Head units with Apple CarPlay?

Looking to upgrade my stock stereo on my 2011 with a unit that has the CarPlay feature, what's a good head unit to look into?

 

Phew, I just ordered a Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX for my 2011 and jumped in here to check.

 

I have a NEX4000 and let me just say that while it's awesome, its super buggy still and will have you wanting more. It's such an awesome concept with so much potential, hopefully Apple sticks more money into the system to make it do all it can.

The other thing to add here is for the cold climate users. I think the 8000 and 8100 are exempt from this because they have a glass screen, but the other units dont respond to touch when cold. Here in MN in winter, i have to hold my whole hand flat on the screen to warm it up. It helps to have steering wheel controls....

 

Here is what I did, app radio and it's awesome for CarPlay, don't use the pioneer app mode cause it sucks IMO

 

Just installed the Pioneer Appradio 4. Good deal with coupon code at jet.com. Easy install but several different wiring harnesses are needed. Not very happy with the gaps in the new dash kit...doesn't fit flsuh on all sides and tough to get even spacing all the way around...probably need to get back in there and mess with the mounts.

 

Had same problem just need to play with it should be flush

 

I wish I could rearrange the carplay app icons.

 

I'm confused as to how the appradio works. Is it carplay enabled, but then has its own set of apps? I see on their website there is a waze app available...

 

When I plug in my phone the carplay portion of the head-unit activates and the screen with the apps appears. The apps are from the phone itself but the system uses the head-unit monitor as a second interface. I keep my phone in a cradle at the dash and I can operate it or the head-unit and even switch back and forth between the two mid process.

The main limitation is that many apps are not compatible with carplay yet and therefore won't populate the head-unit and must be used on the phone. My hopes are that a few of my favorite navigation/map apps will become compatible soon.

 

Alpine App Radio is great and the Alpine TTS app with all of the tuning options is great, it even has the time alignment adjustment which once you have it you can't live without. Any app that gives you sound plays through the stereo even if the app is not on the head unit itself. Sat radio for example is not on the head unit but you can use the XM app from your phone AND you can kill you car XM account and downgrade to the $5 per month computer / phone only plan

 

Checking into the XM app and being able to use it with the Pioneer unit I have.

 

Im debating to either get a Pioneer Apple Car Play head unit or do a 2015 OEM retrofit. Reason I like the carplay is because of SIRI, text capability (OEM doesn't send out texts) and using the Google maps app for navigation. I like te OEM retro becasu I know I can have the factory back up camera displayed on the head unit. One thing I still am trying to figure out is getting the OEM backup camera backup to display on a Pioneer head unit. Ive been bouncing around several threads about integrating the factory 2010 reverse camera that displays on the mirror and get it to display on the Pioneer head unit. Anyone have experience with this.
Thanks

 

I purchased a wiring harness on crutchfield that let me retain steering wheel controls and backup camera display with the Pioneer Appradio

 

Make sure you take the yellow clips off of the stock dash kit and clip them on to your new dash kit - I made this mistake and was totally baffled by how shitty the fit was until I figured it out.

 

I talked to a Crutchfield advisor last weekend and they told me that there is no adapter to use the factory backup camera on a Pioneer Head Unit. Did you use this one? http://www.crutchfield.com/p_249TY61N/Crux-SWRTY-61N-Wiring-Interface.html

Maybe it wont work because I have a 2010 and it looks as if you have a 2012+

 

I just went to install the AppRadio 4 last night. Umm.... am I crazy or did you all have a hell of a time shoving the wires back far enough? Did you guys cut any of the plastic to make more room for the wires? Also, I couldn't get CarPlay to come up. Maybe it's because the Lightning cable I was using wasn't certified enough. I wired the green brake wire to the ground in the stereo wiring harness maybe this has something to do with it.

 

Ordered before you did your checking? Impulse buy much?

 

For you guys who installed a Pioneer Carplay head unit. What else did you need to buy besides the head unit, dash kit and wiring harness. Any special cables that were required?

 

I love my Alpine ILX-007

 

Is there a special cable needed to hook up my Iphone 6 to the head unit? Thanks