Pioneer announces first aftermarket Apple CarPlay systems, coming this summer starting at ...

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2020
Apple's forthcoming CarPlay standard for in-vehicle dashboards won't be limited to new cars, as Pioneer announced on Tuesday that it will be bringing five aftermarket options for customers to install in their existing vehicles this summer.




CarPlay support will be come via a firmware update to five of Pioneer's new NEX in-dash multimedia receivers, featuring large in-dash LCD displays that can be installed in most existing vehicles. CarPlay support means users will have Siri voice control for making and receiving calls, reading and responding to text messages, using Apple Maps for navigation, and listening to music, podcasts and iTunes Radio.

"Pioneer's years of expertise integrating smartphone connectivity into the automotive environment has provided us the opportunity to be among the first to offer CarPlay to drivers," said Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for the Car Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics Inc. "By providing an aftermarket option, Pioneer's 2014 in-dash multimedia systems give many iPhone owners the ability to add CarPlay to their current vehicles."




The entry-level option will be the AVH-4000NEX model, which starts at $700. Other, more fully featured models will be priced at $750, $900, $1,200, and $1,400.

Beyond CarPlay support, Pioneer has also promised that its lineup of NEX dashboard installations will have a more responsive user interface than previous models. The company also says that sound quality, convenience and safety have all been enhanced.




The announcement comes after another report indicated that Alpine will also be bringing its own CarPlay options to the market. Alpine has not yet confirmed the rumors, but it's been said the units will cost between $500 and $700, and will debut this fall.

Tuesday's announcement from Pioneer stands in contrast to comments made by Kenwood to AppleInsider last month, when the company said that CarPlay wouldn't be in any of its 2014 products. At the time it was suggested that Apple might be reserving CarPlay as an OEM option for automakers -- something that obviously is not the case.

CarPlay was officially announced by Apple at the Geneva Motor Show on Monday. A rebranding of the "iOS in the Car" functionality unveiled by the company last year, CarPlay will debut in select vehicles this year from partners Volvo, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Hyundai, and Ferrari. Future partners include Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Kia, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more.

For more, see AppleInsider's inside look at the technology that drives Apple's CarPlay standard.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 43
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    $700???

    I doubt my vehicle is worth adding $700 of anything into it. I'll stick with my iPhone mounted on the dash, thanks.
  • Reply 2 of 43
    Will any of these allow me to use iTunes Radio without using my data?
  • Reply 3 of 43
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    1) I have no interest in an aftermarket unit but I'm glad to see this is moving quickly. This shows that it shouldn't be too hard for vendors and that some existing devices and cars should get access.

    2) I can't wait for a auto maker to have this ready as I'm considering buying a new car for this ease-of-use feature but I definitely want to test it out first.

    robertsm wrote: »
    Will any of these allow me to use iTunes Radio without using my data?

    Is that a serious question?
  • Reply 4 of 43
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,823member

    Interesting contrast between the displays in the first two images, the first is clean and sharp, Apple's CarPlay, the second looks like a throwback to some long discarded sensibility or a modern Android version. Am I correct in assuming the second is Pioneers landing screen? Perhaps Apple could introduce a similar unit with cell connectivity built in, akin to a ruggedised iPad Mini.

  • Reply 5 of 43
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

     
    Originally Posted by robertsm View Post



    Will any of these allow me to use iTunes Radio without using my data?




    Is that a serious question?

    Heh heh.

     

    On a vaguely related point, I have what is perhaps a dumb question: why is it that no one has been able to figure out a way to use radio broadcasting channels --  FM or AM -- for data/wifi?

  • Reply 6 of 43
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

     

    Heh heh.

     

    On a vaguely related point, I have what is perhaps a dumb question: why is it that no one has been able to figure out a way to use radio broadcasting channels --  FM or AM -- for data/wifi?


    because an FM or AM signal can not carry enough data fast enough, Some radio stations today broadcast data on their FM carrier signal in order for you to see what song is playing and the Radio Stations call letters. 

  • Reply 7 of 43
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Heh heh.

    On a vaguely related point, I have what is perhaps a dumb question: why is it that no one has been able to figure out a way to use radio broadcasting channels --  FM or AM -- for data/wifi?

    Do you have any idea how big a transmitter would be needed? Radio stations need a high amount of power to transmit the distances that they do plus a huge antenna.
  • Reply 8 of 43
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    maestro64 wrote: »
    because an FM or AM signal can not carry enough data fast enough, Some radio stations today broadcast data on their FM carrier signal in order for you to see what song is playing and the Radio Stations call letters. 

    There's also HD radio that is a digital signal.
  • Reply 10 of 43
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    Heh heh.

    On a vaguely related point, I have what is perhaps a dumb question: why is it that no one has been able to figure out a way to use radio broadcasting channels --  FM or AM -- for data/wifi?

    Traffic information is delivered via FM to some number of automotive gps units (Garmin/TomTom for example) by using a broadcaster like ClearChannel. Search up RDS-TMC.
  • Reply 11 of 43
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    This a good thing if the major radio brand are incorporating this technologies. The after Market Radio Deck industries was on the verge of disappearing until this. We were almost at the point where people saw no value in a radio on the car since they were playing music and such from their own devices. If this takes off Apple may have breathed new lift into a dying industry.

     

    The only issue most cars today have proprietary radios and putting in an aftermarket radio is almost impossible. These are geared toward the older lower end car which still use the standard DIN Radio inserts. But Auto companies are not designing their radios today, they farm the work out to companies like Pioneer and such, so this is just the first step before making it way into a car. I just wish Ford would drop its deal with MS, their product such and has issues.

  • Reply 12 of 43
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    There's also HD radio that is a digital signal.

    yeah and do you know how much data is sent via Compress Digital Radio, it is not a lot, it is CBR verse VBR, VBR which is usually data and video is a lot more demanding in a transport method and FM and AM are going for CBR since they are sine waves with data modulated on to the sine carrier signal. Today the Internet is high speed and burst data not well suited for constant frequency sine wave to carry

  • Reply 13 of 43
    adrayvenadrayven Posts: 460member
    Amazon sells the $700 model for $534... The $700 price tag and up is all 'MSRP' from Pioneer and does not reflect current market price.
  • Reply 14 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    And new Kuro plasma? Amirite? Booo...
  • Reply 15 of 43
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,040member

    Nope.

     

    Pioneer sold many of their Kuro plasma patents to Panasonic, shut down the production line last year. It's dead.

     

    Plasma's days are limited.

  • Reply 16 of 43
    ws11ws11 Posts: 159member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post



    And new Kuro plasma? Amirite? Booo...

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mpantone View Post

     

    Nope.

     

    Pioneer sold many of their Kuro plasma patents to Panasonic, shut down the production line last year. It's dead.

     

    Plasma's days are limited.


     

    The sad truth of it all.

  • Reply 17 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Apple's forthcoming CarPlay standard for in-vehicle dashboards won't be limited to new cars, as Pioneer announced on Tuesday that it will be bringing five aftermarket options for customers to install in their existing vehicles this summer.

     
     

    CarPlay support will be come via a firmware update... 

     

    They were able to do this via a firmware update? How convenient!

  • Reply 18 of 43
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post



    Do you have any idea how big a transmitter would be needed? 

    Um... if I did, it is unlikely that I'd be asking this question, no?:D

     

    If you do, why don't you tell us, instead of being snarky?

  • Reply 19 of 43

    I had written to Jaguar USA asking if CarPlay will be available in 2015 models. Here's the reply I got -- bloody disappointing, despite all the fanfare a few weeks ago!

    ----

    Dear ****,

     

    Thank you for contacting Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC.

     

    I appreciate your interest in Jaguar. I apologize, but at this time we have not been advised on whether or not Apple CarPlay will be available in our future models. We have not been given any information on the late 2014 or 2015 model vehicles. It is certainly a feature that we are considering. If you have not already done so, you may want to visitwww.jaguarusa.com and choose 'Stay Informed' at the bottom of the page. This will ensure you receive the most up to date information on our products as it becomes available. I apologize for the inconvenience.

     

    If you have any other questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-4-JAGUAR, option 9.

     

    Regards,

     

    ****

    Customer Relationship Center Representative

    Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC

    -------

    PS: Why do customer service people always 'apologize for the inconvenience'? Does research actually tell them that, for the customer, it amounts to something more than annoying, irritating, boilerplate corporate pap?!

  • Reply 20 of 43
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Um... if I did, it is unlikely that I'd be asking this question, no?:D

    If you do, why don't you tell us, instead of being snarky?

    I didn't mean to be snarky. I don't know the exact size, or size range but it's definitely much bigger than a smartphone. ;)
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