CarPlay is the system that allows you to control the applications of your iPhone in your car. With major manufacturers already adopting this system and Apple increasingly opening the platform to third-party applications, we want to show you how it works.
Control it with voice commands, with physical or touch controls, read your WhatsApp, send them, navigate with Maps, listen to podcasts or music, We show you how this interesting platform works that only needs an iPhone 5 or later to function.
Different options
C can be wireless or wired. In the first case, you don't need anything, except to wirelessly connect your iPhone to your vehicle. In the second, you will need a Lightning cable and a USB port that is usually on the armrest or on the dashboard of the vehicle. Once connected CarPlay will launch automatically and its characteristic home screen will appear in your vehicle.
In addition to these two modes, there are two ways to control it: via a touch screen or physical control knobs. In my case, the screen is not tactile, so I have to use a rotating wheel that allows me to navigate through the different options and applications that CarPlay offers. The menus are perfectly optimized so that switching from one to another is quick and straightforward, because when you are behind the wheel you cannot afford distractions.
Voice control, recommended
But the best thing is that you forget about the touch screen or the control knob, and that you get used to giving voice instructions to Siri. In fact, quite rightly there are applications like WhatsApp that do not allow you to read anything, and everything must be done by voice. It will read your messages and you can dictate new messages, but always using your voice. I was already used to using Siri in the vehicle, but now even more so.
To invoke Siri you can always resort to "Hey Siri" and wait for him to answer you, although when the music is loud and there are more noises such as conversations from other passengers, it does not always respond as you expect. You can also use the button you will have on the steering wheel for the vehicle's voice assistant, if you hold it down for a couple of seconds Siri will wait for your instructions. Listening to music, a podcast, reading or sending messages, or asking it to guide you to a destination, all of this is perfectly possible without having to touch the screen or any control knob.
A very basic interface
The applications interface is very simple. Due to its design and the size of the letters, it seems that you are facing a poorly optimized application, now that we are used to so much detail on the screen of our iPhone or iPad, but there is no other way to do it. Few options but really useful so that what you really need is at hand and you don't have to waste more time than is strictly necessary. The audio player applications are very similar, they are called Apple Music, Amazon Music, Podcasts or Spotify. Here Apple's rules are very strict and I think it's the right way to go.
It is clear that it is much easier to control it using the touch screen than with a control wheel, but after a few days of practice and a relatively short learning curve you will be able to access all the functions and switch from one application to another very quickly. Yes, I insist, save the wheel or screen for when you're standing still and get used to the voice prompts whenever you are on the go, or your companion learns to use CarPlay and choose the music for you.
Everything is on your iPhone
The screen of your vehicle is still a mirror of what is on your iPhone, an external monitor. The car does not store anything, it does not have its own connectivity with CarPlay, and the music or podcasts you listen to will be stored on your iPhone or using its data connectivity, something that you will have to consider if you are going to travel through areas where the coverage is not as desired.
The advantage of having CarPlay by cable is that your iPhone will always be charging, so GPS navigation or streaming won't drain your battery during a long journey, Unlike. The moment you disconnect it from its lightning cable, CarPlay will close and the system menu that includes your vehicle as standard will appear.
The best is yet to come
Apple has finally opened its platform to third-party browsers, and Google Maps, Sygic and Waze have already confirmed that their applications will be available in CarPlay when iOS 12 launches. With a vast majority of new vehicles already incorporating CarPlay, some even standard, the platform seems to be still in an early stage and the best is yet to come.
