Apple CarPlay Thoughts

[NickHoward]

Hey guys,

I tried searching, but couldn't find info on this.

Is CarPlay worth it?? Given the mobile signal up and down the UK roads isn't great, do you really get use out of it??

If I want to use the normal Volvo satnav (rather than Apple Maps), am I better off just using Bluetooth for the phone music?

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by NickHoward

Is CarPlay worth it?? Given the mobile signal up and down the UK roads isn't great, do you really get use out of it??

If I want to use the normal Volvo satnav (rather than Apple Maps), am I better off just using Bluetooth for the phone music?

I used CarPlay in a rental and was disappointed at the amount of features

Not everything requires an Internet connection. Playing music does not.
It is I guess good if you want to use a nav system on your iDevice but as we were renting in a foreign country the roaming charges were prohibitive and so we didn't do any streaming or browsing

But you should try it first to see if it fits your lifestyle and your device usage

[Carl Sberglager]

Originally Posted by NickHoward

Hey guys,

I tried searching, but couldn't find info on this.

Is CarPlay worth it?? Given the mobile signal up and down the UK roads isn't great, do you really get use out of it??

If I want to use the normal Volvo satnav (rather than Apple Maps), am I better off just using Bluetooth for the phone music?

The only function I use Car Play for is Spotify, as it's much better than the Volvo app, using the in car 3G modem, which constantly buffers. Using Car Play, with 4G phone connection is much better.

The phone function on Car Play seems to default to Siri and I find the contacts function fiddly, it's more user friendly (for non Siri users like me) on the BT connection to Sensus.

[shortword]

In short. No. It's not worth it.

If you get it in the T8 standard, sure. That's fine. But don't pay for it. Right now it is more or less rubbish.

The inbuilt Bluetooth control of iPhone devices music' apps such as Spotify and iTunes is perfectly adequate.

Regards,

Paul

[NickHoward]

Thanks guys.

I can see the advantage of Siri over the inbuilt voice system - But I'm dubious about how often I'd use this.

I only listen to music, which I can do on the normal system - I'm struggling to find any major benefit to CarPlay.

I'd love to hear from someone who uses it, and wouldn't be without it..... But I'm not sure I'll find them!

[aab203]

Originally Posted by shortword

If you get it in the T8 standard, sure. That's fine. But don't pay for it.

Is this a new thing? I definitely had to pay extra for it.

--

I wouldn't just consider the here and now when deciding if Car Play is worth it or not:

1 - You don't just get Car Play - its now a 'smartphone integration', so you have the choice of Car Play or Android Auto

2 - Although the features are (in my mind) pretty poor, I took the longer term view that at some point in the next few years it could become much better

3 - If you don't get it now, but in a few years time you think Car Play / Android Auto becomes much better, what do you do? I don't think you can retro fit it and if you could then it will likely cost more than ordering it now

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by NickHoward

Hey guys,

I tried searching, but couldn't find info on this.

Is CarPlay worth it?? Given the mobile signal up and down the UK roads isn't great, do you really get use out of it??

If I want to use the normal Volvo satnav (rather than Apple Maps), am I better off just using Bluetooth for the phone music?

This should be standard in a car costing so much, Volvo are ripping their customers off, £300 is just making mugs of us all. It is not worth that much. Its only softwear with an extra usb socket (you dont even get the usb if you buy it after delivery) not an expensive to produce audio system so charging for it is just taking the @#*$ out of us.

[NickHoward]

I believe you can "retro fit" CarPlay - Can someone confirm this?

I was going to leave it off finance for now (and add the HUD instead).

Then if CarPlay does become more useful down the line, I've got the option to add it then.

Thoughts?

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by NickHoward

Hey guys,

I tried searching, but couldn't find info on this.

Is CarPlay worth it?? Given the mobile signal up and down the UK roads isn't great, do you really get use out of it??

If I want to use the normal Volvo satnav (rather than Apple Maps), am I better off just using Bluetooth for the phone music?

I have CarPlay, but have only used it a handful of times in my 7 months ownership. I wish I had spent the same amount of money on the adjustable side supports for the front seats or maybe a little more for 4 zone climate.

Some thoughts:

1. You have to plug your phone in and then click 'yes' to two questions in Sensus before it starts up.

2. Although it gives you two USB ports in the centre console, the other USB port is totally disabled when you are using car play, you can't even use it for charging.

3. CarPlay has a fixed 'screen size', so it only takes up a certain amount of screen estate in the bottom half of the Sensus screen. Although the phone tile above is redundant, it remains on screen. The size of the icons and text also looks very 'toy like' in comparison to the rest of the Sensus screen and the end result in my mind just doesn't look particularly good and feels very un-integrated with the rest of the car.

4. Despite Volvo's miss leading marketing videos, CarPlay doesn't currently offer any integration with the drivers display or HUD.

5. Siri's voice recognition IS much better than the Volvo system, but be aware that Siri does need an internet connection to function, whereas Volvo's doesn't.

6. The Spotify app in CarPlay is a lot quicker to start up and buffers far less than the Volvo app, but its functionality is more limited (i.e. you cannot search for specific artists / albums (though apple music is better for this as it will allow you to search with Siri).

7. If you use Audible for books, the CarPlay app is nice.

8. Never really used Apple Maps for guidance as although the quality of the map is better than Volvo, you are restricted to only seeing it on a small portion of the screen. Also, you can't get a map in the driver display or turn by turn navigation in the HUD.

If you make good use of Siri for reading and sending messages, navigation, podcasts, Apple Music playback etc, then CarPlay can start making a lot more sense.

A mate had a Golf R (until like all other Golf R's it was nicked), and that car only had (as standard) a basic infotainment system without nav. CarPlay made a whole load more sense here, as it gave a lot of features the car didn't have already built in, and the screen resolution and aspect ratio fitted the Golf's screen much better.

So IMHO CarPlay is great for car's that don't already have a good infotainment system or for older cars where you upgrade the head unit with a CarPlay enabled device, or for iPhone users who make good use of Siri.

:wq

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by NickHoward

I believe you can "retro fit" CarPlay - Can someone confirm this?

I was going to leave it off finance for now (and add the HUD instead).

Then if CarPlay does become more useful down the line, I've got the option to add it then.

Thoughts?

You can retro fit it but without the extra usb socket. even more of a rip off though as you pay the same price.