Pioneer Australia is the first consumer electronics Company to offer Apple’s aftermarket CarPlay head units.
Apple CarPlay allows iPhone5 users to use their iPhone in the car; make calls, use Maps, listen to music and access messages with voice commands or by tapping a touch screen.
All three Pioneer CarPlay-compatible head units, AVIC-F60DAB, AVIC-F960DAB and AVH-X8650BT, are currently on sale in Australia however Pioneer Australia has not announced pricing.
In the USA the devices are priced from $700 to $1,400.
Once an iPhone is plugged into the head unit, the CarPlay user interface automatically launches to let drivers make and receive calls, use Apple Maps for navigation, select stored music and podcasts, and listen to streaming music services, including iTunes Radio.
Users can also use Siri to control these functions by voice as well as compose text messages,
CarPlay also lets users stream Spotify and iHeartRadio, and Apple has promised CarPlay will support more streaming apps.
CarPlay was developed by Apple for use by automakers, and so far, only the Ferrari FF features it, with more to come.
All heads offer Siri Eyes Free, built-in MirrorLink, and AppRadio Mode, which displays the GUI and video of newer iPhones and many Android phones to control stored content and control AppRadio-supported apps.
AppRadio Mode enables control of a greater variety of iPhone apps, all of which are AppRadio-enabled. AppRadio Mode does not deliver voice control of AppRadio-enabled apps.
The nav systems are Cloud-connected via smartphones to access such connected services as traffic, local search, weather, gas prices and more. Information and data-related icons are overlaid on the nav systems’ screens.
Alpine also plans to ship a CarPlay-enabled receiver soon.
