Although the rumors about Nissan and Apple cooperating on the Titan project have been greatly exaggerated, this does not mean that the Japanese automaker is still not keen to apply all Apple technology to its cars as much as possible. This year's Nissan Rogue may be one of the best examples of the company's desire to adopt technology in its in-vehicle systems, especially since it shows that the era of Wireless CarPlay has arrived.
As an enthusiastic iPhone user, support for CarPlay has always been one of my biggest concerns when buying (or even renting) vehicles. I bought my last car five years ago-the 2016 Jetta-this choice was mainly due to the early adoption of CarPlay support in Volkswagen's more affordable trim kit. I only own that particular car for one year, so until recently, I have been using car sharing and rental services, but every time I book through Enterprise, I always ask for a CarPlay-enabled vehicle.
To be fair, this has ceased to be a problem in recent years, because every car in the lot has built-in standard (wired) CarPlay. However, last summer, I ended up using the BMW X1 for a few weeks, including wireless CarPlay, and I almost fell in love with the experience-at least conceptually.
Prior to the 2021 model, BMW was one of the few automakers that offered wireless CarPlay on any of its models. Four years ago, with the debut of the 2017 BMW 5 Series, BMW was actually the first company to add wireless technology. It introduced their 2019 model, and Toyota recently added it to its luxury 2020 Supra.
However, unfortunately, if you have used wireless CarPlay, it is most likely in BMW, and it is not always a great experience.
In fact, a study by Consumer Reports 2020 surveyed 73,000 members’ satisfaction with various infotainment systems, from in-vehicle versions to Apple CarPlay and Android Audio, and found that “the majority of BMW cars using wireless CarPlay connections Much more. Satisfied." Consumer Reports attributed this to "unstable WiFi-based connection" and connection problems at startup-I can also prove these two problems from my BMW personal experience.
Nevertheless, when I decided to return to the fun of owning a car this year, Wireless CarPlay was still my first choice. The good news is that 2021 is the year when this technology finally begins to expand and mature.
Although wireless CarPlay in 2020 is limited to Audi, BMW, Mini and Toyota Supra, the list of automakers that add wireless CarPlay in 2021 has already exceeded the rankings. Although it is still mainly limited to a few specific models-usually high-end models-you can now sell Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes -Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche and Volkswagen.
In my case, after having a few good experiences with Nissan, I chose the 2021 Rogue-this is the only model Nissan produced this year that includes wireless CarPlay. I also chose high-end platinum trim to get it, because it cannot be used even as an option for other trim levels.
In fact, as one of the most popular models, Nissan has adopted Rogue as the flagship product in its 2021 lineup, with a reimagined design aesthetic and a wealth of new technologies. Therefore, it has also added the platinum grade as the new top level on top of the S, SV and SL decorations. Although it is not cheap, it also includes almost all technological products you can imagine-including wireless CarPlay and wireless charging.
However, unlike my previous experience with wireless CarPlay, Nissan's implementation has reached the level of near perfection currently allowed by iOS. Although I still hope it can do some additional things (more on that later), my wireless CarPlay user experience is absolutely perfect-this is exactly how I am pretty sure that Apple wants it.
First of all, wireless CarPlay can work normally. Although you naturally have to set up by pairing your iPhone first, once it's done, the experience is almost seamless. Bluetooth was originally used to connect the iPhone to the Nissan system, but once completed, CarPlay actually runs entirely over Wi-Fi because Bluetooth cannot provide the required bandwidth.
Unlike my luck on various BMWs, on my Nissan Rogue, when I get in the car, my iPhone connects to CarPlay wirelessly, and it stays connected 100% of the time, perfect.
To be fair, there is a slight delay between starting the car and the appearance of the CarPlay screen. Of course, it will take some time to establish a connection, and a disclaimer screen will be displayed for a few seconds to inform me that I have turned on "Vehicle Data Sharing" as part of my NissanConnect service.
However, the screen disappears almost after CarPlay is ready, and this is where I give Nissan a lot of credit because it does not include the nanny-style safe driving reminders for many other cars that bother me. These are pop-up screens that require you to tap the "OK" button on the screen to confirm, yes, you actually stare at the road instead of staring at your infotainment system. This is very helpful, because, you know, if it doesn’t help remind me every time I start it, I really wouldn’t consider driving my car safely.
In any case, Rogue's slight start-up delay is very reasonable, especially because it is always a good idea to give your car a warm-up time of about 30 seconds before you drive.
However, even better, because of the range provided by Wi-Fi, Rogue can actually establish a wireless CarPlay connection faster when using remote boot. In this case, as long as I jump into the car and press the start button, it will appear immediately and can even pick up any song that was played last time when I parked.
I also appreciate Nissan for recognizing an important aspect of Wireless CarPlay, that is, if the vehicle does not include wireless charging, its functions will be more limited.
After all, if I had to plug my iPhone into a USB port to charge it, I might as well just use wired CarPlay. The long battery life of my iPhone 12 Pro Max means that wireless CarPlay is still suitable for short trips, but when I use it in the various BMW cars I drive (none of which includes wireless charging), there are always those moments for me Sorting hedges between putting my iPhone in a pocket or unplugging and inserting it.
However, 2021 Rogue includes wireless charging and wireless CarPlay, which means I haven't actually plugged the cable into the vehicle's USB-A or USB-C port. Although these ports are still useful-they can even play FLAC files from a memory stick, which is very rare in car systems-in most cases, wireless CarPlay and Apple Music, Spotify or any other streaming media do not need them to serve You are satisfied.
My iPhone is in my pocket most of the time, but I am happy to know that if I need extra juice, I can put it on the console. The wireless charging pad is also conveniently located in the front center of the console. Other vehicles I drive that include wireless charging tend to hide them in separate compartments. However, since these do not include wireless CarPlay, I have to plug in my iPhone anyway, so it doesn't matter to me where the wireless charger is, because I never thought I would use it.
Nowadays, many automakers are providing iPhone applications for their various value-added services, but it is worth mentioning Nissan's application. Although you need a monthly subscription to access all features, you can get vehicle health monitoring, door status, mileage and fuel level, as well as the ability to remotely lock/unlock, honk and start the vehicle.
As an added benefit, although the NissanConnect app will not let you unlock or start the vehicle remotely without setting a four-digit PIN, it does support Face ID, so you can use it instead. There is also an attached Apple Watch app, which provides the same remote control function, but unfortunately it does not have wrist detection, so if I want to unlock or start the car in this way, I do need to tap the PIN code on my wrist .
Although higher-level NissanConnect services such as remote start require a paid subscription, it should be noted that Wireless CarPlay does not need it. After BMW's gimmick a few years ago, most automakers — including BMW, eventually — realized how bad the idea of forcing customers to pay recurring fees for features that should be included.
Although I am excited about my new Rogue and its wireless CarPlay features, I should note that there are some relatively minor caveats to keep in mind. In most cases, these are purely technical limitations, or just iOS features that Apple hasn't added yet.
First of all, please be aware that Wireless CarPlay uses Wi-Fi. This means that when you are connected to the vehicle, you will not be able to use Wi-Fi for most other things.
On the iPhone side, this means that you will not be able to use cellular data because you cannot connect to another Wi-Fi network and wireless CarPlay at the same time. AirDrop also relies on Wi-Fi and does not seem to work when the wireless CarPlay connection is active.
However, it is interesting that even when using wireless CarPlay, the personal hotspot is still active. This means you will be able to share your iPhone Wi-Fi with other passengers.
Unfortunately, Apple did not provide any detailed information or supporting documents to explain this, so I am not sure if Personal Hotspot is available for all iPhone models; I can only say that it applies to my iPhone 12 Pro Max.
However, on the vehicle side, when wireless CarPlay is active, all other Wi-Fi functions will be disabled. For example, even if Rogue supports its own Wi-Fi hotspot function, it can only be used by disconnecting CarPlay. Rogue also cannot connect to other Wi-Fi networks to get software and map updates, etc. However, I think these restrictions will not be so important in practice.
In my case, even if I’m in Canada, I have to pay AT&T $15 per month for the insignificant 1GB of mobile hotspot data, because this is a wireless provider that Nissan cooperates with, which means I don’t even have the option to get from my Canadian wireless Operators share a 13GB pool. So I have no use for mobile Wi-Fi hotspots anyway.
The only other thing on my wish list is the iOS restriction that applies to CarPlay. For example, even though my Rogue has an all-digital 12.3-inch display and a head-up display (HUD) behind the steering wheel, CarPlay cannot directly access these displays. The system does show the song currently being played, with album artwork attached, but this is just Nissan's infotainment system extracting this information from CarPlay. It can perform the same operations on audio tracks played from a USB thumb drive.
However, although the built-in navigation system will display turn-by-turn navigation on the main driver’s screen and HUD, this will not happen when using Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze, because iOS simply cannot send this information to the car. system. To be fair, this is a small quibble, because the large 9-inch touch screen display is well located, but it shows how Apple can provide better CarPlay integration.
Although it is not directly related to CarPlay, there is one thing worth noting. 2021 Rogue Platinum includes a new "ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link" feature, which uses the built-in navigation system as part of the driver assistance system. For example, it adjusts speed when turning, at intersections, and off-ramps, and it can even track published speed limits and change the set speed accordingly.
This is a very cool and amazing feature, but the best part is that it works in the background-you don't have to actively use the built-in navigation system to take advantage of it. In other words, I can continue to use Apple Maps for door-to-door navigation while still benefiting from map-related ProPilot Assist.
It is difficult to say exactly how much wireless CarPlay has changed the game, especially when it is done correctly as on the new Nissan Rogue.
It works well, and it feels more like Apple has its own infotainment system built into the vehicle-it's easy to forget that my iPhone was even involved in the process. It's in my pocket most of the time, but I can still rely on CarPlay to be prepared every time I get in the car. In addition, with the help of wireless charging, I can put it directly on the center console whenever I need more juice without worrying about the cable, which also brings a safer driving experience.
Unfortunately, the current number of vehicles that include wireless CarPlay is still very limited, but the rapid expansion of models in 2021 provides hope that it will soon become more common. It is now easier to imagine that there will be a portless iPhone in the next few years, especially because I haven't found that I need to plug anything into the Lightning port of the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Drone technology produces handheld flying fireworks
These sheets are the #1 holiday gift for 6 reasons
Free up storage space! How to find, sort and backup all photos and videos in minutes
Use this portable WiFi to connect to 10 devices at a speed of 150Mbs anytime, anywhere
Why is everyone crazy about these super sharp knives?
This tiny device can kill 99.9% of the harmful bacteria on the toothbrush-how it is done
Sign up to send the latest Apple news, how-to guides, and more to your inbox.
Contact Us• Unsubscribe• Notification• Meet the Team• Newsletter• Write to Us• Store Support• Report Error
Copyright © 2021 iDrop News. all rights reserved. By using iDrop News, you agree to our terms and conditions. iDrop news and its content are not affiliated or endorsed by Apple, Inc.