20 ms·

Apple CarPlay

503 points by lele0108 13y ago

madsushi 13y ago
I think that making it an extension of an existing phone was a good choice. When I heard that Apple was planning some sort of device for cars, I was imagining how much of a pain it would be to update apps and keep things in sync with a device in the car. Sounds like it's essentially a second-screen for the iPhone (plus some built-in controls).
epaga 13y ago
What puzzles me is that there has been extremely little improvement to Siri since the first introduction 2.5 (!) years ago - at least, none that I have noticed. That is a long time for there to not be major updates or to release her from beta. I would have expected/hoped that it would be possible to simply silently improve the server-side algorithms because of all the data being sent in and analysed. But so far it's been a big disappointment. Google Now is far better and more useful.
- theswan 13y ago
  Do you mind providing examples of use cases re Google Now vs Siri? Not disagreeing with you - just haven't owned an Android device in the last year to know.
  - sfall 13y ago
    this talks about some of the added features in the app over time http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1961636 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1961636
  - greggman 13y ago
    You can use Google Now on your iOS device (I guess I'm assuming you have an iOS device). Just download the Google App for iOS. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id284815942?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id284815942?mt=8 At least I think that's Google Now. It looks similar though maybe it's missing some features? Of course with it not being integrated into the experience it's not quite the same. (can't appear on your home screen etc...)
  - enscr 13y ago
    9 Months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4LvJOFTlGo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4LvJOFTlGo 3 Months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bohfoK-edfU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bohfoK-edfU
- k-mcgrady 13y ago
  >> "What puzzles me is that there has been extremely little improvement to Siri since the first introduction 2.5 (!) years ago - at least, none that I have noticed. That is a long time for there to not be major updates or to release her from beta." Siri exited beta with iOS 7. As for updates there have been quite a lot but nothing major. They added new more human sounding voices. They added new sources (Wikipedia, Twitter). They added other functions like returning calls, playing voicemail, adjusting brightness. That was just iOS 7. iOS 6 added more I believe.
rdl 13y ago
Tesla and Audi are missing :(
- theswan 13y ago
  I think this suggests either talks between Tesla and Apple didn't go well, or something even bigger (integration wise) could be coming up.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
- dsymonds 13y ago
  http://www.openautoalliance.net/#members http://www.openautoalliance.net/#members
  - rdl 13y ago
    At least in the US market, BMW and Audi seem very likely to have mainly iOS user buyers. In Europe, probably more Android. So picking one platform is basically guaranteed to piss off a sizable part of one's customers. I'd probably go BMW instead of Audi if the BMW had better iOS integration, even though I generally prefer Audis. I assume an Android user would go the other way.
    - k-mcgrady 13y ago
      >> "At least in the US market, BMW and Audi seem very likely to have mainly iOS user buyers. In Europe, probably more Android." How did you come up with that??
      - rdl 13y ago
        BMW/Audi = rich people in the US, who generally are iOS buyers. BMW/Audi = not as rich in Europe, and Android is generally stronger there.
    - 13y ago
deleted 13y ago
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coffeemug 13y ago
Ah finally, no more atrocious pressure-sensitive touch screens. I wouldn't be surprised if this feature alone is sufficient to increase demand for supported brands in large enough quantities to make other manufacturers take notice.
- theswan 13y ago
  Am curious who is in charge on manufacturing the device.. Both car manufacturers and Apple have history of wanting build the "whole widget."
  - ZeroGravitas 13y ago
    The home, menu and volume controls on the left don't look like something Apple would make.
    - rpcc 13y ago
      Those main images are from a 2013/4 honda Civic.
pedalpete 13y ago
It looks as though this is running your your iPhone, virtualized in your cars built-in display. I'm happily surprised to see Apple go this route, as I suspect/hope I don't have to have an iPhone in order to make use of the cars built-in display. Also, if auto manufacturers are going the virtualized route, their is very little preventing Android/WP/Ubuntu/Firefox/etc. to work just as easily.
- emeidi 13y ago
  "virtualized"? I'd rather call it "mirroring".
  - pedalpete 13y ago
    Virtualized is the term virtualbox uses to describe how it works, though mirroring may be a better description.
eurleif 13y ago
What's the deal with third-party apps? I see music apps mentioned, but it looks like there isn't general support. I bet a lot of people will be interested in Google Maps in particular...
- lstamour 13y ago
  Wait for WWDC this summer. Or next. Apple will want to improve this to encourage lock-in to their ecosystem. I'd expect this to expand in functionality in tandem with that of their watch. Both could serve as secondary screens for information you'd normally get on your phone.
  - m_mueller 13y ago
    All that can be said about AppleTV which as been out for years and has gathered quite a large userbase lately.
raghuHack 13y ago
Interesting.. should be quite interesting for app developers. Will apple work with partners or is it open for the app developer community? In the case of the latter, any news on a CarPlay SDK? On another note, I was actually expecting Android to do this first. Interesting times ahead!
- thedudemabry 13y ago
  Haha, the first in-car app that came to mind was an illegal street racing lap timer. Perhaps it's a positive that the App Store censors will be approving apps, at least initially.
onedev 13y ago
Ultimately what I want is an in-car media system that is as up to date as your phone is. I want to swap out my phone for a better in-car experiences, not switch out my entire car (as is the current way of doing it). If this enables that and makes it possible across brands, that's fantastic. In a way it would be an unprecedented level of tech standardization in the car world.
- k-mcgrady 13y ago
  It does enable that as it's just mirroring your iPhone screen to a screen in the car. Same thing you can do with an Apple TV.
jandy 13y ago
The thing which excites me the most about this is the little LTE symbol in the corner. Why? So your navigation app can update itself. We had a Range Rover a few years ago which had some crazy proprietary satnav in which was stuck with five year old maps and a buggy interface. Software Update, mmm.
beloch 13y ago
If I were an auto manufacturer, I'd be pushing Apple to open up the standard for interfacing this with phones. iOS and iPhones are great, but are still only used by a fraction of potential customers. Why limit your market so Apple can score some lock-in?
- mbel 13y ago
  I believe car manufacturers already have a cross platform standard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink Carplay seems to be just Apple reinventing the wheel.
  - josteink 13y ago
    Carplay seems to be just Apple reinventing the wheel. To be fair, that's basically Apple's business models. Just add some proprietary standards and some software patents and you are good to go.
    - mbel 13y ago
      Yeah, I'm absolutely aware of this; it just seems to be so wasteful from engineering point of view.
      - gnaffle 13y ago
        Well, if you look at Airplay, they had a technology that worked well for _years_ until the "leading standard" caught up. They do support other standards such as A2DP though.
      - furyofantares 13y ago
        A drop in the bucket. Thinking just about code, the amount of redundant code or code that will never ship or will only ship to a few people or will be replaced in 5 years must be enormous
    - annnnd 13y ago
      This comment is a bit dismissive. Can you really claim that for iPod, iPhone and iPad? Sure, every invention is based on work of others, but Apple has still made huge improvements on multiple areas.
tomsiw 13y ago
No US car manufacturers in 2014? Why?
PaulMest 13y ago
Why aren't they announcing this at an event? I can't recall Apple releasing something like this without some type of fanfare and subsequent media push.
- jcheng 13y ago
  Might have something to do with the Geneva Auto Show that starts this week, where their automaker partners had already announced they'd be showing this stuff.
- e15ctr0n 13y ago
  It was announced at the 84th International Geneva Motor Show where Volvo, Mercedes, and Ferrari live demo-ed the Apple CarPlay system. https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/03/03Apple-Rolls-Out-CarPlay-Giving-Drivers-a-Smarter-Safer-More-Fun-Way-to-Use-iPhone-in-the-Car.html https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/03/03Apple-Rolls-Out-C... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Motor_Show https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Motor_Show
d135_1r43 13y ago
Product Lifecycle of the big brands are between 6 and 10 years, at least for Daimler and BMW. I do not expect this to appear before 2018. This is nothing you can put in a MOPF.
sloanesturz 13y ago
But when do I get to see the video with Jony Ive describing "Carplay as the most revolutionary product Apple has made. Ever."
hydralist 13y ago
apple maps? nah i'll use google maps with my phone
- capitalisthakr 13y ago
  Surely you would just load the app of your choice from the App Store.
NextUserName 13y ago
I keep waiting to see a car that comes with a tables built into the dash. There are many modders who have accomplished this already, it just seems like the next big thing. Voice control, apps, awesome.
- bruceboughton 13y ago
  It would have to be a pretty low-functionality tablet to be legal in most jurisdictions... like the one Apple have just announced, for example.
GuiA 13y ago
Yay, more touch screen in cars. More ways to distract, frustrate and confuse users who are operating a big box of steel weighing 3 tons and going at speeds the human brain has never evolved to appropriately deal with. 1) Not only are touch screens a very poor interactor in the first place [0], but why do you think planes and other complex machinery have stuck with physical controls? For operating complex vehicles/apparatus, you just cannot do better than tangible controls. Knobs, switches, sliders can be operated without looking at them while giving rich tactile feedback, they have no modes = 0 risk for confusion, you know where they're going to be located on your dashboard regardless of what you're doing, etc. 2) Self-driving cars cannot come fast enough, and every single innovation in the car industry that does not go towards electric self driving cars is just useless fluff at this point. Seriously- then you'll be able to fiddle all you want with your phone, drink, travel while sleepy, arguing your spouse, whatever you want- we'll be saving tens of thousands of lives every year [1], and the secondary social benefits will be fantastic (less cars produced since they don't have to sit on a parking lot 99% of the time, people won't have to spend a year's worth of wages just to buy a car (and then a significant chunk to maintain it), etc.). If society were a game of Civilization, I'd be putting all of my resource points towards the "Self driving cars" achievement. Of course the insurance companies, car manufacturers, oil companies, etc. don't want that to happen- but seriously, fuck those guys. The benefits on human society at large here are so significant that there is no room for caring about the feelings of greedy old white men. [0] http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign/ http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesi... [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in... (the views in this post are a bit on the extreme side- but that's how interesting conversations get started :-)
- talklittle 13y ago
  Looks like you forgot to scroll down. The second thing on the page: Control with a word. Or a touch. Or a twist. CarPlay features Siri voice control and is specially designed for driving scenarios. It also works with your car’s controls — knobs, buttons, or touchscreen. And the apps you want to use in the car have been reimagined, so you can use them while your eyes and hands stay where they belong.
jqquah 13y ago
Hopefully it will stand the heat in the summer or in tropical countries. >.<
lancewiggs 13y ago
Great. While this feels years overdue the iPad was first released in 2010 and auto companies are terribly slow at change. And cars take years to cycle through the global economy - mine is 15 years old. So perhaps velcro or a stand, an iPad, and bluetooth or wire to the radio is a cheap alternative. Or perhaps we will se an aftermarket service as with car radios. The initial launch partners (Ferrari, Hyundai, Honda, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz and Volvo) are all "foreign", which speaks volumes about the adeptness of the US domestic manufacturers. <edit - and yes, electric self-autonomous cars are the endgame. So will this be the control interface?>
- dba7dba 13y ago
  You can't blame car companies for resisting change. They can't send out patches. Their product life cycle is a few years, maybe even a decade, not a year... Funny to see Hyundai called a great marquee by apple... In S Korea, Samsung is considered THE marquee company and Hyundai Motor is a few steps below it...
  - chipotle_coyote 13y ago
    Going to go out on a limb here and say that Samsung will not be one of Apple's partners on this project. I'm over in the States, but are you sure that's really true about Samsung Motors, by the way? After about ten minutes of searching just now, the story looks very different -- Samsung may be a marquee brand in most other markets, but it looks like they're a complete disaster as an auto company. Renault took majority ownership of Samsung Motors in 2000. And their sales have been plummeting since 2010; they're behind both Hyundai and Kia in South Korea, and slashed a rather staggering 80% of their workforce in 2012. One report from that time period said that Samsung wanted to take their name off "Renault Samsung Motors" but Renault wouldn't let them.
    - dba7dba 13y ago
      Sorry I wasn't clear about my statement. I meant in S Korea in general Samsung as a brand is considered a notch above Hyundai brand. I wasn't talking about car business. Just in general Samsung is considered more sophisticated and a brand notch above Hyundai.
lstamour 13y ago
FYI: CarPlay only works in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA. http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#applecarplay-applecarplay http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#applecarplay-... Of the countries supported by Dictation/Siri for most functions, that leaves out China and Hong Kong. Traffic in Maps, however, is supported in additional countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand (wait, why don't they get Dictation/Siri?), Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden. Strangely enough, this means Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, and Korea all have CarPlay but no Traffic information. Huh. Funny way to sell a car navigation system, I'm sure they'll add it soon. :) As for me, a Canadian, I'm surprised to note that Siri is actually that global now. Even restaurant reservations works in Canada and Mexico now (but not outside North America yet). I shouldn't complain, though. I didn't realise movie reviews and showtimes were limited to basically Canada, UK and USA. (Australia gets reviews, but no showtimes.) Notably absent from the Facebook and Twitter integration with Siri (say what?) is China, of course.
aggie 13y ago
Not that it's any surprise, but it's nice to see an emphasis on Siri. Voice control is very well suited to car interfaces: the car is a relatively-quiet, private space where you can be heard by the interface but not bother a stranger, and voice is as hands-and-eyes-free as it gets (not that this is the only challenge with car interfaces – divided attention from the road will only be solved with full autopilot). What I would love to see going forward is real consideration for the optimal mix of buttons, touch-gestures, and voice control. A promising design [1,2] is the combination of mode-selection buttons and a thumb touch pad on the steering wheel. Left thumb holds down one of several modes, right thumb makes a simple gesture (no visual attention needed) and boom, you've got a lot of options for controlling things without taking your eyes of the road. [1] graphic representation: http://i.imgur.com/sHhDLKZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/sHhDLKZ.jpg [2] pilot study: http://pro.sagepub.com/content/57/1/1643.short http://pro.sagepub.com/content/57/1/1643.short
- frik 13y ago
  Voice control works fine in Windows Automotive since at least 2008 [1]. Remember both Microsoft and Apple are using the same voice technology and sound libraries from Nuance Communication [2]. You can change the radio, mp3-playlist, do phone calls, listen the SMS, etc., though the internet enabled services are missing in older editions. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Embedded_Automotive http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Embedded_Automotive [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuance_Communications#Partnership_with_Siri_and_Apple_Inc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuance_Communications#Partnersh....
  - furyofantares 13y ago
    Are you sure it's the same tech? It very well could be, but scroll down on that page to mergers and acquisitions, Nuance seemingly buys every company it can in that space. So they actually have a wide variety of tech and perhaps deals associated with them that predate acquisitions.
    - frik 13y ago
      Yes, it's based on former DragonDictate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonDictate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonDictate The following product: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NaturallySpeaking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NaturallySpeaking Microsoft Auto uses it http://www.nuance.com/company/news-room/press-releases/ND_006329 http://www.nuance.com/company/news-room/press-releases/ND_00... and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sync http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sync And Apple's Siri is Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking cloud service.
jamesjguthrie 13y ago
I'd like to see this available in a double-DIN sized unit that could be fitted in any car. Instead of it only being available in 2014+ cars.
- frik 13y ago
  Sadly, this standard that was once common, is going away. Inbuilt car audio, navigation and entertainment systems age very badly. Seeing a car with a CD or even a cassette drive feels very dated. (the iOS Carplay photos feature a slot CD drive, very old-school for Apple the re-inventor of the mp3 player - the iPod)
  - jamesjguthrie 13y ago
    It's only 'going away' in regards to new car models. There's many millions of second hand cars on the roads all over the world that could facitate an aftermarket double-DIN unit.
- tbyehl 13y ago
  Or as an open standard. There are Chinese companies selling Android decks on eBay that fit into nearly every odd-sized car stereo opening out there, complete with plug-and-play wiring harnesses and steering-wheel control integration. Otherwise, my newest car is seven years old, so maybe I'll get CarPlay around 2022.
beaker52 13y ago
As a consumer, that is an expensive way to find yourself locked in to increasing Apple device prices.
- lostlogin 13y ago
  Why do you say they are increasing? I paid the same for my 5s as I paid for my 4. Thats a decrease after inflation. Macs are much cheaper than they used to be.
  - MaintainPrice 13y ago
    Depends on the country. In the USA the launch price has held steady since the iPhone 4, but everywhere else the off-contract price has been steadily increasing. It's now $720 in Canada. Same with some of the Macs (e.g. Mac mini jumps around during the rare refresh)
    - lostlogin 13y ago
      I'm in New Zealand and it isn't increasing. Neither are Mac prices. Our dollar is increasing in value and the US dollar is falling. Maybe relevant.
- rimantas 13y ago
  Increasing? Like you need to pay more to get the same? In reality the trend is either you get more by paying the same, o you get more, by paying less.
Tycho 13y ago
If Jobs did this, he would have insisted on killing the in-car CD-player while he was at it.
aadilrazvi 13y ago
Seems strange to me that you still have to plug in your iPhone. Nowhere does it say that you can connect via Bluetooth.
- emeidi 13y ago
  Does Bluetooth have the necessary throughput to send 1-3 MP of graphics data with approx. 10+ FPS to a car LCD display? Even if this was possible, it would drain your phone's battery considerably, which means you have to plug in your phone nevertheless to let it charge. Aside, attaching the iPhone via cable will be straight and much less cumbersome and error prone than pairing over Bluetooth.
  - mzs 13y ago
    No it doesn't and it would drain the battery anyway, plugging in is sensible, plus then it can charge the device.
- Robadob 13y ago
  That will be added in the second iteration, as a new innovative feature.
frik 13y ago
CarPlay is compatible with these iPhone models No word about Bluetooth!? Will this be incompatible with Android & co devices? CD drive on the marketing photo, very retro for a company that reinvented the mp3 player with iPod. USB-port is very common, but will CarPlay support it?
li-ch 13y ago
Apple map is still scarily inaccurate [1,2,3]. Why should I or anyone risk this in the car? [1] http://bgr.com/2013/09/25/apple-maps-disaster-runway/ http://bgr.com/2013/09/25/apple-maps-disaster-runway/ [2] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/apple-maps-app-bug-directs-drivers-on-to-airport-runway-8839335.html http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/new... [3] http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/new-class-action-filed-against-apple-regarding-ios-maps.html http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/new-clas...
- josephlord 13y ago
  Firstly if the road sign says no entry don't go down it because the sat nav says to, there are plenty of mistakes in all sat navs and maps and even if there weren't there are changes they can't keep up with, roadworks etc. I wondered what sort of international airport can you drive onto the runway of without being stopped so I looked it up: http://dot.alaska.gov/faiiap/pdfs/GA_Control_Surf.pdf http://dot.alaska.gov/faiiap/pdfs/GA_Control_Surf.pdf It's the Alaskan sort secured by yellow lines and red signs. Now I'm not saying Apple isn't at fault here but I would put greater blame on the airport. I would expect if not manned or electronic gates with an intercom at least there should be a barrier the of some sort to act as a warning. I'm not sure signs and lines are enough for something like an airport. I guess being Alaska manning gates/opening windows or getting out of cars are seriously unappealing activities in the Winter.
- panacea 13y ago
  I don't understand why Apple hasn't purchased Foresquare.
  - leobelle 13y ago
    Foursquare doesn't have its own maps.
    - morganherlocker 13y ago
      Correct, they use mapbox, which uses Open Street Map under the hood.
hrktb 13y ago
I was hoping for some kind of airplay for the car. The main use case would be a third-party navigation or music app seamlessly integrating with this, with some kind of two-way communication with the phone to send back use input. This feels strange and needlessly wall-garden, exactly like the apple TV before airplay.
pioul 13y ago
It looks definitely better than most proprietary car manufacturer software out there, but now that we're talking about extending smartphones' screens and features inside cars, something more interoperable would have been appreciated. It'll probably come later, just not from Apple. Also, putting the emphasis on voice control is great, but I'm really not sure Siri is up to the task. If I had to express my first opinion on Carplay, it'd be "new and shiny but probably not functional enough for it to *really* work as advertised".
frade33 13y ago
I am not against the CarPlay itself, which I think would make a great fit in the car dashboard, I am just unconvinced about the phone and message apps? As both are the Number 1 reason for car crashes., so why would they want it in a car dashboard?
Driff 13y ago
Great.. more assholes social networking instead of watching the bloody road.
morganvachon 13y ago
Wait, so this works with the iPhone 5, yet you have to plug in your phone to make it work? What is this, 2003? I get in my car, the radio syncs up to my WP8 phone via Bluetooth, and if I get a text message I can have the car read it to me. I can dictate the response, or choose to ignore it, or call back the person, all with my voice. It can play music from my phone, including internet radio. I can call up an address search, and the Maps app will give me voice guided turn by turn directions. All of this on a Windows Phone device that stays in my pocket, connected to a single-DIN aftermarket stereo without a fancy LCD, in a 2000 model Toyota. Recent cars with advanced navigation head units can do much, much more than mine. I think Apple is a bit behind the curve here.
- cmelbye 13y ago
  There is not a phone on the market that will project an interface over Bluetooth to a display in the car. What curve are they behind exactly?
  - morganvachon 13y ago
    Do you really think it's mirroring the phone's display onto the car's screen? That would be pointless, as you don't want dozens of irrelevant app icons cluttering your car's display. You want the basic controls that are useful in a car, with large targets that can be hit with a glance and later with muscle memory. If you really think they are just mirroring the display, then you didn't even look at the linked Apple page.
    - shimfish 13y ago
      My guess is that the iOS SDK has been expanded to allow for a second screen that is output over lightning. So no, it's not mirroring the phone screen, but displaying another screen powered by the phone. This would seem to fit with it being iPhone5 and above only as lightning is designed to have these sorts of custom digital output.
      - morganvachon 13y ago
jasonlingx 13y ago
This is what they met Musk about? What a let down.
basicallydan 13y ago
Is this what Tesla and Apple have been talking about?
beedogs 13y ago
Am I alone in thinking Apple should be worrying more about fixing iOS 7 rather than porting it to a lot of new devices? It is easily the buggiest version of iOS I've used (4 through 7.)
- Goopplesoft 13y ago
  Anecdotally I can tell you that I'm not worrying about that because I haven't experienced these bugs you speak of. Maybe I'm not doing something?
- eludwig 13y ago
  Probably not, but they are a big company. They can do both at the same time.
3rd3 13y ago
What kind of display is it so that the finger casts a shadow on it?
djim 13y ago
this would have been cool if it didn't require you to have an iOS device. like the car should just have it built in. the entire iPhone.
valarauca1 13y ago
The problem I see while this is great for consumers is IOS isn't a real-time OS. So it won't be able to manage car sensor data. This means it'll be a hard sell to auto-makers in the US since most want only 1 computer in the car (to do infotainment AND sensor control). This is the holy grail currently in infotainment systems. The only automaker moving in this direction currently is Ford by using blackberry's platform which is Realtime. The problem then being your downgrading from a 600MHz PPC chip to a dual core ARM. Your heat generation decreases significantly, but so does your computational muscle. Honestly I'll be surprised if this catches on with US automakers. Source: Close friends who could possibly lose their jobs if I give names. Or suppliers, some of the outfits who know about this are small.
- mzs 13y ago
  That's not holy grail at all, only one car manufacturer was pushing for that, and they have essentially given-up.
  - valarauca1 13y ago
    From what I understand the Microsoft contract is cancelled, the new company stepping in has a real time OS, and they are testing once again to enable single CPU configurations.
    - mzs 13y ago
      Interesting, thanks. Pretty sure I know the two companies, my take would be one has a lot more riding on this and to take that with a grain of salt.
      - valarauca1 13y ago
        Actually re-spoke to my friend. The Apple and QNX actually use the same board (as QNX is core OS for appleIOS). Apple's been in development of this for over a year. Which Ford shifting to a QNX platform (public knowledge), means we'll likely see this sooner then I predicted.
rickdale 13y ago
Just bought a 2013 Ford Taurus. My car does all of this and more. I can ask Siri any question, she will respond and its quite nice. I can command phone calls, sports scores, directions, etc. Yes the overall system is a little buggy, but I get it done. This is really just a makeover for a problem thats already been solved. I can't help to think that some of the decisions Apple has been making lately (different colored backs on the iphones) were concepts that Jobs was totally against, and then now that he is gone those that were for it are in charge. Apple is going rotten in my opinion.
- madeofpalk 13y ago
  > (different colored backs on the iphones) Don't forget the iMac which came in thirteen different colours, or the iBook G3 with the 5 coloured shells, or the iPod mini, nano and shuffle.
- MBCook 13y ago
  The main difference I see here is the ability to control the display so it can show you directions and make the music interface match the one you're used to.
python2014 13y ago
I'm looking forward to ToiletPlay or iToilet. That beautiful day where multimedia and a beautfully simple solution for wipping my rear end, intertwine as one.
kjjw 13y ago
Yet another piece of technology locked down. I can use any iPhone, Android or feature phone with bluetooth with my Mercedes right now. It will sync with the phone using bluetooth standards to display call history, place calls, receive calls, play and list music on the device, display and edit my contact book. But I recently switched from an iPhone to an android phone - so the next Merc I buy presumably will be a huge step back for me in terms of connectivity with my device.
chiph 13y ago
Hmm. Ford is signed on for future models. Does that mean they're abandoning the much-maligned MyFord Touch?
brudgers 13y ago
The big winners are insurance companies and reinsurance syndicates. When a car wrecks, there will be digital records of where the drivers were and what distractions they had leading up to the incident. Likewise when product liability is alleged against automakers. This is the black box with access to your contacts and browsing history plus the ability to push Taco Bell ads directly to drivers. How much are your iMessage history and watering hole checkins and groundspeed worth to your insurer? Did you consider your insurer passing the cost of their access back to you with markup?
bsaul 13y ago
Anyone here things that combining siri and apple maps to get advices while driving is a recipe for disaster ?
- xutopia 13y ago
  First time I used Apple Maps was for directions to a hospital. It added 30 minutes to my drive. Thankfully it was only a dislocated elbow we were dealing with and not someone choking to death. I have no trust in Apple Maps.
  - taiki 13y ago
    For emergencies, I don't think I'd trust consumer grade anything. My first time using Apple Maps was for driving directions from NY to Baltimore. It was mostly pleasant and the voice directions worked. Mildly annoying though was that when I took a side road to grab lunch, it kept pestering me to get back on the road. Granted, Google maps does the same thing, or did at the time. I switched it up for a short leg of the trip and when I stopped for gas, I nearly lost my mind when Google Maps did it too. How hard could it be to have a side trip mode or to understand the driver is hungry?
return0 13y ago
I was looking for a 2DIN car unit running android the other day and could only find some generic Chinese models. I m wondering why it takes so long for car computers to catch up with the world, it looks like a largely unexploited market. Glad to see Apple stirring the waters, although they ll probably keep their platform closed.
joyeuse6701 13y ago
I'd like to see Android's response.
- Yetanfou 13y ago
  You do realise you're watching Apple's response to the Open Automotive Alliance, I hope? http://www.openautoalliance.net/ http://www.openautoalliance.net/
- e15ctr0n 13y ago
  Google announced the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA)[0] at CES 2014[1] with car manufacturers Audi, GM, Honda, and Hyundai, and chip manufacturer Nvidia[2]. [0] http://www.openautoalliance.net/ http://www.openautoalliance.net/ [1] http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-partnership-to-bring-android-to.html http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-partnershi... [2] http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/01/06/were-joining-google-audi-gm-honda-and-hyundai-to-bring-android-to-your-next-car/ http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/01/06/were-joining-google-...
colinprince 13y ago
Couldn't help noticing this is a significant foray into responsive screen layout for Apple. A good responsive/adaptive layout will give Apple options for more diverse screen sizes and proportions from cars to watches to other phone and tablet aspect ratios. Can't wait.
abruzzi 13y ago
I hope they make this available for aftermarket manufacturers. No way I'm going to spend $80k to replace my '97 Landcruiser with a 2014. Maybe in 15 years, but by then I'd probably need to be running a 15 year old iPhone.
guiomie 13y ago
Too bad I'm 100% cycling/walking.
giarc 13y ago
I'm actually happy to see this. I own a new Chevy vehicle and the integration between my phone and their proprietary system is awful. It seems like the two systems struggle for control. For example, if I am playing music over bluetooth and plug my phone into the USB to charge, it automatically switches to play over USB. The other day I loaded a youtube video on my phone and played it over bluetooth. The in car system didn't understand play and pause and thought I was trying to control my music playlist. It kept switching between YT video and iphone playlist. It was awful.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
jobu 13y ago
Hopefully it works with mapping apps other than Apple's. Not only are the directions often questionable, the app has a terrible user experience. I don't need to be told five times that I should be turning left while I'm waiting at a long stoplight. It's also a pain to see what's coming up in the route.
- testrecord 13y ago
  They say that it supports other apps. I'm sure that one of the many other GPS app makers will release a carplay app like they did for iPhone.
jpalomaki 13y ago
I was not aware that there is also standard that is aiming to do the same thing, called MirrorLink. The concortium seems to have quite many members and this has existed for several years. Apparently it was demonstrated some years ago but I could not find any cars actually supporting it. On mobile phone side it is supported by number of Nokia Symbian phones and quite many Sony Ericsson smartphones. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink
whistlerbrk 13y ago
>> (the views in this post are a bit on the extreme side- but that's how interesting conversations get started :-) says it all. No it doesn't make this conversation interesting. It makes it divisive. It makes people fight each other for no reason. It confuses and disillusions. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM, not greedy old white men, you racist.
mahyarm 13y ago
Now we wait for appradio 4 with carplay integration and you can put this in any car.
brianbreslin 13y ago
I wonder if Ford will upgrade existing microsoft sync systems to work with this?
- e15ctr0n 13y ago
  Ford will switch to BlackBerry's QNX Neutrino real-time operating system[0] and the QNX CAR infotainment platform[1] for the next generation of Sync coming out in 2016[2][3]. [0] http://www.qnx.com/products/neutrino-rtos/neutrino-rtos.html http://www.qnx.com/products/neutrino-rtos/neutrino-rtos.html [1] http://www.qnx.com/products/qnxcar/ http://www.qnx.com/products/qnxcar/ [2] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-22/ford-said-to-swap-blackberry-s-qnx-for-microsoft-in-sync-system.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-22/ford-said-to-swap-b... [3] http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304610404579403041411705368 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230461040...
habosa 13y ago
Why do most car manufacturers insist on having a custom software suite for their cars? Every one I have tried is shittier than the last. Wouldn't they be better served installing a custom version of a well-known operating system? Windows 8, iOS, or Android in the car would be great. They could each have their own app store so that developers who do UX/UI for a living could make great apps for cars. It would have to be an improvement over what we have now. CarPlay is a start, but I want something that doesn't require me to buy an iPhone and plug it in.
- MBCook 13y ago
  > Why do most car manufacturers insist on having a custom software suite for their cars? Value add. Only Ford has Sync. Just like only Sony TVs have blah and only Fujitsu alarm clocks have foo. Sure, no one buys the cars for that. You want a Honda so you buy one and are forced to get BazCarfoTainment 13. But it's the most popular software among small cars (based on models sold) so it must be good, right? Surely that gas mothing to do with the other aspects of the car (except VTEC(r), VSP(r), Fold-o-seats(r), propell-o-toroids, etc.)
  - habosa 13y ago
    They should value add with apps designed on a useful base. Everyone gets a good OS with mapping, etc. and they build the interesting apps they want to build. Like Samsung does for Android.
    - MBCook 13y ago
      The truth is they're like the phone companies circa 2002. They control the platform, and people buy the objects for reasons that have nothing to do with the software they run. Until the software is so bad it hurts sales they don't have to do any better. They are incentivized to keep things in their own little world. Why let Apple sell apps when GM can sell apps? Remember when Tetris on your phone was $5 a month? Yeah, that's just a step away from where we are. The car companies are probably only doing this for two reasons. First they might get put in an Apple ad, and second they want recent iPhone buyers (who, relative to people taking free phones, are likely to have more disposable income to spend on a car). Let's just hope this is more iPhone than Motorola ROKR. I think Apple is powerful enough at this point to avoid another mistake of that magnitude.
benst 13y ago
I really like the sound of this feature, but until it becomes more widely available I'll continue using "Harken For iPhone" in the car. It's much easier to use than Apple's music player (bigger text, large buttons/touch areas). There's also "Harken" on the iPad but I need a new cradle for my iPad so I can't use it at the moment.
hemaljshah 13y ago
This feels like a use case to get rid of any of the iPad mini screens so they can come in with a bigger iPhone. The UI looks really boring and how would this connect with different versions of the iPhone? Definitely not onboard with providing drivers another distraction in the car.
umsm 13y ago
Is it just me, or is anyone else suspicious about Pandora missing from the supported apps?
noja 13y ago
Let your iPhone show you the way? The road is calling? All your music. Beautifully arranged? Who writes this crap? Do they even read the copy back to themselves? Jesus. Lose the taglines!
achairapart 13y ago
This website is horrible: image replacement for most of the text. It's 2014. Seriously, Apple?
- taitems 13y ago
  "It's 2014" and Chrome can't even render a web font that's not hideously jagged on Windows. Even IE renders text better than Chrome these days. Why would the pixel perfect Apple designers leave something as integral as typography up to a browser with rendering problems?
josephschmoe 13y ago
Why can't these touch screens work like the Razer Blade mouse pad? i.e. it's a touch screen, but you couldn't tell because it has metal plates/buttons on top of it. Essentially, it's just a programmable mousepad + keys.
hagope 13y ago
Missing from the lineup: Tesla
hnriot 13y ago
Why are they showing an iPhone 4/4s with a lightning connector?
bane 13y ago
Not that I'm complaining but how did this get through the dupe filter? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7334479 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7334479
bane 13y ago
Tbh this just is a signal to me of what cars to not buy in the future.
nroose 13y ago
Looks like they don't have any aftermarket plans... I have a belkin hands free unit, and a home made bracket for my phone. Works pretty well. Is quite versatile. And I still have use of my regular old radio, which will play NPR or various music at the touch of a button, without using my data or having to tell anyone what I am listening to. My daughters can hook their phones and other devices up by aux cable or the belkin, and they each have a favorite station on the radio. Sure, this system looks pretty slick, but I have a more functional setup for free.
supermatt 13y ago
This is a truly killer move by apple. No longer will you be bound by the 24 month term of your carrier to an apple handset, but you will be tied to using an apple device for the duration of your vehicle ownership.
poub 13y ago
I can't wait for the WWDC where Apple will allow all developers to submit their app following of course meaningful guidelines that fit a car user interface. Then Apple can act as a gateway and the automakers cannot put a veto on which app goes to the car dashboard or not. I think we can learn from the fiasco of Renault trying to create a plateform with their R-link system. In this case the car manufacturer does the filtering of the apps but the rewards are low for the developers : - antique system : android already 3-4 years old! - no access to the car data : it's like making a smartphone app without being able to use the camera in your app. So as the user experience designer you're loosing very important data about the context of the user. - low number of users : not many cars are sold with this system. (Carplay do not have many users yet but has much more potential of growth than R-link). The marketing page of r-link : http://www.renault.co.uk/innovations/r-link/ http://www.renault.co.uk/innovations/r-link/ I think people already showed many time they do want control, variety and choice.
lazydon 13y ago
Oh God! Please no. For someone, who lost his dad in an accident due to a distracted scumbag, this is heart breaking. Just say no to phones (in any form) while you drive. Multitasking is a myth. Try driving on a new road while chitchatting to someone siting next to you; or, even try walking fast while thinking something hard or even recollecting something.

503 points by lele0108 13y ago

I think that making it an extension of an existing phone was a good choice. When I heard that Apple was planning some sort of device for cars, I was imagining how much of a pain it would be to update apps and keep things in sync with a device in the car. Sounds like it's essentially a second-screen for the iPhone (plus some built-in controls).

epaga 13y ago

What puzzles me is that there has been extremely little improvement to Siri since the first introduction 2.5 (!) years ago - at least, none that I have noticed. That is a long time for there to not be major updates or to release her from beta. I would have expected/hoped that it would be possible to simply silently improve the server-side algorithms because of all the data being sent in and analysed. But so far it's been a big disappointment. Google Now is far better and more useful.

theswan 13y ago
Do you mind providing examples of use cases re Google Now vs Siri? Not disagreeing with you - just haven't owned an Android device in the last year to know.
- sfall 13y ago
  this talks about some of the added features in the app over time http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1961636 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1961636
- greggman 13y ago
  You can use Google Now on your iOS device (I guess I'm assuming you have an iOS device). Just download the Google App for iOS. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id284815942?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id284815942?mt=8 At least I think that's Google Now. It looks similar though maybe it's missing some features? Of course with it not being integrated into the experience it's not quite the same. (can't appear on your home screen etc...)
- enscr 13y ago
  9 Months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4LvJOFTlGo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4LvJOFTlGo 3 Months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bohfoK-edfU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bohfoK-edfU
k-mcgrady 13y ago
>> "What puzzles me is that there has been extremely little improvement to Siri since the first introduction 2.5 (!) years ago - at least, none that I have noticed. That is a long time for there to not be major updates or to release her from beta." Siri exited beta with iOS 7. As for updates there have been quite a lot but nothing major. They added new more human sounding voices. They added new sources (Wikipedia, Twitter). They added other functions like returning calls, playing voicemail, adjusting brightness. That was just iOS 7. iOS 6 added more I believe.

rdl 13y ago

Tesla and Audi are missing :(

theswan 13y ago
I think this suggests either talks between Tesla and Apple didn't go well, or something even bigger (integration wise) could be coming up.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
dsymonds 13y ago
http://www.openautoalliance.net/#members http://www.openautoalliance.net/#members
- rdl 13y ago
  At least in the US market, BMW and Audi seem very likely to have mainly iOS user buyers. In Europe, probably more Android. So picking one platform is basically guaranteed to piss off a sizable part of one's customers. I'd probably go BMW instead of Audi if the BMW had better iOS integration, even though I generally prefer Audis. I assume an Android user would go the other way.
  - k-mcgrady 13y ago
    >> "At least in the US market, BMW and Audi seem very likely to have mainly iOS user buyers. In Europe, probably more Android." How did you come up with that??
    - rdl 13y ago
      BMW/Audi = rich people in the US, who generally are iOS buyers. BMW/Audi = not as rich in Europe, and Android is generally stronger there.
  - 13y ago

deleted 13y ago

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coffeemug 13y ago

Ah finally, no more atrocious pressure-sensitive touch screens. I wouldn't be surprised if this feature alone is sufficient to increase demand for supported brands in large enough quantities to make other manufacturers take notice.

theswan 13y ago
Am curious who is in charge on manufacturing the device.. Both car manufacturers and Apple have history of wanting build the "whole widget."
- ZeroGravitas 13y ago
  The home, menu and volume controls on the left don't look like something Apple would make.
  - rpcc 13y ago
    Those main images are from a 2013/4 honda Civic.

pedalpete 13y ago

It looks as though this is running your your iPhone, virtualized in your cars built-in display. I'm happily surprised to see Apple go this route, as I suspect/hope I don't have to have an iPhone in order to make use of the cars built-in display. Also, if auto manufacturers are going the virtualized route, their is very little preventing Android/WP/Ubuntu/Firefox/etc. to work just as easily.

emeidi 13y ago
"virtualized"? I'd rather call it "mirroring".
- pedalpete 13y ago
  Virtualized is the term virtualbox uses to describe how it works, though mirroring may be a better description.

eurleif 13y ago

What's the deal with third-party apps? I see music apps mentioned, but it looks like there isn't general support. I bet a lot of people will be interested in Google Maps in particular...

lstamour 13y ago
Wait for WWDC this summer. Or next. Apple will want to improve this to encourage lock-in to their ecosystem. I'd expect this to expand in functionality in tandem with that of their watch. Both could serve as secondary screens for information you'd normally get on your phone.
- m_mueller 13y ago
  All that can be said about AppleTV which as been out for years and has gathered quite a large userbase lately.

raghuHack 13y ago

Interesting.. should be quite interesting for app developers. Will apple work with partners or is it open for the app developer community? In the case of the latter, any news on a CarPlay SDK? On another note, I was actually expecting Android to do this first. Interesting times ahead!

thedudemabry 13y ago
Haha, the first in-car app that came to mind was an illegal street racing lap timer. Perhaps it's a positive that the App Store censors will be approving apps, at least initially.

onedev 13y ago

Ultimately what I want is an in-car media system that is as up to date as your phone is. I want to swap out my phone for a better in-car experiences, not switch out my entire car (as is the current way of doing it). If this enables that and makes it possible across brands, that's fantastic. In a way it would be an unprecedented level of tech standardization in the car world.

k-mcgrady 13y ago
It does enable that as it's just mirroring your iPhone screen to a screen in the car. Same thing you can do with an Apple TV.

jandy 13y ago

The thing which excites me the most about this is the little LTE symbol in the corner. Why? So your navigation app can update itself. We had a Range Rover a few years ago which had some crazy proprietary satnav in which was stuck with five year old maps and a buggy interface. Software Update, mmm.

beloch 13y ago

If I were an auto manufacturer, I'd be pushing Apple to open up the standard for interfacing this with phones. iOS and iPhones are great, but are still only used by a fraction of potential customers. Why limit your market so Apple can score some lock-in?

mbel 13y ago
I believe car manufacturers already have a cross platform standard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink Carplay seems to be just Apple reinventing the wheel.
- josteink 13y ago
  Carplay seems to be just Apple reinventing the wheel. To be fair, that's basically Apple's business models. Just add some proprietary standards and some software patents and you are good to go.
  - mbel 13y ago
    Yeah, I'm absolutely aware of this; it just seems to be so wasteful from engineering point of view.
    - gnaffle 13y ago
      Well, if you look at Airplay, they had a technology that worked well for _years_ until the "leading standard" caught up. They do support other standards such as A2DP though.
    - furyofantares 13y ago
      A drop in the bucket. Thinking just about code, the amount of redundant code or code that will never ship or will only ship to a few people or will be replaced in 5 years must be enormous
  - annnnd 13y ago
    This comment is a bit dismissive. Can you really claim that for iPod, iPhone and iPad? Sure, every invention is based on work of others, but Apple has still made huge improvements on multiple areas.

tomsiw 13y ago

No US car manufacturers in 2014? Why?

PaulMest 13y ago

Why aren't they announcing this at an event? I can't recall Apple releasing something like this without some type of fanfare and subsequent media push.

jcheng 13y ago
Might have something to do with the Geneva Auto Show that starts this week, where their automaker partners had already announced they'd be showing this stuff.
e15ctr0n 13y ago
It was announced at the 84th International Geneva Motor Show where Volvo, Mercedes, and Ferrari live demo-ed the Apple CarPlay system. https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/03/03Apple-Rolls-Out-CarPlay-Giving-Drivers-a-Smarter-Safer-More-Fun-Way-to-Use-iPhone-in-the-Car.html https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/03/03Apple-Rolls-Out-C... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Motor_Show https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Motor_Show

d135_1r43 13y ago

Product Lifecycle of the big brands are between 6 and 10 years, at least for Daimler and BMW. I do not expect this to appear before 2018. This is nothing you can put in a MOPF.

sloanesturz 13y ago

But when do I get to see the video with Jony Ive describing "Carplay as the most revolutionary product Apple has made. Ever."

hydralist 13y ago

apple maps? nah i'll use google maps with my phone

capitalisthakr 13y ago
Surely you would just load the app of your choice from the App Store.

NextUserName 13y ago

I keep waiting to see a car that comes with a tables built into the dash. There are many modders who have accomplished this already, it just seems like the next big thing. Voice control, apps, awesome.

bruceboughton 13y ago
It would have to be a pretty low-functionality tablet to be legal in most jurisdictions... like the one Apple have just announced, for example.

GuiA 13y ago

Yay, more touch screen in cars. More ways to distract, frustrate and confuse users who are operating a big box of steel weighing 3 tons and going at speeds the human brain has never evolved to appropriately deal with. 1) Not only are touch screens a very poor interactor in the first place [0], but why do you think planes and other complex machinery have stuck with physical controls? For operating complex vehicles/apparatus, you just cannot do better than tangible controls. Knobs, switches, sliders can be operated without looking at them while giving rich tactile feedback, they have no modes = 0 risk for confusion, you know where they're going to be located on your dashboard regardless of what you're doing, etc. 2) Self-driving cars cannot come fast enough, and every single innovation in the car industry that does not go towards electric self driving cars is just useless fluff at this point. Seriously- then you'll be able to fiddle all you want with your phone, drink, travel while sleepy, arguing your spouse, whatever you want- we'll be saving tens of thousands of lives every year [1], and the secondary social benefits will be fantastic (less cars produced since they don't have to sit on a parking lot 99% of the time, people won't have to spend a year's worth of wages just to buy a car (and then a significant chunk to maintain it), etc.). If society were a game of Civilization, I'd be putting all of my resource points towards the "Self driving cars" achievement. Of course the insurance companies, car manufacturers, oil companies, etc. don't want that to happen- but seriously, fuck those guys. The benefits on human society at large here are so significant that there is no room for caring about the feelings of greedy old white men. [0] http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign/ http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesi... [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in... (the views in this post are a bit on the extreme side- but that's how interesting conversations get started :-)

talklittle 13y ago
Looks like you forgot to scroll down. The second thing on the page: Control with a word. Or a touch. Or a twist. CarPlay features Siri voice control and is specially designed for driving scenarios. It also works with your car’s controls — knobs, buttons, or touchscreen. And the apps you want to use in the car have been reimagined, so you can use them while your eyes and hands stay where they belong.

jqquah 13y ago

Hopefully it will stand the heat in the summer or in tropical countries. >.<

lancewiggs 13y ago

Great. While this feels years overdue the iPad was first released in 2010 and auto companies are terribly slow at change. And cars take years to cycle through the global economy - mine is 15 years old. So perhaps velcro or a stand, an iPad, and bluetooth or wire to the radio is a cheap alternative. Or perhaps we will se an aftermarket service as with car radios. The initial launch partners (Ferrari, Hyundai, Honda, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz and Volvo) are all "foreign", which speaks volumes about the adeptness of the US domestic manufacturers. <edit - and yes, electric self-autonomous cars are the endgame. So will this be the control interface?>

dba7dba 13y ago
You can't blame car companies for resisting change. They can't send out patches. Their product life cycle is a few years, maybe even a decade, not a year... Funny to see Hyundai called a great marquee by apple... In S Korea, Samsung is considered THE marquee company and Hyundai Motor is a few steps below it...
- chipotle_coyote 13y ago
  Going to go out on a limb here and say that Samsung will not be one of Apple's partners on this project. I'm over in the States, but are you sure that's really true about Samsung Motors, by the way? After about ten minutes of searching just now, the story looks very different -- Samsung may be a marquee brand in most other markets, but it looks like they're a complete disaster as an auto company. Renault took majority ownership of Samsung Motors in 2000. And their sales have been plummeting since 2010; they're behind both Hyundai and Kia in South Korea, and slashed a rather staggering 80% of their workforce in 2012. One report from that time period said that Samsung wanted to take their name off "Renault Samsung Motors" but Renault wouldn't let them.
  - dba7dba 13y ago
    Sorry I wasn't clear about my statement. I meant in S Korea in general Samsung as a brand is considered a notch above Hyundai brand. I wasn't talking about car business. Just in general Samsung is considered more sophisticated and a brand notch above Hyundai.

lstamour 13y ago

FYI: CarPlay only works in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA. http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#applecarplay-applecarplay http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#applecarplay-... Of the countries supported by Dictation/Siri for most functions, that leaves out China and Hong Kong. Traffic in Maps, however, is supported in additional countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand (wait, why don't they get Dictation/Siri?), Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden. Strangely enough, this means Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, and Korea all have CarPlay but no Traffic information. Huh. Funny way to sell a car navigation system, I'm sure they'll add it soon. :) As for me, a Canadian, I'm surprised to note that Siri is actually that global now. Even restaurant reservations works in Canada and Mexico now (but not outside North America yet). I shouldn't complain, though. I didn't realise movie reviews and showtimes were limited to basically Canada, UK and USA. (Australia gets reviews, but no showtimes.) Notably absent from the Facebook and Twitter integration with Siri (say what?) is China, of course.

aggie 13y ago

Not that it's any surprise, but it's nice to see an emphasis on Siri. Voice control is very well suited to car interfaces: the car is a relatively-quiet, private space where you can be heard by the interface but not bother a stranger, and voice is as hands-and-eyes-free as it gets (not that this is the only challenge with car interfaces – divided attention from the road will only be solved with full autopilot). What I would love to see going forward is real consideration for the optimal mix of buttons, touch-gestures, and voice control. A promising design [1,2] is the combination of mode-selection buttons and a thumb touch pad on the steering wheel. Left thumb holds down one of several modes, right thumb makes a simple gesture (no visual attention needed) and boom, you've got a lot of options for controlling things without taking your eyes of the road. [1] graphic representation: http://i.imgur.com/sHhDLKZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/sHhDLKZ.jpg [2] pilot study: http://pro.sagepub.com/content/57/1/1643.short http://pro.sagepub.com/content/57/1/1643.short

frik 13y ago
Voice control works fine in Windows Automotive since at least 2008 [1]. Remember both Microsoft and Apple are using the same voice technology and sound libraries from Nuance Communication [2]. You can change the radio, mp3-playlist, do phone calls, listen the SMS, etc., though the internet enabled services are missing in older editions. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Embedded_Automotive http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Embedded_Automotive [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuance_Communications#Partnership_with_Siri_and_Apple_Inc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuance_Communications#Partnersh....
- furyofantares 13y ago
  Are you sure it's the same tech? It very well could be, but scroll down on that page to mergers and acquisitions, Nuance seemingly buys every company it can in that space. So they actually have a wide variety of tech and perhaps deals associated with them that predate acquisitions.
  - frik 13y ago
    Yes, it's based on former DragonDictate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonDictate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonDictate The following product: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NaturallySpeaking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NaturallySpeaking Microsoft Auto uses it http://www.nuance.com/company/news-room/press-releases/ND_006329 http://www.nuance.com/company/news-room/press-releases/ND_00... and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sync http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sync And Apple's Siri is Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking cloud service.

jamesjguthrie 13y ago

I'd like to see this available in a double-DIN sized unit that could be fitted in any car. Instead of it only being available in 2014+ cars.

frik 13y ago
Sadly, this standard that was once common, is going away. Inbuilt car audio, navigation and entertainment systems age very badly. Seeing a car with a CD or even a cassette drive feels very dated. (the iOS Carplay photos feature a slot CD drive, very old-school for Apple the re-inventor of the mp3 player - the iPod)
- jamesjguthrie 13y ago
  It's only 'going away' in regards to new car models. There's many millions of second hand cars on the roads all over the world that could facitate an aftermarket double-DIN unit.
tbyehl 13y ago
Or as an open standard. There are Chinese companies selling Android decks on eBay that fit into nearly every odd-sized car stereo opening out there, complete with plug-and-play wiring harnesses and steering-wheel control integration. Otherwise, my newest car is seven years old, so maybe I'll get CarPlay around 2022.

beaker52 13y ago

As a consumer, that is an expensive way to find yourself locked in to increasing Apple device prices.

lostlogin 13y ago
Why do you say they are increasing? I paid the same for my 5s as I paid for my 4. Thats a decrease after inflation. Macs are much cheaper than they used to be.
- MaintainPrice 13y ago
  Depends on the country. In the USA the launch price has held steady since the iPhone 4, but everywhere else the off-contract price has been steadily increasing. It's now $720 in Canada. Same with some of the Macs (e.g. Mac mini jumps around during the rare refresh)
  - lostlogin 13y ago
    I'm in New Zealand and it isn't increasing. Neither are Mac prices. Our dollar is increasing in value and the US dollar is falling. Maybe relevant.
rimantas 13y ago
Increasing? Like you need to pay more to get the same? In reality the trend is either you get more by paying the same, o you get more, by paying less.

Tycho 13y ago

If Jobs did this, he would have insisted on killing the in-car CD-player while he was at it.

aadilrazvi 13y ago

Seems strange to me that you still have to plug in your iPhone. Nowhere does it say that you can connect via Bluetooth.

emeidi 13y ago
Does Bluetooth have the necessary throughput to send 1-3 MP of graphics data with approx. 10+ FPS to a car LCD display? Even if this was possible, it would drain your phone's battery considerably, which means you have to plug in your phone nevertheless to let it charge. Aside, attaching the iPhone via cable will be straight and much less cumbersome and error prone than pairing over Bluetooth.
- mzs 13y ago
  No it doesn't and it would drain the battery anyway, plugging in is sensible, plus then it can charge the device.
Robadob 13y ago
That will be added in the second iteration, as a new innovative feature.

frik 13y ago

CarPlay is compatible with these iPhone models No word about Bluetooth!? Will this be incompatible with Android & co devices? CD drive on the marketing photo, very retro for a company that reinvented the mp3 player with iPod. USB-port is very common, but will CarPlay support it?

li-ch 13y ago

Apple map is still scarily inaccurate [1,2,3]. Why should I or anyone risk this in the car? [1] http://bgr.com/2013/09/25/apple-maps-disaster-runway/ http://bgr.com/2013/09/25/apple-maps-disaster-runway/ [2] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/apple-maps-app-bug-directs-drivers-on-to-airport-runway-8839335.html http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/new... [3] http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/new-class-action-filed-against-apple-regarding-ios-maps.html http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/new-clas...

josephlord 13y ago
Firstly if the road sign says no entry don't go down it because the sat nav says to, there are plenty of mistakes in all sat navs and maps and even if there weren't there are changes they can't keep up with, roadworks etc. I wondered what sort of international airport can you drive onto the runway of without being stopped so I looked it up: http://dot.alaska.gov/faiiap/pdfs/GA_Control_Surf.pdf http://dot.alaska.gov/faiiap/pdfs/GA_Control_Surf.pdf It's the Alaskan sort secured by yellow lines and red signs. Now I'm not saying Apple isn't at fault here but I would put greater blame on the airport. I would expect if not manned or electronic gates with an intercom at least there should be a barrier the of some sort to act as a warning. I'm not sure signs and lines are enough for something like an airport. I guess being Alaska manning gates/opening windows or getting out of cars are seriously unappealing activities in the Winter.
panacea 13y ago
I don't understand why Apple hasn't purchased Foresquare.
- leobelle 13y ago
  Foursquare doesn't have its own maps.
  - morganherlocker 13y ago
    Correct, they use mapbox, which uses Open Street Map under the hood.

hrktb 13y ago

I was hoping for some kind of airplay for the car. The main use case would be a third-party navigation or music app seamlessly integrating with this, with some kind of two-way communication with the phone to send back use input. This feels strange and needlessly wall-garden, exactly like the apple TV before airplay.

pioul 13y ago

It looks definitely better than most proprietary car manufacturer software out there, but now that we're talking about extending smartphones' screens and features inside cars, something more interoperable would have been appreciated. It'll probably come later, just not from Apple. Also, putting the emphasis on voice control is great, but I'm really not sure Siri is up to the task. If I had to express my first opinion on Carplay, it'd be "new and shiny but probably not functional enough for it to *really* work as advertised".

frade33 13y ago

I am not against the CarPlay itself, which I think would make a great fit in the car dashboard, I am just unconvinced about the phone and message apps? As both are the Number 1 reason for car crashes., so why would they want it in a car dashboard?

Driff 13y ago

Great.. more assholes social networking instead of watching the bloody road.

morganvachon 13y ago

Wait, so this works with the iPhone 5, yet you have to plug in your phone to make it work? What is this, 2003? I get in my car, the radio syncs up to my WP8 phone via Bluetooth, and if I get a text message I can have the car read it to me. I can dictate the response, or choose to ignore it, or call back the person, all with my voice. It can play music from my phone, including internet radio. I can call up an address search, and the Maps app will give me voice guided turn by turn directions. All of this on a Windows Phone device that stays in my pocket, connected to a single-DIN aftermarket stereo without a fancy LCD, in a 2000 model Toyota. Recent cars with advanced navigation head units can do much, much more than mine. I think Apple is a bit behind the curve here.

cmelbye 13y ago
There is not a phone on the market that will project an interface over Bluetooth to a display in the car. What curve are they behind exactly?
- morganvachon 13y ago
  Do you really think it's mirroring the phone's display onto the car's screen? That would be pointless, as you don't want dozens of irrelevant app icons cluttering your car's display. You want the basic controls that are useful in a car, with large targets that can be hit with a glance and later with muscle memory. If you really think they are just mirroring the display, then you didn't even look at the linked Apple page.
  - shimfish 13y ago
    My guess is that the iOS SDK has been expanded to allow for a second screen that is output over lightning. So no, it's not mirroring the phone screen, but displaying another screen powered by the phone. This would seem to fit with it being iPhone5 and above only as lightning is designed to have these sorts of custom digital output.
    - morganvachon 13y ago

jasonlingx 13y ago

This is what they met Musk about? What a let down.

basicallydan 13y ago

Is this what Tesla and Apple have been talking about?

beedogs 13y ago

Am I alone in thinking Apple should be worrying more about fixing iOS 7 rather than porting it to a lot of new devices? It is easily the buggiest version of iOS I've used (4 through 7.)

Goopplesoft 13y ago
Anecdotally I can tell you that I'm not worrying about that because I haven't experienced these bugs you speak of. Maybe I'm not doing something?
eludwig 13y ago
Probably not, but they are a big company. They can do both at the same time.

3rd3 13y ago

What kind of display is it so that the finger casts a shadow on it?

djim 13y ago

this would have been cool if it didn't require you to have an iOS device. like the car should just have it built in. the entire iPhone.

valarauca1 13y ago

The problem I see while this is great for consumers is IOS isn't a real-time OS. So it won't be able to manage car sensor data. This means it'll be a hard sell to auto-makers in the US since most want only 1 computer in the car (to do infotainment AND sensor control). This is the holy grail currently in infotainment systems. The only automaker moving in this direction currently is Ford by using blackberry's platform which is Realtime. The problem then being your downgrading from a 600MHz PPC chip to a dual core ARM. Your heat generation decreases significantly, but so does your computational muscle. Honestly I'll be surprised if this catches on with US automakers. Source: Close friends who could possibly lose their jobs if I give names. Or suppliers, some of the outfits who know about this are small.

mzs 13y ago
That's not holy grail at all, only one car manufacturer was pushing for that, and they have essentially given-up.
- valarauca1 13y ago
  From what I understand the Microsoft contract is cancelled, the new company stepping in has a real time OS, and they are testing once again to enable single CPU configurations.
  - mzs 13y ago
    Interesting, thanks. Pretty sure I know the two companies, my take would be one has a lot more riding on this and to take that with a grain of salt.
    - valarauca1 13y ago
      Actually re-spoke to my friend. The Apple and QNX actually use the same board (as QNX is core OS for appleIOS). Apple's been in development of this for over a year. Which Ford shifting to a QNX platform (public knowledge), means we'll likely see this sooner then I predicted.

rickdale 13y ago

Just bought a 2013 Ford Taurus. My car does all of this and more. I can ask Siri any question, she will respond and its quite nice. I can command phone calls, sports scores, directions, etc. Yes the overall system is a little buggy, but I get it done. This is really just a makeover for a problem thats already been solved. I can't help to think that some of the decisions Apple has been making lately (different colored backs on the iphones) were concepts that Jobs was totally against, and then now that he is gone those that were for it are in charge. Apple is going rotten in my opinion.

madeofpalk 13y ago
> (different colored backs on the iphones) Don't forget the iMac which came in thirteen different colours, or the iBook G3 with the 5 coloured shells, or the iPod mini, nano and shuffle.
MBCook 13y ago
The main difference I see here is the ability to control the display so it can show you directions and make the music interface match the one you're used to.

python2014 13y ago

I'm looking forward to ToiletPlay or iToilet. That beautiful day where multimedia and a beautfully simple solution for wipping my rear end, intertwine as one.

kjjw 13y ago

Yet another piece of technology locked down. I can use any iPhone, Android or feature phone with bluetooth with my Mercedes right now. It will sync with the phone using bluetooth standards to display call history, place calls, receive calls, play and list music on the device, display and edit my contact book. But I recently switched from an iPhone to an android phone - so the next Merc I buy presumably will be a huge step back for me in terms of connectivity with my device.

chiph 13y ago

Hmm. Ford is signed on for future models. Does that mean they're abandoning the much-maligned MyFord Touch?

brudgers 13y ago

The big winners are insurance companies and reinsurance syndicates. When a car wrecks, there will be digital records of where the drivers were and what distractions they had leading up to the incident. Likewise when product liability is alleged against automakers. This is the black box with access to your contacts and browsing history plus the ability to push Taco Bell ads directly to drivers. How much are your iMessage history and watering hole checkins and groundspeed worth to your insurer? Did you consider your insurer passing the cost of their access back to you with markup?

bsaul 13y ago

Anyone here things that combining siri and apple maps to get advices while driving is a recipe for disaster ?

xutopia 13y ago
First time I used Apple Maps was for directions to a hospital. It added 30 minutes to my drive. Thankfully it was only a dislocated elbow we were dealing with and not someone choking to death. I have no trust in Apple Maps.
- taiki 13y ago
  For emergencies, I don't think I'd trust consumer grade anything. My first time using Apple Maps was for driving directions from NY to Baltimore. It was mostly pleasant and the voice directions worked. Mildly annoying though was that when I took a side road to grab lunch, it kept pestering me to get back on the road. Granted, Google maps does the same thing, or did at the time. I switched it up for a short leg of the trip and when I stopped for gas, I nearly lost my mind when Google Maps did it too. How hard could it be to have a side trip mode or to understand the driver is hungry?

return0 13y ago

I was looking for a 2DIN car unit running android the other day and could only find some generic Chinese models. I m wondering why it takes so long for car computers to catch up with the world, it looks like a largely unexploited market. Glad to see Apple stirring the waters, although they ll probably keep their platform closed.

joyeuse6701 13y ago

I'd like to see Android's response.

Yetanfou 13y ago
You do realise you're watching Apple's response to the Open Automotive Alliance, I hope? http://www.openautoalliance.net/ http://www.openautoalliance.net/
e15ctr0n 13y ago
Google announced the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA)[0] at CES 2014[1] with car manufacturers Audi, GM, Honda, and Hyundai, and chip manufacturer Nvidia[2]. [0] http://www.openautoalliance.net/ http://www.openautoalliance.net/ [1] http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-partnership-to-bring-android-to.html http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-partnershi... [2] http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/01/06/were-joining-google-audi-gm-honda-and-hyundai-to-bring-android-to-your-next-car/ http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/01/06/were-joining-google-...

colinprince 13y ago

Couldn't help noticing this is a significant foray into responsive screen layout for Apple. A good responsive/adaptive layout will give Apple options for more diverse screen sizes and proportions from cars to watches to other phone and tablet aspect ratios. Can't wait.

abruzzi 13y ago

I hope they make this available for aftermarket manufacturers. No way I'm going to spend $80k to replace my '97 Landcruiser with a 2014. Maybe in 15 years, but by then I'd probably need to be running a 15 year old iPhone.

guiomie 13y ago

Too bad I'm 100% cycling/walking.

giarc 13y ago

I'm actually happy to see this. I own a new Chevy vehicle and the integration between my phone and their proprietary system is awful. It seems like the two systems struggle for control. For example, if I am playing music over bluetooth and plug my phone into the USB to charge, it automatically switches to play over USB. The other day I loaded a youtube video on my phone and played it over bluetooth. The in car system didn't understand play and pause and thought I was trying to control my music playlist. It kept switching between YT video and iphone playlist. It was awful.

deleted 13y ago

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jobu 13y ago

Hopefully it works with mapping apps other than Apple's. Not only are the directions often questionable, the app has a terrible user experience. I don't need to be told five times that I should be turning left while I'm waiting at a long stoplight. It's also a pain to see what's coming up in the route.

testrecord 13y ago
They say that it supports other apps. I'm sure that one of the many other GPS app makers will release a carplay app like they did for iPhone.

jpalomaki 13y ago

I was not aware that there is also standard that is aiming to do the same thing, called MirrorLink. The concortium seems to have quite many members and this has existed for several years. Apparently it was demonstrated some years ago but I could not find any cars actually supporting it. On mobile phone side it is supported by number of Nokia Symbian phones and quite many Sony Ericsson smartphones. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorLink

whistlerbrk 13y ago

>> (the views in this post are a bit on the extreme side- but that's how interesting conversations get started :-) says it all. No it doesn't make this conversation interesting. It makes it divisive. It makes people fight each other for no reason. It confuses and disillusions. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM, not greedy old white men, you racist.

mahyarm 13y ago

Now we wait for appradio 4 with carplay integration and you can put this in any car.

brianbreslin 13y ago

I wonder if Ford will upgrade existing microsoft sync systems to work with this?

e15ctr0n 13y ago
Ford will switch to BlackBerry's QNX Neutrino real-time operating system[0] and the QNX CAR infotainment platform[1] for the next generation of Sync coming out in 2016[2][3]. [0] http://www.qnx.com/products/neutrino-rtos/neutrino-rtos.html http://www.qnx.com/products/neutrino-rtos/neutrino-rtos.html [1] http://www.qnx.com/products/qnxcar/ http://www.qnx.com/products/qnxcar/ [2] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-22/ford-said-to-swap-blackberry-s-qnx-for-microsoft-in-sync-system.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-22/ford-said-to-swap-b... [3] http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304610404579403041411705368 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230461040...

habosa 13y ago

Why do most car manufacturers insist on having a custom software suite for their cars? Every one I have tried is shittier than the last. Wouldn't they be better served installing a custom version of a well-known operating system? Windows 8, iOS, or Android in the car would be great. They could each have their own app store so that developers who do UX/UI for a living could make great apps for cars. It would have to be an improvement over what we have now. CarPlay is a start, but I want something that doesn't require me to buy an iPhone and plug it in.

MBCook 13y ago
> Why do most car manufacturers insist on having a custom software suite for their cars? Value add. Only Ford has Sync. Just like only Sony TVs have blah and only Fujitsu alarm clocks have foo. Sure, no one buys the cars for that. You want a Honda so you buy one and are forced to get BazCarfoTainment 13. But it's the most popular software among small cars (based on models sold) so it must be good, right? Surely that gas mothing to do with the other aspects of the car (except VTEC(r), VSP(r), Fold-o-seats(r), propell-o-toroids, etc.)
- habosa 13y ago
  They should value add with apps designed on a useful base. Everyone gets a good OS with mapping, etc. and they build the interesting apps they want to build. Like Samsung does for Android.
  - MBCook 13y ago
    The truth is they're like the phone companies circa 2002. They control the platform, and people buy the objects for reasons that have nothing to do with the software they run. Until the software is so bad it hurts sales they don't have to do any better. They are incentivized to keep things in their own little world. Why let Apple sell apps when GM can sell apps? Remember when Tetris on your phone was $5 a month? Yeah, that's just a step away from where we are. The car companies are probably only doing this for two reasons. First they might get put in an Apple ad, and second they want recent iPhone buyers (who, relative to people taking free phones, are likely to have more disposable income to spend on a car). Let's just hope this is more iPhone than Motorola ROKR. I think Apple is powerful enough at this point to avoid another mistake of that magnitude.

benst 13y ago

I really like the sound of this feature, but until it becomes more widely available I'll continue using "Harken For iPhone" in the car. It's much easier to use than Apple's music player (bigger text, large buttons/touch areas). There's also "Harken" on the iPad but I need a new cradle for my iPad so I can't use it at the moment.

hemaljshah 13y ago

This feels like a use case to get rid of any of the iPad mini screens so they can come in with a bigger iPhone. The UI looks really boring and how would this connect with different versions of the iPhone? Definitely not onboard with providing drivers another distraction in the car.

umsm 13y ago

Is it just me, or is anyone else suspicious about Pandora missing from the supported apps?

noja 13y ago

Let your iPhone show you the way? The road is calling? All your music. Beautifully arranged? Who writes this crap? Do they even read the copy back to themselves? Jesus. Lose the taglines!

achairapart 13y ago

This website is horrible: image replacement for most of the text. It's 2014. Seriously, Apple?

taitems 13y ago
"It's 2014" and Chrome can't even render a web font that's not hideously jagged on Windows. Even IE renders text better than Chrome these days. Why would the pixel perfect Apple designers leave something as integral as typography up to a browser with rendering problems?

josephschmoe 13y ago

Why can't these touch screens work like the Razer Blade mouse pad? i.e. it's a touch screen, but you couldn't tell because it has metal plates/buttons on top of it. Essentially, it's just a programmable mousepad + keys.

hagope 13y ago

Missing from the lineup: Tesla

hnriot 13y ago

Why are they showing an iPhone 4/4s with a lightning connector?

bane 13y ago

Not that I'm complaining but how did this get through the dupe filter? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7334479 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7334479

bane 13y ago

Tbh this just is a signal to me of what cars to not buy in the future.

nroose 13y ago

Looks like they don't have any aftermarket plans... I have a belkin hands free unit, and a home made bracket for my phone. Works pretty well. Is quite versatile. And I still have use of my regular old radio, which will play NPR or various music at the touch of a button, without using my data or having to tell anyone what I am listening to. My daughters can hook their phones and other devices up by aux cable or the belkin, and they each have a favorite station on the radio. Sure, this system looks pretty slick, but I have a more functional setup for free.

supermatt 13y ago

This is a truly killer move by apple. No longer will you be bound by the 24 month term of your carrier to an apple handset, but you will be tied to using an apple device for the duration of your vehicle ownership.

poub 13y ago

I can't wait for the WWDC where Apple will allow all developers to submit their app following of course meaningful guidelines that fit a car user interface. Then Apple can act as a gateway and the automakers cannot put a veto on which app goes to the car dashboard or not. I think we can learn from the fiasco of Renault trying to create a plateform with their R-link system. In this case the car manufacturer does the filtering of the apps but the rewards are low for the developers : - antique system : android already 3-4 years old! - no access to the car data : it's like making a smartphone app without being able to use the camera in your app. So as the user experience designer you're loosing very important data about the context of the user. - low number of users : not many cars are sold with this system. (Carplay do not have many users yet but has much more potential of growth than R-link). The marketing page of r-link : http://www.renault.co.uk/innovations/r-link/ http://www.renault.co.uk/innovations/r-link/ I think people already showed many time they do want control, variety and choice.

lazydon 13y ago

Oh God! Please no. For someone, who lost his dad in an accident due to a distracted scumbag, this is heart breaking. Just say no to phones (in any form) while you drive. Multitasking is a myth. Try driving on a new road while chitchatting to someone siting next to you; or, even try walking fast while thinking something hard or even recollecting something.