forces you to be a safe driver by disabling some phone features
- Car specific interface
- AppRadio specific, pioneer supported car interface
- Latest "tech"
- Displays your phone information on a larger screen

Cons
- Expensive
- Can become incompatible when IOS is updated
- Limited compatibility with IOS apps
- No CD player
- Limited GPS options
- OS not consistently updated

What do you think? Do you know of anyone who uses carply/ipad mini mounts that have had a good/bad experience?

 

[eyeseeyou]

No feedback?

 

[pjfan]

Wanted to upgrade my car deck and since I basically use it as an output for everything on my iphone I began researching the most IOS compatible options out there which basically boiled down to carplay enabled decks which are pretty expensive. Then I saw that someone mounted their ipad mini in their car which I originally thought was ridiculous until I saw how close in size they are to the carplay decks which got me thinking.

LTE(gps) equipped iPad Mini 1($200) + CD iPad Mini car mount($30) = Roughly $230 +- $10 Monthly data fee if you want to go that route

or

New Carplay equipped Pioneer Deck = Approx. $450 plus installation if you decide to pay someone

My loose requirements:
- Hands free Siri
- Semi driving specific interface(carplay) to make it easy to use music apps as a standard car deck
- GPS view

iPad mini
Pros
- Familiar, easy to use interface
- OS is consistently updated by apple
- App store full of gps and music apps
- Multi use product
- Easily viewable information, gps, music, etc

Cons
- Can be bulky depending on how it is mounted
- Might attract potential thieves
- Can be distracting when driving for those who aren't responsible while driving
- If you're not paying for data will need to download and possibly pay for gps apps and music
- Doesn't look "stock"
- Bulky

CarPlay
Pros
- Clean, stock look
- Forces you to be a safe driver by disabling some phone features
- Car specific interface
- AppRadio specific, pioneer supported car interface
- Latest "tech"
- Displays your phone information on a larger screen

Cons
- Expensive
- Can become incompatible when IOS is updated
- Limited compatibility with IOS apps
- No CD player
- Limited GPS options
- OS not consistently updated

What do you think? Do you know of anyone who uses carply/ipad mini mounts that have had a good/bad experience?

Does your car have Bluetooth for phone calls? If not, go CarPlay all the way.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Does your car have Bluetooth for phone calls? If not, go CarPlay all the way.

Does your car have Bluetooth for phone calls? If not, go CarPlay all the way.

It does have Bluetooth through the single din.

I have a lte 32gb iPad mini for $180 waiting to be picked up.

 

[cheezeit]

i've debated this option to

Option 1 - Car play
- I lose my stock radio and the features like viewing system info
- I lost stock backup cam
- Could attract attention since they will see a high dollar screen/unit right there
- Nice integration and not bulky, sleek, stock like

Option 2 - Tablet
- Removable so that when you park drop it under your seat
- Dont have to remove/lost any stock features (if any are worth not losing)
- If you have a good mounting solution Id go this route, can be a little more at first but it gives you a multipurpose with the tablet, and if you don't want to do tablet, you could just use the radio.

There are some custom mounts that incorporate the tablet like a indash unit, costs a pretty penny but looks sleek and gives you the versitility of removing it when you're parked for security or the option of using the tablet inside

 

[eyeseeyou]

i've debated this option to

Option 1 - Car play
- I lose my stock radio and the features like viewing system info
- I lost stock backup cam
- Could attract attention since they will see a high dollar screen/unit right there
- Nice integration and not bulky, sleek, stock like

Option 2 - Tablet
- Removable so that when you park drop it under your seat
- Dont have to remove/lost any stock features (if any are worth not losing)
- If you have a good mounting solution Id go this route, can be a little more at first but it gives you a multipurpose with the tablet, and if you don't want to do tablet, you could just use the radio.

There are some custom mounts that incorporate the tablet like a indash unit, costs a pretty penny but looks sleek and gives you the versitility of removing it when you're parked for security or the option of using the tablet inside

And CarPlay basically just puts a preselected list of apps on display on the car deck.

With the new iOS update you can text and make phone calls through an iPad if needed but at the same time will force you to only view a non phone interface if using a tablet.

 

[eyeseeyou]

i've debated this option to

Option 1 - Car play
- I lose my stock radio and the features like viewing system info
- I lost stock backup cam
- Could attract attention since they will see a high dollar screen/unit right there
- Nice integration and not bulky, sleek, stock like

Option 2 - Tablet
- Removable so that when you park drop it under your seat
- Dont have to remove/lost any stock features (if any are worth not losing)
- If you have a good mounting solution Id go this route, can be a little more at first but it gives you a multipurpose with the tablet, and if you don't want to do tablet, you could just use the radio.

There are some custom mounts that incorporate the tablet like a indash unit, costs a pretty penny but looks sleek and gives you the versitility of removing it when you're parked for security or the option of using the tablet inside

I was thinking of getting one of those cd deck mounts since I don't use my CD player anyhow. It would place the tablet where my radio deck controls are anyhow.

 

[cheezeit]

http://www.soundmanca.com/ Check those out. Looks slick for mounting. and I usually get by with just mounting my 6+ for my radio needs but not being able to do music landscape is annoying. Picked up an android tablet to pplay with and use for my car since i have more control/options and my calls can still be routed to the car separately

 

[eyeseeyou]

Picked up the lte iPad mini 1 and mounted.

I think the key ingredient to making this a CarPlay equivalent is the data feed which I have not signed up for yet.

I do have some downloaded playlists and Tom Tom app installed and my initial feedback is that I instantly miss streaming Apple Music and Waze.

Will post more updates and possibly pics

 

[eyeseeyou]

Another update for those thinking of going this route or similar.

2 apps that provide a carplay/stock navigation type experience are:

icarconnect

and

MIIV

At this point it doesn't seem like they've been updated but pretty much reflects the stock car navigation plus ios integration experience for free.

 

[Jason McAndrews]

To respond to some of your CarPlay cons from my firsthand experiences:

CarPlay
Cons

- Can become incompatible when IOS is updated

- I know with my Pioneer deck, they've released a firmware update for it and I've only had it for about 3 months so I wouldn't say that it will become incompatible unless they start treating CarPlay like it's an OS and do a CarPlay 2. My take on it though from what I've seen is more like CarPlay is background "app" on your iPhone vs. an OS. The deck just acts as a conduit so it's not really a matter of incompatibility since your phone is driving CarPlay.

- No CD player

- This is inaccurate. My deck actually has a DVD drive. I know there are some CarPlay decks that are strictly digital media receivers but I'm pretty certain there are more that have a CD/DVD drive than don't.

- OS not consistently updated

- CarPlay is updated in some way by Apple in almost every iOS update. I'd say that's pretty consistent. There have been several little kinks they've worked out since I've been using it and features added since it's essentially an app.

What do you think? Do you know of anyone who uses carply/ipad mini mounts that have had a good/bad experience?

I personally think CarPlay is great. It's not perfect, but it's better than any alternative if you are an iPhone user. If you understand it's a very new area (for both Google and Apple) and you don't expect absolute perfection, I think you will find it to be very good and it's getting better all the time.

 

[eyeseeyou]

To respond to some of your CarPlay cons from my firsthand experiences:

CarPlay
Cons

- Can become incompatible when IOS is updated

- I know with my Pioneer deck, they've released a firmware update for it and I've only had it for about 3 months so I wouldn't say that it will become incompatible unless they start treating CarPlay like it's an OS and do a CarPlay 2. My take on it though from what I've seen is more like CarPlay is background "app" on your iPhone vs. an OS.

- No CD player

- This is inaccurate. My deck actually has a DVD drive. I know there are some CarPlay decks that are strictly digital media receivers but I'm pretty certain there are more that have a CD/DVD drive than don't.

- OS not consistently updated

- CarPlay is updated in some way by Apple in almost every OS update. I'd say that's pretty consistent. There have been several little kinks they've worked out since I've been using it and features added since it's essentially an app.

What do you think? Do you know of anyone who uses carply/ipad mini mounts that have had a good/bad experience?

I personally think CarPlay is great. It's not perfect, but it's better than any alternative if you are an iPhone user. If you understand it's a very new area (for both Google and Apple) and you don't expect absolute perfection, I think you will find it to be very good and it's getting better all the time.

Isn't it set up in a way that if you want the latest version of CarPlay that you have to get the latest pioneer deck?

The latest pioneer deck that has CarPlay 4 doesn't have a DVD/cd drive. So even though there's a firmware update you're still stuck at whatever version of CarPlay your deck has. Is your deck running CarPlay 4?

 

[Jason McAndrews]

Isn't it set up in a way that if you want the latest version of CarPlay that you have to get the latest pioneer deck?

The latest pioneer deck that has CarPlay 4 doesn't have a DVD/cd drive. So even though there's a firmware update you're still stuck at whatever version of CarPlay your deck has. Is your deck running CarPlay 4?

Again, CarPlay is just an app and the stereo just acts as a conduit to display it. The deck has nothing to do with limiting CarPlay functionality. CarPlay isn't really in "versions" like you are referring to. That's like saying we're on Messages 9 for iPhone. I'm sure somewhere there is a revision number internally at Apple for CarPlay but it's just CarPlay. If you update your iOS, CarPlay gets updated, hence what you are seeing on your stereo is the most updated version. I think you are referring to AppRadio 4 by Pioneer which is Pioneer's numbering for their digital media only deck (no disc drive) Most if not all the NEX series decks are CarPlay decks and have CD or DVD drives. I have the AVH-4000NEX.

Think of CarPlay and your stereo like a Blu-Ray Player and your TV.

Your TV has the capability of displaying Blu-Ray media but cannot do it with out a Blu-Ray Player and your TV just acts as a monitor for what you do on your Blu-Ray Player.

Your stereo has the capability of displaying CarPlay software but cannot do it without an iPhone hooked up running the CarPlay app and your stereo just acts as a touch screen monitor for what you do on CarPlay.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Again, CarPlay is just an app and the stereo just acts as a conduit to display it. The deck has nothing to do with limiting CarPlay functionality. CarPlay isn't really in "versions" like you are referring to. That's like saying we're on Messages 9 for iPhone. I'm sure somewhere there is a revision number internally at Apple for CarPlay but it's just CarPlay. If you update your iOS, CarPlay gets updated, hence what you are seeing on your stereo is the most updated version. I think you are referring to AppRadio 4 by Pioneer which is Pioneer's numbering for their digital media only deck (no disc drive) Most if not all the NEX series decks are CarPlay decks and have CD or DVD drives. I have the AVH-4000NEX.

Thanks for the clarification.

So technically if I could find a deal on an older model CarPlay enabled deck that could be an option.

The deck is more like an external monitor to display a version of iOS that's safe for driving.

 

[Jason McAndrews]

Thanks for the clarification.

So technically if I could find a deal on an older model CarPlay enabled deck that could be an option.

The deck is more like an external monitor to display a version of iOS that's safe for driving.

That is 100% correct.

In retrospect I can understand now what you were thinking... CarPlay does NOT live on the stereo, it lives as an app on your iPhone. The stereo is just CarPlay compatible.

And on a side note, if I'm not mistaken, every iPhone from the 5 up has CarPlay.

 

[eyeseeyou]

So here's the current setup.

As stated before the intent was to provide a cheaper CarPlay like experience.

The lte iPad mini was about $160 and mount was about $10.

Overall the experience is fueled by a data connection which with my company discount would probably come out to about $5-10.

I think I'll probably stick with the 6+ with the car hud app until I can find a steal on a CarPlay deck.

 

[BusaBoyBrown]

Isn't it set up in a way that if you want the latest version of CarPlay that you have to get the latest pioneer deck?

The latest pioneer deck that has CarPlay 4 doesn't have a DVD/cd drive. So even though there's a firmware update you're still stuck at whatever version of CarPlay your deck has. Is your deck running CarPlay 4?

[doublepost=1532459909][/doublepost]CarPay is updated through Apple Updates. I have a Pioneer AVH-4201NEX and you download the update for the radio firmware and BlueTooth firmware from pioneer onto a usb stick or an SD Card and stick it into your head unit and there’s an option in system configuration to upgrade radio head unit and Bluetooth firmware for stereo. So your phone, head unit and Bluetooth all stay up to date so you don’t have to keep buying new stereo’s/headunits. pioneer stays up to date with Car Play and any Bluetooth updates or advances. You don’t need to have to buy a new radio every year. That would be the stupidest, most illogical thing for a reputable stereo mfg to do is not provide a firmware update solution and make everyone pay for a new $600 radio each year. Why would anyone think this?