Libby Brings Audiobooks From Public Libraries To CarPlay & Android Auto

Libby is an app available on iOS and Android developed by Rakuten OverDrive. It gives users the unique ability to stream audiobooks from local libraries on their smartphones.

And now, the developers have added CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, which means you can keep listening while driving. More details below...

First Look At Apple CarPlay In iOS 13 [Video]

iOS 13 is just a few months away from going public but early developer versions are already available. The newest version of Apple's mobile OS will bring huge improvements to Apple CarPlay.

AppleInsider has posted one of the first looks at CarPlay in iOS 13 on its YouTube channel. Check out the video below...

Bring CarPlay & Android Auto To Your Car With The Sony XAV-AX100 [Price Update]

Sony announced its first Apple CarPlay and Android Auto receiver earlier this year. The XAV-AX100 touts some nice features but an even better price point which makes is potentially one of the more desired head units.

Here is a quick breakdown of the highlighting features of the XAV-AX100 and an update on the latest price...

2017 Pioneer NEX Lineup Brings In-Dash Solutions To More Vehicles

Earlier this month, Pioneer Electronics announced a new line of NEX head units. The latest hardware complements its existing lineup announced at CES 2017 in January and brings the best in-car technology to vehicles that previously couldn't get a double-DIN hookup.

The new line of products includes a single-DIN receiver with a motorized 7-inch LCD screen (AVH-3300NEX - pictured above) which allows many older and collectible car models to enjoy Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. 

In total, five new head units were announced: AVH-2330NEX, AVH-2300NEX, AVH-1330NEX, AVH-1300NEX and AVH-3300NEX.

Read the full press release with details on features and suggested retail prices below the break (additional pictures too)...

Clarion Offers Two New Apple CarPlay Aftermarket Head Units - NX807 & VX807

When Apple CarPlay first launched, aftermarket options were limited to select Pioneer head units. This year, however, the CarPlay lineup has expanded to a total of five aftermarket manufacturers - Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood, Sony and Clarion.

Clarion brings CarPlay to your existing vehicle via two double-DIN head units: NX807 & VX807.

Additional details, pictures and the latest pricing information is below...

Pioneer Announces New Line Of NEX Head Units At CES 2017

Pioneer Electronics has announced their latest line of NEX products at CES 2017. The new devices, as expected, continue to bring the latest technology (Apple CarPlay & Android Auto) to the car dashboard via the aftermarket.

The following new products have been announced:

New NEX Models: AVIC-8201NEX, AVIC-7201NEX, AVIC-6201NEX and AVH-4201NEX

ND-BC8 Camera

TS-WX70DA Subwoofer

Below is the full press release from CES 2017 and pricing details.

Sony Will Bring CarPlay & Android Auto To Your Dashboard Soon; At A Great Price Too

One of the biggest aftermarket head unit manufacturers is finally joining the Apple CarPlay & Android Auto playing field.

Sony Electronics will soon become the latest to bring advanced smartphone integration to your car dashboard. The company made the announcement last month while introducing a brand new head unit, the XAV-AX100.

The latest scoop and additional pictures are below the break.

CONFIRMED: Latest Waze Version Works In AppRadio Mode

Months after dropping support for Pioneer AppRadio Mode, the popular GPS navigation app, Waze, is back on your car dashboard. A recently released version (4.9) added support for external displays, like a compatible Pioneer head unit.

The app for iOS was updated again to version 4.11 about two weeks back and it still works with AppRadio Mode. More details are below.

iOS 10 Promises To Take CarPlay To The Next Level

Apple made a software splash at their WWDC 2016 keynote address on Monday. Among all the new updates, most of which are due this Fall, were small nuggets of information on improvements to CarPlay. With iOS 10, Apple's next installment, CarPlay will see quite a few changes.

Here is a roundup on iOS 10 and CarPlay...

Check Out This Unboxing And Review Of The New Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX [Video]

Pioneer's latest flagship, AVIC-8200NEX, went on sale a few weeks back. The double-din device offers all the latest car tech features including Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto.

For the unboxing and a detailed review of the device, check out this YouTube video from Five Star Car Stereo...

Apple Maps Gets Supercharged In CarPlay With iOS 9.3, But Google Maps Still Wins

Apple Maps in CarPlay has become much more functional since the iOS 9.3 update which was released a few days back. With the addition of the 'Nearby' feature, among other things, Apple Maps has closed the gap between itself and Google Maps a bit but still lags behind nonetheless.

Let me explain.

iOS 9.3 Brings Improvements And New Features To Apple CarPlay [Screenshots]

Soon after Apple's latest keynote address on March 21, their latest version of iOS became available for download to consumers. The newest version 9.3 brings a few improvements in general to iOS devices but also a couple of new features to Apple's in-car software, CarPlay.

Read along for full details and screenshots...

2017 Forte5 Will Be Kia's First Apple CarPlay And Android Auto Supported Vehicle

The upcoming 2017 Kia Forte5 will become the automaker's first vehicle to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Kia is one of several automakers to offer the technology to potential customers.

Here are some more details of the Forte5...

Tesla May Allow iOS And Android App Mirroring On Its 17-Inch Touchscreen

Perhaps the biggest eye-catching feature of any Tesla dashboard is the large 17-inch touchscreen. The display. All that real estate would be perfect for implementing Android Auto or Apple CarPlay but Tesla has yet to take the leap on that.

The automaker had talked about a Software Development Kit (SDK) for app developers from the beginning a few years ago, but even that hasn't been delivered yet.

However, just a few weeks ago at a special event for Tesla owners in Hong Kong, CEO Elon Musk dropped a hint on where the company may be headed when it comes to smartphone app integration.

Downcast Podcast Player Adds CarPlay Support To Its iPhone App

When it comes to listening to podcasts in your car, CarPlay users have plenty of options. From Apple's own Podcast app to a bunch of third-party options users are almost spoiled for choices. And more apps are adding CarPlay integration to compete for your dashboard.

The most recent third-party Podcast app to add CarPlay support is Downcast. Here are some more details.

NPR One Is The Latest Apple CarPlay Compatible App [Screenshots]

The National Public Radio's 'NPR One' app for iOS has recently added Apple CarPlay support making it one of the latest third-party apps to do so. Apple has added the NPR One app to its rarely updated CarPlay page too so users can easily know that it is now CarPlay compatible.

Here's what the NPR One app looks like in CarPlay...

iOS 9.3 To Bring Major Upgrades To Apple CarPlay [Video]

Apple's next iteration of iOS, version 9.3, is currently in its third beta. Developers get access to beta versions to test out their apps and discover what's new in the upcoming version. Among the many improvements in iOS 9.3, changes in Apple CarPlay are the most intriguing.

Here is a quick roundup of what iOS 9.3 will bring to CarPlay.

Will AppLink Become The Third Competitor After CarPlay & Android Auto?

It's not long before Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto become standard features in new cars. But before the car infotainment business becomes a true duopoly, there may be a third competitor entering the playing field.

The technology is called AppLink, a version of the open source platform SmartDeviceLink (SDL). Among other things, adopting the technology are automaker giants Ford and Toyota.

Ford Will Integrate Android Auto And CarPlay In All 2017 Sync 3 Models

Just before CES 2016, Ford announced plans of bringing Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to its vehicles' dashboards. It's good news for future Ford owners and even some existing ones.

According to Ford, every 2017 model year car equipped with Sync 3, which is its latest infotainment system, will have Android Auto and CarPlay capabilities preinstalled. But what about 2016 cars with Sync 3? Worry not.

Wonder No More - Apple Posts List Of All Car Models That Offer CarPlay

Apple CarPlay may soon become a standard feature in all vehicles. The car dashboard software has gained steady momentum over the past year. And recent events suggest Apple is serious about furthering the technology.

There are two ways of getting CarPlay - buying a new car that offers the software or installing an aftermarket CarPlay head unit in the car you already own.

Until now, Apple has only provided a list of manufacturers that are on-board with offering CarPlay in their vehicles. But just recently, Apple has added a page on their website with a complete list of current and upcoming vehicles that will offer CarPlay.