CarPlay (Explain it like I am five)

[slateya]

Help me understand CarPlay. I’ve never owned a car with an infotainment screen. From the cars I’ve been in and what I’ve read it looks like CarPlay is a patch to be able to get a phone to interface with the vehicles infotainment system.

Where there is no infotainment system in the slate, and there will be a slate app that interacts with any vehicle information there is, what would CarPlay be used for?

I will have my phone and its native user interface that I’m used to for all of my apps that I might want. I can open the slate app if I want to see anything to do with the vehicle. I could leave my phone in my pocket so there’s no distractions while driving as well.

Just looking for some help understanding.

 

[Saint Alban]

Apple CarPlay is just for iPhones and is almost like mirroring your iPhone onto your cars screen. Instead of using your stock radio user interface it will turn it into a screen that looks like the one I’ve attached here. Showing all the compatible CarPlay apps and integrating with your vehicle so you can do things like ask Siri to text or call someone, use whatever GPS app you’d prefer instead of the one your car came with, etc. It can be wired or wireless. With wireless, you just get in and it automatically connects to your iPhone. Any car brand that comes with CarPlay will have the same CarPlay screen when using it. I assume android auto is the same but only for android with their user interface, I have not tried it.

 

[Saint Alban]

Help me understand CarPlay. I’ve never owned a car with an infotainment screen. From the cars I’ve been in and what I’ve read it looks like CarPlay is a patch to be able to get a phone to interface with the vehicles infotainment system.

Where there is no infotainment system in the slate, and there will be a slate app that interacts with any vehicle information there is, what would CarPlay be used for?

I will have my phone and its native user interface that I’m used to for all of my apps that I might want. I can open the slate app if I want to see anything to do with the vehicle. I could leave my phone in my pocket so there’s no distractions while driving as well.

Just looking for some help understanding.

Forgot to add, if there is no screen, like in the Slate, CarPlay won’t be a thing. You’d just use your phone the way you normally would but the audio come through the slates speakers over Bluetooth or aux jack if you’ve added them.

 

[slateya]

Forgot to add, if there is no screen, like in the Slate, CarPlay won’t be a thing. You’d just use your phone the way you normally would but the audio come through the slates speakers over Bluetooth or aux jack if you’ve added them.

Thanks for the reply. What you’re saying is what I understand it to be.

Seeing all the posts on here with people who want to add a car stereo unit with a CarPlay screen or add a CarPlay dedicated screen is what made me ask the question.

Why add that to the slate?

 

[Saint Alban]

Thanks for the reply. What you’re saying is what I understand it to be.

Seeing all the posts on here with people who want to add a car stereo unit with a CarPlay screen or add a CarPlay dedicated screen is what made me ask the question.

Why add that to the slate?

That is something that I want as well. I’m used to getting into my car and my phone is already connected wirelessly to the radio with CarPlay. I don’t have to take my phone out and put it on a mount and remember to take it again when I get out (I’ve left my phone in the car plenty of times that way). I’d also like a larger screen than my phone for GPS but I’m not getting a tablet in order to do that and carry that around with me as well. I’m definitely not leaving that in the car because it will get stolen. It’s just that convenience that I think those people like me want.

 

[Adam W]

Why add that to the slate?

So you can leave your phone in your pocket, and not have to fumble around with plugging it in and taking it back out every time you get in or leave the truck.

 

[zipn]

So you can leave your phone in your pocket, and not have to fumble around with plugging it in and taking it back out every time you get in or leave the truck.

Yep -with wireless carplay it's seamless.

For me, the BEST thing about having carplay (or Andriod Auto I suppose) is that the user interface is the same regardless of the car. YOUR APPs, YOUR CONTACTs, YOUR STUFF goes with you. No need to fiddle with some auto's built-in crappy phone/nav interface.

I also DON"T want to be fiddling with my phone while I am driving. Having a carplay screen for navigation (WAZE is my favorite. I use it for most trips even in town when I know where I'm going) lets me keep my phone in my pocket, or resting out of the way on a wireless charger.

Many double-DIN stereos have a large screen with carplay/AA. That's my plan should I wind up with a SLATE.

 

[Adam W]

I would hope the Slate app itself will also be compatible with CarPlay/Android Auto.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm trying to understand the nuances myself, too. No experience with CarPlay or Android Auto. I believe it has enforced safety issues also. Notice that the Home screen in the sample above doesn't have any video apps, for example Apple TV. I'm happy with that decision, plus I think it takes political/social pressure off iOS & Android.

As Zipn says, it lets you step into your car and use the device that you already know how to operate. A bigger screen is probably better for maps. I assume the Slate app will inform the smartphone about battery charge, make it easier to find chargers, probably offer some other car stats.

I have used Microsoft/Ford's SYNC infotainment system, but only version 1. That was pretty basic, controlling a phone and the radio. It included voice commands, but I never even tried them.

 

[Saint Alban]

I'm trying to understand the nuances myself, too. No experience with CarPlay or Android Auto. I believe it has enforced safety issues also. Notice that the Home screen in the sample above doesn't have any video apps, for example Apple TV. I'm happy with that decision, plus I think it takes political/social pressure off iOS & Android.

As Zipn says, it lets you step into your car and use the device that you already know how to operate. A bigger screen is probably better for maps. I assume the Slate app will inform the smartphone about battery charge, make it easier to find chargers, probably offer some other car stats.

I have used Microsoft/Ford's SYNC infotainment system, but only version 1. That was pretty basic, controlling a phone and the radio. It included voice commands, but I never even tried them.

Correct, it doesn’t mirror all of your apps. Just the ones compatible with CarPlay. All the video watching apps aren’t available and stuff that just wouldn’t be sensible to be using in a car. Games, social media, YouTube, etc. It puts everything useful in car friendly positions. Although, I’m not really a fan of physically using a touchscreen while driving because you need to look at what you’re pressing to know what you’re doing. I like physical knobs and buttons that you don’t need to look at which is why I like the old fashioned HVAC knobs.

 

[cvollers]

Help me understand CarPlay. I’ve never owned a car with an infotainment screen. From the cars I’ve been in and what I’ve read it looks like CarPlay is a patch to be able to get a phone to interface with the vehicles infotainment system.

Where there is no infotainment system in the slate, and there will be a slate app that interacts with any vehicle information there is, what would CarPlay be used for?

I will have my phone and its native user interface that I’m used to for all of my apps that I might want. I can open the slate app if I want to see anything to do with the vehicle. I could leave my phone in my pocket so there’s no distractions while driving as well.

Just looking for some help understanding.

It presents IOS apps (non-video) in a way that makes them easy to use while driving…usually on a screen larger than your phone. Easily my favorite is voice enabled messaging (text to voice and vice verse) both to receive and to respond. Easy to use maps and navigation too. It’s easy to get addicted to (I was with my previous vehicle), but once you break the addiction you realize you can get by with just your phone just fine. I use my phone to listen to YT vids which you absolutely can’t do with CarPlay.