The new CarPlay is easy the best upgrade in iOS 13. Not because it's amazing, but because it doesn't suck anymore.
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Hands-On With CarPlay in iOS 13: Everything That's New
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Am I imagining it, or didn’t iOS12 have an option in Settings>CarPlay on iPhone to rearrange the apps on the CarPlay screen? There’s now an editable list view, but as my Audi doesn’t have a touchscreen (it has a scroll wheel) I can’t see how to rearrange apps on the CarPlay screen.
I absolutely concede the point that some car manufacturers may not have good smartphone integration, so in those cases, CarPlay is probably fantastic. Having purchased a new BMW a few years ago, I also purchased the CarPlay option (I was curious and I love iPhone), so I was able to compare/contrast them both. CarPlay was total and absolute garbage compared to BMW's smartphone integration and mapping. I was not able to get a refund from BMW, but thank goodness I was able to disable the $400 CarPlay option and exclusively use BMW's smartphone integration.
The only deficiency you speak of is not a deficiency at all. It's user error which is what you are running into.
Nightmode on Carplay is reliant on the lights on the instrument dash being turned to a brightness where it isn't at the top level brightness at night. Seeing how you've only tested this in rental cars, most likely the rental cars have their instrument dash lights at the max brightness (or an internal setting in their own UI set to max brightness) which causes Apple to think you want the brightest possible setting.
For example, i turn the dial on my Mazda MX-5 RF's instrument cluster lights down 1 notch from the brightest setting and instantly night mode auto activates on my iPhone (and yes it will auto turn to day when the car believes its bright enough outside). If I leave it on the brightest setting, it will keep day mode on thinking I want the brightest things like my cluster to be blaring at my face.
Excited for Siri with other music apps and hope SiriusXM gets that implemented into their app ASAP. I only subscribe to the app, not via the in-dash unit. I've been able to tell Alexa to play 90's on 9 on SiriusXM for years. Can't wait to do the same with Siri in CarPlay.
(1) The independent iPhone usage by the passenger is very welcome, indeed.
(2) Siri generally does OK dictating txt messages from the driver, but unfortunately Siri is still hamstrung by the lack of an individual profile. Until Siri has contextual understanding, it will continue ridiculous misspellings, which are totally obvious with some contextual understanding. This is what is needed for the next quantum leap in iOS. Btw, there's plenty of room on all the current iPhones for such a user profile, or wait: we could store a much larger profile in iCloud for all our Apple devices! Without this, we still fall far short of the Knowledge Navigator vision, that Apple created in the 1990's.
(2) Siri generally does OK dictating txt messages from the driver, but unfortunately Siri is still hamstrung by the lack of an individual profile. Until Siri has contextual understanding, it will continue ridiculous misspellings, which are totally obvious with some contextual understanding. This is what is needed for the next quantum leap in iOS. Btw, there's plenty of room on all the current iPhones for such a user profile, or wait: we could store a much larger profile in iCloud for all our Apple devices! Without this, we still fall far short of the Knowledge Navigator vision, that Apple created in the 1990's.
Thank you for that suggestion, I will certainly check that setting with my next rental car, but my complaints about CarPlay versus BMW's integration are far more than just a night mode for maps (BMW maps have far better information, shading, color choices, smoothness of operation, etc. than CarPlay).
I found my old CarPlay post from about a year and a half ago, here was the post from back then that listed some of the issues I found:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...etroit-auto-show.2026668/page-4#post-24349813
Funny, because, having owned a BMW, “total junk” is how I’d describe iDrive. It’s half the reason I got rid of the car. Maybe BMW Cockpit will be better. I guess there’s something out there for everyone.
Okay, but you still didn't asnwer the question...what aspect was better with your beamer?
1. I'm aware of that, but I don't want to rely on the phone as sole source. The base OS of the device should work well as a standalone.
2. [OFFTOPIC] If you read racism in that it's only because you interpret it that way. I do, however, have made my fair share of experience with >devices< designed in certain asian countries. And that's pure statistics on technical design skills.
On that note: I'm a relaxed guy. I don't take things more serious than they are. Especially not some text written on the internet where it seems to have become a culture to take every chance to read something the worst possible way. This has already led to a self-censorship on many plattforms, putting PC first rather than a relaxed discussion, where, yes, not every phrasing might be up to everyone elses standards/expections -which, quite frankly, on the worldwide net is a requirement that is very difficult to meet as people have different understandings of different words, phrases,... Just saying.
I really hope there is an improvement with the CarPlay bugs.
I have used CarPlay since 2015, and there has been many improvements when it comes to bugs, there still is a few really annoying bugs, especially when it comes to third-party app usage.
No. The biggest drain on the phone is the screen and the screen is off for this. So no, it's not a big deal. If I'm going on long trips I plug it in but around town I use wireless. If plugged in it charges just fine.
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There is a variety of navigation apps out there for carplay. Including from the company BMW leases their maps from.
I just had a Pioneer 4500 unit installed. I'm still getting used to it, but so far I really like it. I tried out the Podcast for the first time today...Quick question, do you have to download the episodes to your phone first? I subscribed to a couple of podcast yesterday, but when I tapped the icon in CarPlay, there was nothing there. It showed both of my podcast, but there wasn't anything avail to play. (For some reason one ep was on there today)
I'm assuming I'll just have to download on phone?
Also be aware (I don’t know what level of car you plan to buy) that 3rd party head units are generally MUCH cheaper than built in car play and work just fine (including car play support).
If you’re buying a low end car, buy it with no dealer electronics, buy the best 3rd party head unit you can afford, and you’ll be better off all round.
The main thing you want to check in ANY unit (built in or 3rd party) is
- quality of the screen in various light conditions (direct sun, sun behind you, shadow, ...)
- speed of the GUI, eg how fast buttons respond to presses, how fluid the screen updates.
(Note, these are independent of Car Play — CarPlay can’t make a lousy screen look good, or a slow button respond fast...)
You’d be amazed how crappy these still are, compared to Apple...
No, which is why I never use dash view / dashboard. Though for me it's Waze instead of google maps. Too many speed traps all over the place here, I need that from Waze.
I like CarPlay but I have a 2019 focus running Sync 3 and I just wish I could use the supplied maps instead of Apple waze or google maps
Hey Dan,
Could you check on this function
2018 Honda PassPort
To use Siri you have to press the button on steering or from the dash, if you ask to find/locate a store it would search maps but did not all option to call. Siri only allowed calls with known contacts so i needed too lookup something on phone then call from web browser to transfer to car audio.
Please do a vid about making call an if see the same behavior tell Apple before final iOS 13, please........
Could you check on this function
2018 Honda PassPort
To use Siri you have to press the button on steering or from the dash, if you ask to find/locate a store it would search maps but did not all option to call. Siri only allowed calls with known contacts so i needed too lookup something on phone then call from web browser to transfer to car audio.
Please do a vid about making call an if see the same behavior tell Apple before final iOS 13, please........
Lots of Kenwoods meet your criteria. Not physical buttons, but if your steering wheel has controls, they can probably be hooked up to the Kenwood. Works even with my Mercedes steering wheel controls, and even better with most US and Japanese cars.
Look up car stereo chick to find many reviews.
BTW, if you didn’t know, when you get the head unit installed, it is fairly easy to get a rear camera installed at the same time. Should be no more than $150 for all the camera parts and labor and, IMHO, TOTALLY worth it. Image will auto appear on the head unit screen every time you reverse.
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depends on the podcast app your using. But mostly no, you don't have to download in advance. You can stream them.
[doublepost=1565994620][/doublepost]For those that don't know, with idatalink you retain all your vehicles settings that are often in stock head units. I had to get idatalink. But both my physical stock volume knob works as well as the steering wheel controls. And of course many other vehicle functions can be accessed via the new headunit.
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It's in beta. Apps still need to be updated.
3rd Party Nav - Still a major problem
I would love to use the CarPlay - but a major problem for me is while using Nav like Google Maps or Waze - the phone screen shows me the turn by turn info, while the map is on the car display.
My car display is lower than usual (ford fusion) and I feel it's dangerous to look down all the time (especially when driving Uber).
Other thing I don't like is that when plugged in (connected to carPlay) I can't use the phone for searching something on my way or quick zoom out, etc. The display of the car is less functional and less sensitive.
I would love to use the CarPlay - but a major problem for me is while using Nav like Google Maps or Waze - the phone screen shows me the turn by turn info, while the map is on the car display.
My car display is lower than usual (ford fusion) and I feel it's dangerous to look down all the time (especially when driving Uber).
Other thing I don't like is that when plugged in (connected to carPlay) I can't use the phone for searching something on my way or quick zoom out, etc. The display of the car is less functional and less sensitive.