If your car supports only a wireless connection – or you don’t want to use a cable – the connection process is slightly more complicated, and the procedure will vary from car to car.
Some require you to plug your phone in for the first time, before connecting wirelessly every time afterwards. Others will act as a Wi-Fi hotspot which you can connect to through phone.
What apps can I use through Apple CarPlay?
Not all apps support Apple CarPlay, but those that do will display on your car’s infotainment screen while you’re connected. Many popular apps do support CarPlay. Here’s a list of some of our favourites:
Spotify – a popular music, podcast and audiobook streaming service
Messages – You can’t text while driving, of course, but Apple’s Siri software will read out your received texts and allow you to send messages back via voice control
Amazon Music – a music streaming app from commercial giant Amazon
BBC Sounds – the BBC’s own streaming app for podcasts and live radio
Apple Maps – Apple’s in-house navigation service
Waze – an independent navigation app with many exclusive features not seen on its Google and Apple counterparts
Google Maps – Yes, Apple CarPlay is an Apple product – but you can still use Google Maps, which is arguably the most reliable navigation app out there
ZapMap, ChargePoint, Plugshare – Independent apps to quickly find a public charging point for that all-important battery top-up.
Can you play games on Apple CarPlay?
CarPlay is designed to help you drive without being distracted by your phone, so no – you can’t play games using the software. There would be a significant risk that you will become distracted by the game and become a hazard to yourself and others on the road.
Which cars have Apple CarPlay?
Fun fact: the first ever car to feature Apple CarPlay was the Ferrari FF, which was updated in 2014 to add the functionality.