Wired or wireless?
Wired CarPlay and Android Auto connect through a USB cable. Your phone charges the whole time, the connection is rock solid, and wired receivers are usually the more budget-friendly choice.
Wireless connects over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as soon as you start the car, so your phone can stay in your pocket or bag. It’s the easy choice for short trips around town. On long drives, plug in anyway, because wireless projection uses more battery. Wireless CarPlay works with iPhones, and wireless Android Auto works with most recent Android phones. We’ll confirm your phone is compatible before you choose.
Either way, your phone can ride in the console instead of on a windshield mount. That matters in July, when a phone baking on a sunny dash can overheat and shut down right when you need directions.
Screens you can see in Arizona sun
Glare is a real problem in Phoenix, especially heading east on Camelback in the morning or west on I-10 at sunset. We’ll help you pick a bright, responsive touchscreen with good viewing angles. Many floating-screen models can be tilted to cut reflections, and we position every screen with your windshield and seating position in mind.
Choose a capacitive screen. It responds to a light touch like your phone does, which is easier to use at freeway speed than an older resistive panel. Automatic dimming and dark themes keep the display easy on your eyes after dark.
Great for older cars and trucks
Many vehicles from the 2000s and early 2010s have a standard single-DIN or double-DIN radio opening, which makes them great candidates for a CarPlay upgrade. We use vehicle-specific dash kits and wiring interfaces so the new receiver looks factory-installed and your steering-wheel controls keep working. Older trucks and SUVs are especially good candidates: the engine and body still have plenty of life, and a modern touchscreen makes the whole cab feel newer.
Some newer vehicles have a factory screen built into the dash. In many of those, a vehicle-specific receiver kit or an integration module can still add CarPlay or Android Auto. Give us your year, make and model, and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
- Siri and Google Assistant voice control
- Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps on the big screen
- Spotify, Apple Music, podcasts and audiobooks
- Hands-free calls and read-aloud texts
- No satellite radio subscription needed
Add a backup camera in the same visit
Most CarPlay and Android Auto receivers have a rear camera input that switches to the camera automatically when you shift into reverse. Adding the camera during the same appointment saves a second trip and a second round of taking the dash apart. We run the camera cable behind trim panels, so it stays protected and out of sight. Want to record the road ahead too? We install dash cams with parking mode as well.
We’re on Camelback Road near 43rd Avenue, a quick trip from Maryvale, Grand Canyon University and I-17. Get a free quote, and ask about financing and lease-to-own options.
Brands we work with for carplay/android
Brands with a red dot are on our Phoenix showroom shelves right now. Ask us about availability for anything else.
- Kenwood
- Alpine
- Pioneer
- Sony
- JVC
- iDatalink Maestro