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The news was bright and
cheery: Back in 2014, Hyundai announced it would equip its 2015 lineup,
including the then-new Sonata, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
support. The Sonata got Android Auto earlier this year,
but CarPlay support ran into a snag; now the automaker is saying early
2016 for Sonatas to support CarPlay, putting it almost two years behind
schedule, 9to5 Mac reports.
The update will still be free, but you’ll now need to buy an SD card. Hopefully dealers will be accommodating about this and not see it as an opportunity to charge extra money for something that should be free. For what its worth, Android Auto support is pretty good, but that’s a long delay for iPhone owners.
Meanwhile, Ford unveiled the much-improved Sync 3 late last year, and began rolling it out this past summer. Sync 3 ditches the venerable and archaic Microsoft-CE-based kernel for
BlackBerry’s QNX, which already powers a lot of other carmaker’s
infotainment systems. It’s great; we tested it. In the beginning, Ford
said it would roll out on the Escape and Fiesta, and that by the end of
2016 it will be on all Fords and Lincolns.
Sync 3 also includes support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although it’s spotty. For example, Ford just announced it’s rolling out support for voice-activated Siri Eyes Free on five million existing vehicles, but that’s not the same as running full-blown Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, those cars will never get Sync 3, as it requires computer hardware the existing models don’t have.
That doesn’t mean you’ll get it even if you buy a brand new Ford. Car and Driver just tested the 2016 Ford Escape 2.0L EcoBoost FWD, which had Sync 3, as well as the latest ’16 Mustang. The magazine also juts tested the ’16 Ford Fusion, but that car still has the frustrating MyFord Touch system and Sync 2, with no way to upgrade to Sync 3, CarPlay, or Android Auto. (Ford really meant it when they said “by the end of 2016.”)
On the other hand, most new Volkswagens now on dealer lots now have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. But that automaker has its own problems, and over three months into the diesel emissions scandal, there’s a chance many of those cars may never leave those lots.
For its part, Toyota has decided against supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto altogether for now, preferring instead a hookup with Ford AppLink and a system sourced from longtime mobile GPS software maker TeleNav.
The bottom line: Be careful when car shopping. Just because a manufacturer makes an announcement doesn’t mean that tech will actually be in the car you plan on driving off the lot, especially if you’re looking for native support for your favorite smartphone. You could be making an expensive mistake.
The update will still be free, but you’ll now need to buy an SD card. Hopefully dealers will be accommodating about this and not see it as an opportunity to charge extra money for something that should be free. For what its worth, Android Auto support is pretty good, but that’s a long delay for iPhone owners.
2016 Sonata
Sync 3 also includes support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although it’s spotty. For example, Ford just announced it’s rolling out support for voice-activated Siri Eyes Free on five million existing vehicles, but that’s not the same as running full-blown Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, those cars will never get Sync 3, as it requires computer hardware the existing models don’t have.
That doesn’t mean you’ll get it even if you buy a brand new Ford. Car and Driver just tested the 2016 Ford Escape 2.0L EcoBoost FWD, which had Sync 3, as well as the latest ’16 Mustang. The magazine also juts tested the ’16 Ford Fusion, but that car still has the frustrating MyFord Touch system and Sync 2, with no way to upgrade to Sync 3, CarPlay, or Android Auto. (Ford really meant it when they said “by the end of 2016.”)
On the other hand, most new Volkswagens now on dealer lots now have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. But that automaker has its own problems, and over three months into the diesel emissions scandal, there’s a chance many of those cars may never leave those lots.
For its part, Toyota has decided against supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto altogether for now, preferring instead a hookup with Ford AppLink and a system sourced from longtime mobile GPS software maker TeleNav.
The bottom line: Be careful when car shopping. Just because a manufacturer makes an announcement doesn’t mean that tech will actually be in the car you plan on driving off the lot, especially if you’re looking for native support for your favorite smartphone. You could be making an expensive mistake.
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