Upgrade and Unplug

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay had been announced for some time now, however there are very few manufacturers that offer this as an option. In fact, BMW is currently the only OEM to offer this feature… for a $300 fee. On top of charging for this feature you wouldn’t be able to get wireless Android Auto, only Apple CarPlay.

Go Wireless with Pioneer

As one of the first companies to offer aftermarket wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay head units, they are also the first to release head units that are both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible. A common misconception is that the only thing needed to get wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay is a Bluetooth connection. While Bluetooth is part of the equation, the amount of data that needs to be transferred from the phone to the head unit display is requires much more bandwidth than Bluetooth can handle.

To facilitate the transfer of data a Wi-Fi connection needs to be utilized, which means even if your current car stereo has Android Auto or Apple CarPlay the head unit would still need a Wi-Fi hot spot. While some automobile manufacturers have offered retroactive upgrades to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay that was done all on the software side, for wireless to work it means adding in new hardware a.k.a. don’t hold your breath waiting for OEMs to offer this as an add-on upgrade.

If you’re looking to get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Pioneer has you covered. If you need to have both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility check out the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX or AVIC-W8500NEX. If you don’t need the option of dual compatibility, check out the AVIC-W6500NEX which only features wireless Apple CarPlay. Also note that all of these stereos will work with a wired connection as well.

Read below for a quick rundown of these new Pioneer stereos with links to our full reviews.