How to Get Wireless CarPlay on the new Toyota Tundra
CarPlay can make it possible to use most of the basic functions of the iPhone through the control panel of the car. So wireless CarPlay will be more intelligent and convenient, and I believe that the new Toyota Tundra is no stranger to everyone. The highlight of new Toyota Tundra’s central control system is that it supports the OEM CarPlay. But wireless connections will get cooler, so why not?
PROS:
+ Small
+ Wireless
+ Fast Setup / Install
+ Adds a Battery Status indicator on the new Toyota Tundra
+ Lets you use a fast-charging source on your phone
CONS:
-You can't use Wi-Fi on your phone while using this magic box
-A little slow to connect each time it is used
Review:
I am using this with a Boss BE10ACP head unit and a iPhone 8+ on the latest iOS build (15.5). Setup was super easy and fast. I unboxed and adapter and plugged it into the USB cable from the head unit. My head unit switched to CarPlay mode after a few seconds like it believed an iPhone had connected and the screen showed the name of the adapter so that i could chose the correct one in my Bluetooth settings. I connected the Bluetooth on my iPhone to the device listed on the screen and then said OK to use CarPlay and that was all she wrote. One thing i was not expecting was the car screen now shows the battery status indicator for my phone. That was not present when i was just using the USB cable.
If i had to find something negative to say it would be about the startup speed. When i start my vehicle my Boss head unit boots up in about 5 seconds. About 3 seconds after that it detects the new magic box and automatically goes into CarPlay mode. Then there is a wait of about 15 seconds while my phone detects the magic box and enters new Toyota Tundra CarPlay mode. Overall, the whole process takes less than 30 seconds. Without the magic box and just using the USB cable, it would take about 8 seconds. I don't know if the additional time is the magic box booting up or if it is my iPhone joining the Bluetooth, etc. Either way, the wait is not unreasonable and the convenience of not having to deal with the USB cord is totally worth it.
As a side note, you should know that you cannot use your WIFI on your iPhone while you are using this adapter. It appears that the CarPlay functionality uses the WIFI on the phone to link to this box. It does it in such a way that you don't see a WIFI network connection on your phone but it is connected. So as long as your connected to this box you are using the cellular data on your phone. I didn't see that mentioned anywhere in the description of the product. Just a heads up for you.
Another side note, without the USB cable connected to your iPhone you are going to need to think about how the phone will get power. I am using a fast-charge wireless cradle and i like that a lot more than having to use the USB cable. Most car stereos don't fast-charge iPhones. By removing the requirement that your phone connect via USB to the car stereo you are now free to use other methods that can fast charge!
Overall, I think this is a quality product and i wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. If your new Toyota Tundra has CarPlay wired, you need one of these!