Harman debuts first wireless Apple CarPlay integration, launches with BMW 5 Series sedan

AppleInsider

Audio vendor Harman has unveiled a new wireless CarPlay solution for car manufacturers, with the technology first hitting the market as manufacturer-installed gear in the BMW 5 Series Sedan.

Harman is the first manufacturer's system to use CarPlay's wireless implementation with the iPhone connecting through Bluetooth and wi-fi. The new technology allows for simultaneous operation of a vehicle's in-car entertainment and CarPlay navigation while providing calls, music playback, and other features to be controlled through the car's display.

The newBMW 5 Series Sedan comes equipped with technology serving both the driveline and in-cabin creature comforts. Notably, the first shipping iteration of wireless CarPlay is joined by optional assisted driving modes, adaptive cruise control, a heads-up display, and voice and gesture control.

Wireless CarPlay debuted in a beta version of iOS 8 in 2015, with a later arrival as an official feature in iOS 9. Like the original wired CarPlay system, Automakers were slow to adopt the technology, as a whole with a recent spike in adoption.

Wireless CarPlay is also available in after-market solutions.

AppleInsider had a hands-on demonstration with the wireless Alpine iLX-107 receiver during the January Consumer Electronics Show. The Alpine solution uses Bluetooth as a trigger to change over to 5GHz Wi-Fi direct for CarPlay with call audio routed over wi-fi as well. Alpine reports that there is no discernible drain on battery when using CarPlay wirelessly.

Alpine's iLX-107 will launch this February for $900, and is compatible with the iPhone 5 and newer.

Apple's CarPlay is slowly making its way into the mainstream as an increasing number of major manufacturers are include support for the technology. In late January, Subaru said its forthcoming 2018 Legacy will feature CarPlay integration.

rhbellmor

Big question, and it might be a dumb question but will all of us with cars that support CarPlay be able to do wireless with an iOS update or is that a hardware issue?

volcan

https://www.sammobile.com/2017/02/19/harman-international-merger-with-samsung-electronics-approved-by-shareholders/

Samsung Electronics announced in November last year that it had decided to acquire Harman International for $8 billion. This acquisition gives Samsung access to Harman’s automotive business as well as its premium audio brands which include Bang & Olufsen, Harman Kardon, JBL, and more. There was some pushback from minority investors who felt that the price was too low. Some even filed a lawsuit against Harman’s CEO for deciding to sell the company at a price that they perceived to be lower than what the company was actually worth.

However, despite those concerns and the troubles that Samsung is going through these days, Harman International shareholders have voted in favor of the acquisition. This means that a major hurdle is now out of Samsung’s way as it seeks to close this deal in the coming months.

A regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission confirms that 70.78 percent of Harman’s common shares – 49,460,322 out of 69,883,605 shares – were represented at the shareholders meeting either in person or through proxies. 46,921,832 shares were in favor of the acquisition, 2,107,178 against with 431,312 abstentions.

With the shareholder approval now out of the way, the acquisition now requires an approval by antitrust authorities in the United States, South Korea, China and the European Union. Samsung plans on closing this deal by the third quarter this year.

mike1

rhbellmor said:

Big question, and it might be a dumb question but will all of us with cars that support CarPlay be able to do wireless with an iOS update or is that a hardware issue?

Definitely hardware on the car side.

strangedays

id just be happy if the slow-ass auto makers got wired CarPlay across their lines. 2016 Subaru, no CarPlay. lame.

xmhillx

I love my Toyota Tacoma. But Toyota is pissing me off announcing they're not supporting Car Play, rather adopting Ford's infotainment software. Wtf. Why not do both? Probably because Ford wants your user data and privacy data to sell to marketing companies and Apple's CarPlay is a more restrictive system. That and Ford's system is open source; doesn't sound compatible with Apple. Yet even Ford announced they will adopt CarPlay in select 2016/2017 models anyway, which contradicts my theory. Toyota did initially announce support early on, and now says no plans for support. So wtf Toyota? Who knows. 

edited February 2017

robin huber

A little off topic, but maybe someone can help. My iPhone 7 is setup to automatically pair with the infotainment system in my '16 Subaru Forester. But when I come out of the gym listening to a podcast on my phone via AirPods, the car system disconnects the AirPods as it activates it's Bluetooth connection to my phone. Any way to give the configuration in use priority over that?

rg19

Can someone explain a particular aspect of wireless CarPlay that i cannot find anywhere.  When operating in Wifi Direct at 5GHz, does it also operate 'normal' Wifi at 2.4 Ghz? And what about cellular data?

If I'm in my driveway and get connected, will my iPhone also connect to my home wifi for data, while connected via Wifi Direct to the head unit?  Or when out on the road, will it connect to cellular data alongside Wifi Direct?

In either scenario the underlying question is the same.  When seeing a 5GHz Wifi Direct connection, does the phone 'think' it is online via wifi - except that the head unit isn't actually an internet connection, resulting in a total loss of data because it doesn't connect to another wifi and doesn't connect to cellular data because it thinks it is connected to the internet through wifi.

I hope that all makes sense.  I can't imagine Apple would screw this up.  But i don't know enough about Wifi Direct to know if it can tell the phone this isn't really wifi in the normal sense, or if it is capable of dual connections to a router at 2.4GHz while also the head unit at 5GHz.

Thanks

anantksundaram

It was pretty stupid of Apple to allow Samsung to acquire Harmon. Apple should have gone after them. 

It is/was one of the genuinely top-notch CE companies, particularly in the automotive sector. Now I fear that this US gem of a company will disappear into a sea of mediocrity and copycatting under Samsung. 

wood1208

Hope all car manufacturers use Harman's wireless CarPlay solution. I am really mad with one brand and that is Toyota. Their hands-free phone connectivity, Navigation and music infotainment system is so lame that they should not put in their cars.

rezwits

robin huber said:

A little off topic, but maybe someone can help. My iPhone 7 is setup to automatically pair with the infotainment system in my '16 Subaru Forester. But when I come out of the gym listening to a podcast on my phone via AirPods, the car system disconnects the AirPods as it activates it's Bluetooth connection to my phone. Any way to give the configuration in use priority over that?

This may help: keep the music playing. Usually when a new "Bluetooth Speaker" connects, it takes over playing the music. Then when you step out, usually when you open your door all you have to do is double tap (an AirPod) after the music cuts off from the car. But then once again when you enter the car as long as the music is playing when the car connects it should just take over... good luck!

wood1208

anantksundaram said:

It was pretty stupid of Apple to allow Samsung to acquire Harmon. Apple should have gone after them. 

It is/was one of the genuinely top-notch CE companies, particularly in the automotive sector. Now I fear that this US gem of a company will disappear into a sea of mediocrity and copycatting under Samsung. 

Harmon is a very successful and deep penetrated into auto industry comapny. If i was Apple, I would have bought Harmon and fund it to expand to all car manufacturers to help implement CarPlay in their autos.

ben20

Smart move of BMW. Toyota must be loosing a lot of sales over not having CarPlay

paulpeter

Apple car play is doomed to fail in a couple of years. Much to limited. Harman and Samsung will make far more capable and sophisticated integrated systems that will make the proprietary Apple Car play obselete and antiquated.