Pioneer App4 CarPlay sytem

[Abarth695]

I have orders the Pioneer App 4 system which mirrors your phone screen and has CarPlay function.
As this is the way forward as far as I can see with manufacturers committed to having CarPlay standard in their cars and aftermarket units available, will or does ALP work with CarPlay?
I don't know what certification has to occur with Apple from the Alp developers but it should be a given.
It may work, I don't know yet but will soon.
This way forward is also for Android.
I will/ would love to see the App come up on the Pioneer 6 inch screen and it makes so much sense
Is anyone with me on this?

[hussein]

Yea, I also want to switch to a headunit like this. Although I might prefer a unit that runs it's own Android OS. But I don't have an iPhone. With Android I assume you use mirrorlink and run all your apps like normal?

[Abarth695]

With mirror link yes, I think all apps will work on the screen, but using CarPlay this may not be the case and either Apple, ALP or both need to do something to enable its use in this mode.
As I said, considering CarPlay will be standard in new cars, it is crazy that ALP would not enable it to be used in this manner and this would also mean a buyer would not need if they wanted to, purchase the screen they are working on!

[shanetrainST]

The problem is no landscape mode, unless you can force the app to orentate that way.

[Abarth695]

Well that's something that should be part of an update anyway as many people use their phone in landscape

[Mirage]

I agree this looks like a great unit and I was considering it myself. The only issue as others have pointed out is the landscape mode. The Apple version may have to go through some redesign because the interface is not setup for a landscape setting. The Android version on the other hand will probably have this first as it is designed for a landscape mode by enabling swiping between screens. For those of you not familiar with app radio here is a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE2ozgQJid8#t=11


Pioneer App Radio Link:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/AppRadio/AppRadio+4+%28SPH-DA120%29


Also here is preview of the Android BETA to give you an idea of the swiping capability:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsKIHiY9epo

[Abarth695]

Thanks Mirage
I hope ALP will take this onboard and do an update to go landscape and importantly to see what needs to be done to be compatible with CarPlay
I noticed, and I may be wrong, that there is a CarPlay app for Escort Live so if that is the case, it has been done by the competition so to speak!

[BestRadarDetectors]

I really doubt it. It costs a lot of money to develope a product and how many ALP users might have a pioneer car play system? I would bet its way less than 50 people and they would have to be way more demand to make the expense make sense.

[FJR1300]

The "rotate" app that dukes found works pretty good, might want to try that as a work around.

[Abarth695]

I disagree.
CarPlay is being taken on by nearly every car manufacturer AS STANDARD from next year and can be possibly updated by firmware on some older systems, so it is not just people with Pioneer Head units or any other aftermarket manufacturer.
It is also being adapted to suit Android.
If Escort are using it, then the competition also see the benefits.
Why wouldn't ALP want to do it and it would also save the money trying to develop a screen as I believe they are working on to add to another screen already in many people's car.
They should I suggest, remove the control unit as standard from their pack and have it as an option and drop the price. This would sell more units potentially and let users afford possibly to buy an extra head unit, or, just save the money.
Mine, like many others sit brand new in the box because we use either iOS or android, what a waste of money and product.

[BestRadarDetectors]

Not saying it would never happen but at this point I would bet there are less than 50 people worldwide with ALP's that would want this. Engineering resources are better spent on other projects that would benefit more users. For myself I plan to just buy a double din Android car stereo to play with.

[awj223]

I disagree.
CarPlay is being taken on by nearly every car manufacturer AS STANDARD from next year and can be possibly updated by firmware on some older systems, so it is not just people with Pioneer Head units or any other aftermarket manufacturer.
It is also being adapted to suit Android.
If Escort are using it, then the competition also see the benefits.
Why wouldn't ALP want to do it and it would also save the money trying to develop a screen as I believe they are working on to add to another screen already in many people's car.
They should I suggest, remove the control unit as standard from their pack and have it as an option and drop the price. This would sell more units potentially and let users afford possibly to buy an extra head unit, or, just save the money.
Mine, like many others sit brand new in the box because we use either iOS or android, what a waste of money and product.

Because if you make a display, you make something EVERYONE can use. If you make something for CarPlay, you make something only a few people (who have that system) can use. Then, what do you do when CarPlay goes obsolete? Redesign it for CarPlay 2.0?

This is exactly why I don't want crap like CarPlay in any vehicle I own. I keep my vehicles for 15+ years. What do you do with crap like that when it becomes obsolete in 5 years?

[Abarth695]

All it is is I think, as I'm no developer is have that App software changed somewhere to enable it to work with CarPlay and other such systems which are making their way on the market.
Surely this would not be of great cost and time as all of the work has already gone into the App.
All you are doing it making it compatible which as I said is more than likely some reprogramming.
To your point everyone can use may be right but the key word is can does not mean they will.
If you apply this logic, we would not even have the App for either iOS or soon to be android
As far as keeping your car 15 years, good on you, but we are all not like that either
Let's not keep up with technology the as you could apply this principle to everything then

[awj223]

Well this is getting OT, but my issue with things like CarPlay isn't the fact that they exist in cars. It's the fact that car manufacturers don't use modular design when building their vehicles. If this stuff had the ability to be swapped out for the latest and greatest every 5 years or so, then I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I've never in my life seen a car that was upgradeable in such a way.

[NickCartunesAtl]

Well this is getting OT, but my issue with things like CarPlay isn't the fact that they exist in cars. It's the fact that car manufacturers don't use modular design when building their vehicles. If this stuff had the ability to be swapped out for the latest and greatest every 5 years or so, then I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I've never in my life seen a car that was upgradeable in such a way.

The upgrade is typically the new model car. The OEM isn't concerned with what is involved to change or replace something.

[nydriver]

The upgrade is typically the new model car. The OEM isn't concerned with what is involved to change or replace something.

Actually, some OEMs are embracing a backwards compatible functionality, at least with recent model years. From PCWorld's Preview of Android Auto (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2851400/hands-on-with-apple-carplay-and-android-auto-in-the-2015-hyundai-sonata.html):


Hyundai wouldn’t tell me when Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will be available in its cars, but it will debut in the 2015 Sonata model and be pushed out as an update to current owners. [quote].

I will agree that modular design is essentially dead, particularly in higher trims with infotainment nowadays. Consolidating all functions into a single computer means you're never going to get to upgrade a Ford with the touch based sync system (brain of the system runs climate control, certain dashboard displays for tach, fuel, etc.)

[QUOTE=awj223;39620]Well this is getting OT, but my issue with things like CarPlay isn't the fact that they exist in cars. It's the fact that car manufacturers don't use modular design when building their vehicles. If this stuff had the ability to be swapped out for the latest and greatest every 5 years or so, then I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I've never in my life seen a car that was upgradeable in such a way.

Car manufacturers want you to buy a new car every five years, of course. Double DIN standard sized radios were more common but seem to have fallen by the wayside in the wake of infotainment systems.


All it is is I think, as I'm no developer is have that App software changed somewhere to enable it to work with CarPlay and other such systems which are making their way on the market.
Surely this would not be of great cost and time as all of the work has already gone into the App.
All you are doing it making it compatible which as I said is more than likely some reprogramming.
To your point everyone can use may be right but the key word is can does not mean they will.
If you apply this logic, we would not even have the App for either iOS or soon to be android
As far as keeping your car 15 years, good on you, but we are all not like that either
Let's not keep up with technology the as you could apply this principle to everything then

The Android Auto and Carplay details are sketchy at best right now but both essentially offer "views" on an existing app. The existing app runs detection for a vehicle, and when that happens the app runs certain code to communicate with the car. The car stereo takes the information and populates it. The phone acts as the brain, driving the "dumb" display of the car. So you don't have to re-code your apps from scratch, but you do specifically need to code portions in.

The manufacturers backing CarPlay & Android Auto are quite numerous. Given that these two platforms have over 90% marketshare combined, and it's a more compelling argument to code for than any manufacturer specific system. I'm not really sure how many ALP owners own a Pioneer radio capable of Carplay in the same vehicle, but I doubt the number is high.

Once Android Auto is released in 2015 and perhaps Carplay more widely (it's in some vehicles now), it may be worth exploring.

[Abarth695]

It's not Pioneer specific, as all the after markets have released, or are releasing units that work with CarPlay and work with Android, so let's not narrow down the logic that it is only people who purchase Pioneer.nif it work with one manufacturer, it I'll work for all.
Once it is coded as you say to work for CarPlay, it should Inwould think, work for ALL aftermarket and OEM units!

[BestRadarDetectors]

It's not Pioneer specific, as all the after markets have released, or are releasing units that work with CarPlay and work with Android, so let's not narrow down the logic that it is only people who purchase Pioneer.nif it work with one manufacturer, it I'll work for all.
Once it is coded as you say to work for CarPlay, it should Inwould think, work for ALL aftermarket and OEM units!

Providing CarPlay takes off... Remember the Beta Max vs. VHS, Or first HD DVD vs BluRay? Its too early to waste engineering money and time on a platform that might disappear quickly. Android Auto is also coming next year so the future will be very interesting.

http://youtu.be/Ht8yzpIV9M0

[nydriver]

Providing CarPlay takes off... Remember the Beta Max vs. VHS, Or first HD DVD vs BluRay? Its too early to waste engineering money and time on a platform that might disappear quickly. Android Auto is also coming next year so the future will be very interesting.

http://youtu.be/Ht8yzpIV9M0

Unless something happens and Google and/or Apple go bankrupt tomorrow, both initiatives are likely to succeed as they have backing from dozens and dozens of manufacturers. The platforms are unlikely to displace each other in any significant fashion. The bigger question is which platform will get the most support the soonest and provide sufficient support and marketshare for it to be worth the development effort.

Apple is only allowing CarPlay development on an opt-in/approved basis only, meaning you have to apply, Apple has to accept, and like your final app in order to integrate. Other than audio (music/radio) apps (and their own self-made apps), Apple hasn't approved any other type of App for Carplay. Google has only approved two types of apps in the initial version, audio (music/radio like Apple) and text message apps (with very limited functionality, e.g. read texts aloud and respond via voice command). The types of integration an app like ALP would need (essentially, to interrupt the screen and audio with an alert and allow dismiss, display own UI otherwise) don't even exist yet. Until they develop the type of "hooks" (application programming interfaces) into Android and Apple iOS that these new experiences require, you can't even begin to modify an existing app to integrate.

Then we have to consider how many people buy these systems. How many ALP owners have a smartphone? Quite a bit, probably, given the ALPConnect module and apps for both platform. Now how many people have these platforms AND have a radio that support it? Other than a couple very new Pioneer and Alpine aftermarket radios, Hyundai is the only manufacturer I'm aware of with Carplay in a car at present, in one model. That really limits the potential. Unless manufacturers take a lot of initiative to update existing models with newer software capable of the new experiences, the market is going to be quite small for some time for ALP Owners with these experiences.

The good thing is that neither requires the app developer to develop an entirely separate app or re-develop most of the logic - you just need to add some code at specific portions to try to interact with displays.

However, this discussion is really premature at this point, and should be visited when more details/flexibility in app integration is available, plus it's available in many more cars.