Pioneer has enabled CarPlay for all NEX in dash via a firmware update. Currently this is available for 5 of their NEX models, the AVIC-7000NEX, AVIC-8000NEX, AVIC-6000NEX, AVIC-5000NEX, and AVIC-4000NEX.
This makes Pioneer as one of the first 3rd party maker to provide the Apple CarPlay feature for cars.
Pioneer’s CarPlay-compatible in-dash receivers enable consumers to upgrade the vehicles they already own to the smarter, safer and more fun way to use iPhone® in the car. Consumers with iPhone 5 or later including the iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus with the latest version of iOS can use Siri® voice control to make and receive calls, compose and respond to text messages, access Apple Maps for navigation, and listen to their music, podcasts and iTunes Radio.
As much as this feature seems very seamless in the videos created, whenever it lands over here in Malaysia the number problem that we would all face would be the maps integration. Let’s face it, all iPhone users here in Malaysia know that the map data for Malaysia on iOS is rubbish. Every update, I know a lot of folks were hoping that the data would be updated but still no matter how many times I send an issue via the app, the data is all wrong.
I guess that makes us here a lot more reliant on Waze instead rather than Apple Maps. Another feature which will be rubbish here is Siri. Let’s face it, Malaysian accent isn’t something that Siri can really identify with.
CarPlay promises a lot of things but unless the 3rd party app makers make a CarPlay compatible app, its going to be a feature that is nice to have but doesn’t really make an impact here.
