Let's just end the argument now once and for all; driving is so much better today than in the past. Vehicles today come with such modern features that not only improve your driving experience but also elevate your entertainment experience and comfortability to another level that the past driving technologies could not offer.

Two of the most modern features that customers are always asking and looking for when it comes to car entertainment systems is that, is it compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Have you ever heard of the two? Are you familiar with them? If not, then now is the perfect time to get to know them.

What is Apple CarPlay?

So, what is Apple CarPlay? It is a highly-regarded smartphone integration system from Apple that enables you to view, control, and enjoy some iPhone features on your car's multimedia receiver.

What are these features? You can now talk to Apple's AI virtual assistant, Siri, to ask for directions from Apple Maps if you feel that you are lost on your way. You can also make and take phone calls, read and send text messages, listen to your voicemails, and even listen to music from your iPhone's Apple Music app or from third-party apps like Spotify and Pandora.

What is Android Auto?

On the other hand, Android Auto is also a smartphone integration system that Google developed for drivers who want to have a better in-car infotainment experience without getting distracted while on the road. 

Using voice commands, you can talk with Google Assistant if you want to ask for directions to your destination using Google Maps. You can also use 3rd-party applications like Waze to help you navigate your way. Using Android Auto, you can also make and receive calls, receive and send text messages, listen to voicemails, and listen and control your music from streaming apps like Spotify and Pandora

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow you to enjoy your trip with all the entertainment and navigation features that come with them, and still, you can stay focused on the road. Thankfully, all these features come in most of Kenwood's multimedia receivers. Now, you do not have to buy a new car, but you can upgrade your old one with one of the highly-modern receivers from Kenwood.

Here are some of our best-selling Kenwood multimedia receivers that are compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto:

Kenwood DMX4707S

A mid-level multimedia receiver from Kenwood that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-Ready, the DMX4704S is the perfect symbol of modernization and affordability. Also, one of the cheapest receivers from Kenwood, this 6.8-inch receiver comes with the latest technologies that elevate your in-car entertainment experience to another level. Bluetooth for streaming music, built-in amplifier, and EQ controls, you now have the perfect upgrade for your car's audio system.

Kenwood DDX5707S

With a DVD receiver with a massive 6.8-inch display, the Kenwood DDX5707S is compatible with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making your life easier on the road. Connect your phone using a USB cable, and you are good to go. You can also mirror your Android phone's display to the receiver for better viewing. Lastly, it has a built-in amplifier with a 5-channel preamp output for a complete in-car audio experience.

Kenwood DMX1037S

One of our best-selling and Kenwood's top-of-the-line digital multimedia receivers, the DMX1037S comes with the latest receiver features there are, and with its gigantic 10.1-inch high-definition display, you won't have any problems with your viewing experience. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-ready, you can freely ask directions, play music, make and take calls, send and receive text messages, and listen to voicemails with the help of voice commands.

There are still more multimedia receivers from Kenwood that are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-ready, so you should check out Onlinecarstereo.com and get the latest and best deals to take your car entertainment system to the next level.

Kenwood’s answer to the wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto war for head units is the DNR876S. It is equipped with built in navigation and a Bluetooth connection feature for hands-free calling and music streaming using Spotify , Pandora and iHeart Radio. For users who are subscribed to satellite radio, this unit is SiriusXM ready as well as iDatalink ready for integrating your vehicle’s settings into the receiver. With this, you will be able to view tire pressure, door opening, headlights and  more to your stereo.

With the newest smartphone technology mainly from Apple and Android manufacturers, the DNR876S is compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, either wired or wireless. This means you will be able to control your smartphone thru the head units and even launch and use various apps.

Depending on the smartphone you are using, you are able to place a call or text by using voice thru Siri or Google Voice. While travelling, users will be able to take advantage of Google or Apple Maps and even Waze for directions with live traffic information. The DNR876S can also control you playlist in your favorite music player apps and even display album art thru the screen. One special feature of this Kenwood unit is the ability to mirror the screen of your Android smartphone. These include playing YouTube or Netflix movies right on your stereo.

This receiver can play various types of music formats from MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC, and DSD music files. It also captures high definition radio with its HD Radio tuner and has a 13-band graphic equalizer for customizing your sound and even DSP and bass boost controls which compensate for exterior noise.

Overall, the DNR876S is promising and delivers the right features for the car audio enthusiast in you and with its 6.95” touchscreen display; you will surely enjoy your drive anywhere. Check it out at Onlinecarstereo for more details. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly promotions and save tons of cash.

Pioneer has been…. Well… A pioneer in the innovation of car audio technology in the world. Their newest product is the 10.1 inch multimedia receiver, DMH-WT8600NEX. This head unit comes with all the bells and whistles for a total entertainment package. The NEX (Network Entertainment Experience) line has been garnering much attention and praise from car audio lovers and enthusiasts.

DISPLAY

It boasts a huge 10.1 inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 720P that can show your video with clear and crisp colors. The main display can be color customized with 112 key colors and illumination timers.  Users can also customize shortcuts for apps for ease of use.

CONNECTIVITY

The DMH-WT8600NEX features Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity either wired or wireless. These two integration platforms will enable your head unit to control your smartphone anyway you want. These include making or receiving calls and texts; activating Siri and Google Voice; streaming music; and providing directions using maps. For users who are not into smartphone integration, this unit also provide Bluetooth connectivity for hands free calling and music playing.

DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYBACK

The head unit is mechless, meaning it does not play DVD or CD. Users can play music using a USB thumb drive, Bluetooth, Carplay or Auto. It supports multiple files formats such as MP3, WMA, WAV and even lossless FLAC. It also supports video playback thru USB with MPEG-1,2,4 or AVI.

MISCELLANEOUS

Other unique features of the DMH-WT8600NEX include dual camera inputs for front and backup for safety. Users can also integrate an iDatalink Maestro in the head unit to view and control selected vehicle settings such as tire pressure, A/C and speaker configuration. For users use SiriusXM subscription, the DMH-WT8600NEX is SXM ready.

Overall, the DMH-WT8600NEX is an excellent multimedia receiver that provides all the necessary smartphone integration and music playback options for the car audio lover. The Pioneer NEX series are the next generation of car entertainment. This also includes the DMH-WT7600NEX, DMH-WC6600NEX and DMH-C2550NEX.

Visit us at Onlinecarstereo to order the Pioneer NEX series headunits. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly promotions and save tons of cash.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and a lot of pockets, fingers and palms are itching to make that purchase online for the perfect car audio deal. Majority of us men are quite hesitant to do it and afraid that our wives, fiances or girlfriend will get mad at our orders. Here are some suggestions on how to work around that fiery partner and turn things around to your benefit.

First, you can tell your wife that the sound on her Toyota Corolla is no longer pleasing to the ears and you’ll give her an upgrade to the Alpine S-S65C which will drastically improve her music stream using spotify with that 240 watts power component 2-way speaker set. At the same time, you can purchase for yourself the KW-M650BT 2-DIN Digital Media Receiver that is Apple Carplay and bluetooth ready perfect for your new Iphone 11 Pro Max.

On the other hand, tell your fiance that aux cords are so 2010 and you can buy her old Honda Civic and upgrade her stock radio with a new Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS and for sure, she will love you more because she can now listen to her favorite music on iHeart Radio or Spotify and can even talk to you while driving with the hands-free calling feature. At the same time, you can purchase for yourself the Alpine ILX-F309 9" Digital Multimedia Receiver with Built In HD Radio Tuner that can sync thru Carplay or Android Auto.

Finally, if your girlfriend is always complaining that you are always buying things for your car, you can purchase her the new Pioneer AVH-310EX 6.8” display 2-DIN Multimedia DVD receiver so she can watch her favorite movieS in the car and stream music from Spotify, Pandora or iHart Radio. At the same time, you can finally get your bass sound upgrade and get the Rockford Fosgate R2SD4-12 Prime Series with 500 watts of peak power and you’re both going to be happy.

There you go folks! Hurry and take advantage of the pricedrop promo this week and make your partners and yourselves happy. You can also subscribe to our NEWSLETTER and receive weekly mailers for exclusive promotions and save tons of cash.

Recently, Apple unveiled the newest iteration of the iphone family, the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Alongside this is the release of the Apple Watch Series 5. This means new features for iOS 13 one of which is the update of the Maps app to include realistic details of roads, beaches, buildings and more. Another update of the new iphone and iOS is Siri which will give you a more natural voice, intelligence and SiriKit for Audio which allows more versatility on playing music, audiobooks and radio.

More importantly, the new iOS has a more robust Carplay integration. The main dashboard has been redesigned to give you a single place to keep track of maps, audio controls and Siri suggestions. It has been refreshed to reflect a modern look for your modern car. If you are always on the go with busy schedules, the new calendar app has been redesigned to give you a quicker view of your day while driving. Another cool feature is the Apple Music app update that makes it even easier to discover new music and old favorites. iOS 13 now supports the newer AVRCP 1.6 standard that lets you view album art of your favorite artists on your stereo screen.

On the other hand, the new Apple Watch 5 provides the ability to alert you if the decibels rise to a level that can impact your hearing. This means that you can now measure decibels of your subwoofer and speaker setups using your Apple Watch. Likewise, you can still control your music using the audio controls from your watch and skip to your favorite songs as you drive. Lastly, your Apple Watch has the ability to tell which direction you are headed with the new compass app that also tells you ground elevation.

Onlinecarstereo has Apple Carplay compatible head units in its catalog from premium to affordable brands. These are as follows:

Kenwood Excelon DDX9906XR - This is one of Kenwood’s bestsellers. It has a 6.8” touchscreen with bluetooth and DVD player. It supports both wired and wireless Apple Carplay and has Digital AM / FM capability.

Alpine X308U - One of Alpine’s premium products that has 8” of screen size. It also sports an embedded Navigation with 3D and 2D mapping as well as compatible with iDatalink® Maestro® Module to integrate vehicle settings in your receiver.

Alpine iLX-F259 - Another Alpine premium product but more affordable. It sports a 9” touchscreen and can stream music from your iphone either through bluetooth or Apple Carplay. It’s single DIN chassis will allow it to fit any vehicle old or new.

JVC KW-V950BW - Also from Kenwood company but different design and feel. It has a 6.8” screen and is one of the affordable receivers that can do wireless Apple Carplay and compatible with iDatalink Maestro as well.

Pioneer DMH-C5500NEX - is Pioneer’s take on the Apple Carplay bandwagon. An 8” touchscreen was provided with this unit giving you a large screen real estate. This premium Pioneer unit is also SiriusXM ready and compatible with iDataLink® Maestro as well.

Sony XAV-AX1000 - From Sony is this unit that has 6.2” clear resistive touch screen and SiriusXM ready. It has bluetooth compatibility and can also play music from your USB stick. This is one of the most affordable units with Apple Carplay out there.

Alpine iLX-W650 - Alpine’s answer to affordable Apple Carplay compatibility. It has 7” screen size with bluetooth and SiriusXM. The unit also has a slim chassis making it compatible to any vehicle dashboard.

Here are some of the top seller head units that are Apple Carplay compatible from Onlinecarstereo. We have so much more to offer from our website. Just type in Carplay on the search box and products will display with a price that suits your application. Subscribe to our NEWSLETTER and get weekly promotions so you can save tons of cash. Hurry and shop now!