CarPlay

CarPlay is Apple’s in-car infotainment system that allows iPhone apps to appear on a car stereo’s touchscreen. It lets drivers utilize turn-by-turn navigation from Apple Maps (as well as competing services like Google Maps and Waze).

CarPlay also allows drivers to listen to music or podcasts using their favorite iPhone apps. Plus, it makes it easy to make and receive phone calls and text messages while driving.

Apple introduced CarPlay in 2014. A decade later, more than 800 car models support CarPlay, according to Apple. If your car didn’t come with a CarPlay-compatible touchscreen, you can easily add an after-market device.

Most cars require a wired USB connection to the iPhone to enable CarPlay. However, wireless CarPlay is rapidly becoming more widely available.

Add wireless CarPlay to your vehicle for less than $80

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Get full Apple CarPlay functionality with this 7” display, now under $90.
Navigate, take calls, listen to music and more with this inexpensive CarPlay-compatible touchscreen.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want a major car upgrade without buying a new vehicle? You can add a 7-inch dashboard display that works with Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto for just $78.97 (regularly $139). That’s a great deal on an after-market wireless CarPlay display with a vivid touchscreen.

Designed to put your smartphone’s features and apps front and center in any car, this wireless car display makes road trips easier, safer and more fun. It’s incredibly easy to set up and widely compatible with various automobiles.

Today in Apple History: CarPlay goes for its first drive

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Apple CarPlay in 2014 Volvo
At launch in 2014, CarPlay appeared in Volvo cars, as well as Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari models.
Photo: Volvo

March 3: Today in Apple history: CarPlay goes for its first drive March 3, 2014: With the CarPlay launch, Apple introduces iOS functionality for iPhone users behind the wheel via the car’s in-dash screen.

Showcasing the new car infotainment platform at the Geneva International Auto Show, Apple calls CarPlay “a smarter, safer and more fun way to use iPhone in the car.” Vehicles from Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are the first off the line to incorporate it.

Enjoy wireless CarPlay with this 9-inch touchscreen display

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Upgrade your vehicle with a 9-inch Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible touchscreen for $119.99.
Install this 9-inch wireless touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for only $119.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Built-in car touchscreens that work with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto come standard in most modern cars, but there’s an easy way to enjoy the benefits even if your car is a little dated. Simply add an affordable aftermarket CarPlay display.

With this 9-inch wireless car display, you can enjoy safer accessibility to your smartphone while driving. For a limited time, it’s on sale for only $119.99 (regularly $179).

Add a folding CarPlay display to your ride for just $96

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Equip any car with a voice-activated touchscreen for under $100.
Don't suffer without CarPlay. This affordable touchscreen is easy to install.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Got a car that needs an Apple CarPlay screen? The easiest (and cheapest) way to add CarPlay (or Android Auto) to an older car is to add an aftermarket touchscreen display.

CarPlay puts Apple Maps, Apple Music, podcasts and much more right on your dashboard. This 6.8-inch folding touchscreen is your cheap ticket to the CarPlay party — it’s on sale for just $95.99 (regularly $159).

10-inch touchscreen car display gives you CarPlay (or Android Auto) for just $126

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This 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display can upgrade your ride for under $110.
Save over 40% on a wireless touchscreen Bluetooth display compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Apple CarPlay is a popular perk of many newer cars, but you no longer need a luxury model to enjoy a modern driving experience. For a limited time, it’s cheaper than you’d imagine to add a CarPlay display to any vehicle. This affordable car touchscreen works with Android Auto, too.

How budget-friendly is it? You can currently purchase this 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display that works with both major infotainment platforms for only $125.99 (regularly $199). That’s 37% off a car accessory that supplies access to various helpful and safety-focused features.

Apple Watch sales ban … how did this happen?!? [The CultCast]

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Apple Watch banned - The CultCast episode 626
We honestly never thought this day would come. What's next for Apple Watch?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: You maniacs! You blew it up! A patent dispute nukes Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra from Apple’s website. And by Christmas, the smartwatches will disappear from Apple Store shelves in the United States.

Who knew it would come to this? And what’s next for Apple Watch in this long legal battle?

Also on The CultCast:

  • There’s more bad news for Apple Watch fans. A redesign might render your Apple Watch band collection obsolete!
  • Two luxury automakers show off next-gen CarPlay interfaces, and they look awesome.
  • We’ve got more picks for the best stuff of 2023.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Porsche and Aston Martin preview gorgeous next-gen Apple CarPlay

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Porsche CarPlay
Porsche's CarPlay integration extends all the way across the dashboard.
Photo: Porsche and Apple

Collaborating with Apple, upscale carmakers Porsche and Aston Martin previewed next-generation, more fully integrated CarPlay interfaces for upcoming models Wednesday.

Apple announced next-gen CarPlay in 2022, set to start rolling out in vehicles from more than a dozen makers by the end of 2023 and in 2024.

Apple adds 100+ podcasts with improved access

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iOS 17 gives Apple Podcasts users a refreshed player and queue, episode art, search filters and the ability to connect subscriptions to top apps.
iOS 17 gives Apple Podcasts users a refreshed player and queue, episode art, search filters and the ability to connect subscriptions to top apps.
Photo: Apple

Now you can listen to more than 100 new podcasts from various apps and services in Apple Podcasts, the company said Tuesday.

“Subscribers to Apple Music, Apple News+ and participating apps like Calm and Lingokids can connect their subscriptions to access new shows and more,” Apple noted.

Add wireless CarPlay to almost any car for just $105

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This $105 HUD can connect to almost any car.
Connect this Heads Up Display to almost any car for $105.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want an easy way to add CarPlay to your car? Cars old and new can get an upgrade with this 9-inch car display that supports both Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto.

Enhance your ride without replacing your car’s head unit with this touchscreen car display for just $104.99. That’s 63% off the regular price, making this simple solution one of the cheapest ways to add CarPlay to any vehicle. However, this deal’s only available for a limited time.

The latest AirTag and Apple Watch rumors make us giddy [The CultCast]

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An Apple AirTag and an Apple Watch Ultra: We're talking the latest Apple rumors on The CultCast, episode 606.
AirTags with new functionality and Apple Watches in new colors sound good to us.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Which gets you more excited, an AirTag with new AR capabilities, a pink Apple Watch or a black titanium Apple Watch Ultra? This week’s top Apple rumors fuel our imaginations …

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple touts 1 billion paid subscribers, a gigantic number that pushed the company to record-high revenue for its services division last quarter.
  • Leander cooks up a cheap-and-dirty way to add CarPlay to any car, even an old beater. (Still can’t get him to come on the podcast, though, because … 👀.
  • Tim Cook finally plays the AI card as Apple tries to cash in on the latest tech buzzword.
  • Griffin proves he’s a total nerd the consummate tech collector by revealing what he uses an ancient Apple Newton for these days.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The cheapest and easiest way to add wireless CarPlay to any vehicle

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CarPlay with Fire tablet and adapter

The easiest and cheapest way to add Apple’s CarPlay to any vehicle is with a cheap Amazon Fire tablet and a USB CarPlay dongle.

You don’t need to buy an expensive new car stereo, nor spend the weekend ripping out your dash and fiddling with wiring. Adding a Fire tablet is very plug-and-play, and instantly makes a big difference. It cost me less than $100 and gave my old pre-Bluetooth stereo a new breath of life. Now I have a big, beautiful, 8-inch screen for maps and directions.

However, it took me a while to find the right combination of gear. Plus, you should consider a few things before taking the plunge with this DIY wireless CarPlay hack.

Here’s why people are learning to love Apple Maps

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Apple Maps' use of 3D imagery led the way, but in other ways it trailed Google Maps.
Apple Maps' use of 3D imagery led the way, but in other ways it trailed Google Maps.
Photo: Apple

After its launch in 2012, Apple Maps performed so badly that Apple CEO Tim Cook actually apologized for the service and fired the company’s head of software (for the disastrous launch and other reasons). But now, many people actually choose Apple Maps over Google Maps and other services, according to a new report.

Porsche’s new app integration drives CarPlay forward

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There goes the latest Porsche Cayenne with the new CarPlay app integration.
There goes the latest Porsche Cayenne with the new CarPlay app integration.
Photo: Porsche

Porsche just became the first carmaker to give drivers personalized control over vehicle functions from an app within CarPlay, accessible via new digital controls on the dashboard (and on iPhone).

With the My Porsche app showing up in CarPlay to control features like audio, climate and lighting in the latest Cayenne SUV, the integration may give a sense of what CarPlay could be like soon in other cars.

Ford won’t join GM in dumping CarPlay

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Apple CarPlay
Ford is sticking with CarPlay, even as GM opts out.
Photo: Apple

The Ford CEO Jim Farley indicated his company will not end support for Apple’s CarPlay in the vehicles it makes. He said the decision was an easy one because a majority of Ford buyers own Apple products.

He was asked the question in an interview because rival GM recently announced it will end CarPlay support in some of its vehicles.

Today in Apple history: Apple teams with Volkswagen for iBeetle car

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The first Apple car, a collaboration with VW known as the iBeetle, rolls onto the scene.
The first Apple car, a collaboration with VW known as the iBeetle, rolls onto the scene.
Photo: Volkswagen

April 22: Today in Apple history: Apple teams with VW for the iBeetle. It's the first Apple car! April 22, 2013: The world gets its first Apple car. Well, kind of.

In reality, the iBeetle is a collaboration with German automaker Volkswagen that offers a car “stylistically linked” to Apple. This means Apple-inspired colors, a built-in docking station for your iPhone, and a special app that lets you control the car’s features.

New iPhone 15 leaks sound encouraging! [The CultCast]

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An image of iPhone 14, adorned with the phrases
The iPhone of the future is coming into focus ...
Photo: Apple/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors provide a fuller picture of what to expect this year. Sounds like big changes are coming in iOS 17. But a last-minute reversal means a hardware feature we were counting on probably won’t happen.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Whatever you do, don’t get “juice jacked” this summer. We offer easy ways to avoid this menace.
  • How much would it take to get you to give up your iPhone forever?
  • The morons running General Motors ditched CarPlay. Get ready for sales to crash!
  • A new edition of What We’re Into dishes up pasta, podcasts and a sci-fi show.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Tesla sneaks Apple Music integration into museum exhibit

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Tesla's interface in the museum exhibit showed Apple Music integration.
Tesla's interface in the museum exhibit showed Apple Music integration.
Photo: aaronjcash@twitter.com

It looks like a software update might soon bring Apple Music to Tesla vehicles’ built-in systems at long last. And this modern possibility comes to us from, of all places, a museum exhibit.

Folks spotted Apple Music integrated with Tesla prototype vehicles on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, and the tweets followed.

These are the iOS 16 features we’re still waiting for

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These are the iOS 16 features we’re still waiting for
iOS 16.1 will soon bring features Apple announced months ago.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple announced a plethora of iOS 16 features at WWDC22. But not all of them made their way into the first public release of the OS in September. Some of them will arrive later this year or even in early 2023.

Check out this list of iOS 16 features that we are still waiting for.

New CarPlay feature could let you pay for fuel right from the dashboard

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CarPlay may not take over the whole dashboard with iOS 16, but it may let you pay for fuel from the infotainment center.
CarPlay may not take over the whole dashboard with iOS 16, but it may let you pay for fuel from the infotainment center.
Photo: Apple

Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC22, but most of those new features are a ways from becoming reality. However, the arrival of iOS 16 later this year could see new CarPlay apps for “fuel and driving tasks,” including a way to pay for fuel right from the vehicle’s infotainment center.

Why you’d be crazy to buy the new MacBook Pro [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 550 Apple podcast: There are very few reasons why anybody should buy the new MacBook Pro.
There are very few reasons why anybody should buy the new MacBook Pro.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews for the new M2 MacBook Pro are … not good.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Benchmarks for Apple’s new M2 chip continue to impress, but you can expect even more amazing performance boosts later this year.
  • What the upcoming CarPlay update is really about.
  • Apple TV+ has another hit on its hands with For All Mankind.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

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Get CleanMyMac X today with 5% off at macpaw.app/cultcast. Discount valid until June 30.

WWDC22 recap: Apple revelations make our heads spin [The CultCast]

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WWDC22 recap: There was much info to get through at WWDC22, no wonder Apple software chief Craig Federighi was running like the wind.
There was so much info to plow through at WWDC22, no wonder Apple software chief Craig Federighi was running like the wind.
Image: Cult of Mac
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 16 … iPadOS 16 … macOS Ventura … watchOS 9…. We’re racing as fast as we can through all Apple’s WWDC22 keynote revelations, but we’re gonna need a longer show. It’s our WWDC22 recap!

Also on The CultCast:

  • How about that super-skinny new MacBook Air?
  • And the blazing-fast new M2 chip that powers it?
  • Next-gen CarPlay looks like a total cockpit takeover.
  • What happened to Apple’s AR/VR headset?!?

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Recap WWDC22’s biggest hits via Sketchnotes

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WWDC22 sketchnote
WWDC22_sketchnote
Photo: Andy McNally
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

The WWDC22 keynote contained a blizzard of features and exciting announcements. As in past years, I ended up with two pages of drawings in my notebook. I sketched out the biggest new features coming to iOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9. And then there’s the new CarPlay, Maps, Apple Pay, Messages, the new M2 chip, MacBook Air and more.

For a quick visual recap of the highlights of Monday’s WWDC22 keynote, check out my two pages of sketchnotes below.

These big surprises blew our minds at WWDC22

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Apple's team of software wizards unleashed a torrent of welcome surprises in the WWDC22 keynote.
Apple's team of software wizards unleashed a torrent of welcome surprises in the WWDC22 keynote.
Photo: Apple
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

Credit to Apple: The company managed to sneak some real surprises past the leakers and tipsters. Several reveals during Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote came as a shock to everyone. There’s a new MacBook no one was expecting, a way to use an iPhone as a Mac webcam, a huge revamp to CarPlay and more.

Also surprising were some things that didn’t show show up during the live-streamed event.

Here’s everything unexpected that managed to sneak into the WWDC22 keynote.