The phone has to be plugged in?
Nobody asked? I think a lot of new car buyers did...its far from perfect, but it is awesome to use if you are in a rental car and need directions to get around and don't want to stare at your phone's little screen sitting on a holder...Honestly I feel Apple Car-play or Android Auto is just an answer to question nobody asked before
I never used and I won't
The regular automakers systems are enough for me
https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/4/17416932/apple-carplay-third-party-maps-wwdc-2018Apple CarPlay will soon let you use Google Maps, Waze, and other third-party maps
Starting in iOS 12 later this year, Apple’s CarPlay will no longer force you to use Apple Maps to get directions. Instead, you’ll be able to use navigation from any third-party app, like Google Maps, Waze, or whatever your mapping app of choice is.
CarPlay already supported third-party apps in other scenarios. However, mapping has been one of those classic cases of Apple locking everyone into using its own service. But Apple Maps isn’t exactly a beloved app. And while it’s improved over time, there are plenty of reasons to prefer other services, like all the additional information that Waze provides.
Letting people choose which mapping service to use will make CarPlay a better experience since people will be able to get directions from a service they’re more familiar or more comfortable with, which is pretty important when you’re driving.
CarPlay is Apple’s in-car interface for iOS. In many new cars — or older cars with newer head units — you can plug in an iPhone (or Android phone) and have a version of the phone’s apps pulled up on-screen. It’s a major convenience since your phone is going to know a lot more about you and be connected to a lot more services than your car is. Plus, carmakers are just never going to be as good at making user-friendly software interfaces as phone designers.
Nobody asked? I think a lot of new car buyers did...its far from perfect, but it is awesome to use if you are in a rental car and need directions to get around and don't want to stare at your phone's little screen sitting on a holder...
Also just announced today:
https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/4/17416932/apple-carplay-third-party-maps-wwdc-2018
Ford was actually the first carmaker to offer Waze on CarPlay. Here's hoping Toyota and Lexus and others soon follow.Having Waze on CarPlay increases its value exponentially IMO
I don't think the manufacturer would have to enable certain apps anymore since Apple themselves just let third-party applications work on CarPlay, so they can be used on any CarPlay device running iOS 12 or higher regardless of the manufacturer.Ford was actually the first carmaker to offer Waze on CarPlay. Here's hoping Toyota and Lexus and others soon follow.
Having Waze on CarPlay increases its value exponentially IMO
Plugging in isn’t much of an issue. CarPlay and Android Auto are for heavy smartphone users. Most people like that are already in the habit of plugging in every time we get in the car just to charge.There's only one automaker currently offering wireless CarPlay in OEM head units, so this isn't a specific Lexus failing.
Honestly I feel Apple Car-play or Android Auto is just an answer to question nobody asked before
I never used and I won't
The regular automakers systems are enough for me
I personally find the automaker systems all to be varying degrees of hot garbage. I think they should all just save the money and be dumb screens for my smartphone, where people who actually understand user interaction work.
I'll list some actual advantages of CarPlay/Android Auto though:
- Maps are always up to date without paying a dealer for quarterly updates (I *think* the LS500 can self-update for free over-the-air finally, but I'm not sure)
- Waze gives you live accident and speed trap info and can route around accidents
- You can control playback of podcasts / MP3s / streaming music services without fumbling around with your phone at the next stoplight
- High-end phones have much, much faster processors than any OEM infotainment system can afford (or, in the case of Apple devices, obtain at all)
Everyone has a phone. Not everyone wants to pay what OEMs charge for navigation systems, especially on the lower end. I think once wireless CarPlay/Android Auto plus wireless charging is a thing that people will find that setup a lot more compelling than ordering the OEM system.
I personally find the automaker systems all to be varying degrees of hot garbage. I think they should all just save the money and be dumb screens for my smartphone, where people who actually understand user interaction work.
I'll list some actual advantages of CarPlay/Android Auto though:
- Maps are always up to date without paying a dealer for quarterly updates (I *think* the LS500 can self-update for free over-the-air finally, but I'm not sure)
- Waze gives you live accident and speed trap info and can route around accidents
- You can control playback of podcasts / MP3s / streaming music services without fumbling around with your phone at the next stoplight
- High-end phones have much, much faster processors than any OEM infotainment system can afford (or, in the case of Apple devices, obtain at all)
not everyone has or wants to use Android Auto or CarPlay... this is why despite all the press, it has not been a serious deciding factor on car purchases.
For me, texting with CarPlay is so worth it as with Siri in general. There's no extra button pushes or changes, if a text comes in, it can dictate it to you and you can respond instantly by voice. It's that simple and convenient. No fuss or hassles; it's intuitive, simple and instant and requires no hands or eyes.
Lexus' voice command system was absolute crap. Audi isn't that much better from what I've tried so far. If you use Siri a lot, CarPlay will come naturally and it's an absolute boon and outright necessity if you get a lot of texts and calls.