Time to add another member to the Apple CarPlay family.
Car audio manufacturer Alpine has just announced the iLX-007, the brand’s first in-dash receiver with CarPlay.
Currently available in North American Markets, Alpine’s $800 unit uses a 7-inch touchscreen to integrate the iPhone with vehicle infotainment. The system features an input for a rear view camera and is compatible with Alpine’s TuneIt app, which can be used to customize sound tuning on the brand’s audio systems.
Alpine’s main competitor in the aftermarket world is Pioneer, who currently offers six different CarPlay receivers. There’s a price range of $600 to $1,400 between the six, with varying screen sizes, navigation controls, and CD/DVD player options available across the lineup.
The Ferrari FF and Hyundai Sonata are the only current factory vehicles offering CarPlay, but Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, and others are planning to include the technology soon.
With CarPlay, Apple hopes to minimize distractions while driving so you can keep your eyes on the road.
CarPlay can read texts aloud, while allowing the driver to dictate a response back. It also lets users pull up contacts and grapple with Apple Maps through voice, touchscreen, and button controls.
It wouldn’t be an Apple system without music, so CarPlay grants motorists access to iTunes Radio, as well as third-party apps like iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Rdio. Other programs like CBS News Radio, Beats Music, and MLB At Bat are also available.
If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can even make a call with it.
The Alpine iLX-007 is compatible with the iPhone 5 and newer.
