Facelift Wireless Apple CarPlay

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Nicster

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I'll start by stating that I'm usually very tech savvy. However...

I'm new to Audi. Still finding my way around the MMI. Trying to work out shortcuts for the features I use most often as the non-touch screen can feel a bit inefficient at times. Anyway... the reason for this post is that I'd like to use Apple CarPlay wirelessly and I can't figure out how to get it to work. I have:

  • A3 S Line Facelift (2019) with TechPack
  • Iphone X running iOS 13.3
Can someone confirm if I need to get a sim card for the car for this to work? (I can't understand why it's required!).

Any any other tips for making this work? The phone is connected by bluetooth and to the car's wifi but no success and I'm feeling a bit clueless really!
 
Apple CarPlay only works with a cable unfortunately, as apple sold the exclusivity of wireless CarPlay to BMW and I believe that has only just expired ! Caught me out too as I have the wireless charging box just assumed I would chuck the phone in and away I went....

It's so annoying that they ruined what should be such a seamless system for some extra cash I wonder how much BMW paid for that deal, I guess it was a lot because I think CarPlay was a subscription service for BMWs for a while !

If you are desperate for it the only solution I have seen is to get an external Alliexpress Android box that supports wireless CarPlay ......
 
Last edited:
Haha glad it wasn’t just me. You need to use a lightning usb cable between the USB port in the armrest and the phone. Then if you go to connection manager in the MMI, click “allow” and all that stuff when you get prompted on the MMI and phone and away you go. I don’t use it though, Bluetooth with wireless charging and the sat nav via internet (google maps built-in) works fine. Apple car
Play reads a text message but I don’t really care about that. I’m not sure what other advantages car play offers other than that really.
 
Wired will give better sound quality for music too.

I was also surprised CarPlay didn’t work wirelessly especially with a wireless charging box.
 
I find that CarPlay certainly isn’t as user friendly having to navigate using the rotary knob. Shame they couldn’t have just given you a mouse pointer to use with the trackpad!!
 
Speedychuck said:
I find that CarPlay certainly isn’t as user friendly having to navigate using the rotary knob. Shame they couldn’t have just given you a mouse pointer to use with the trackpad!!
Click to expand...

Agree, although editing what apps app and the order in which they appear, certainly helps. I can't believe I only just discovered that recently.

(From your phone, Settings>General>CarPlay/AudiMMI>Customise)

Also, I've been using the voice control more to get around the clunkiness. Long press activates Siri voice control, single press activates Audi voice control.
 
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Nicster said:
Agree, although editing what apps app and the order in which they appear, certainly helps. I can't believe I only just discovered that recently.

(From your phone, Settings>General>CarPlay/AudiMMI>Customise)

Also, I've been using the voice control more to get around the clunkiness. Long press activates Siri voice control, single press activates Audi voice control.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this info! I’ll definitely be putting it to good use. Wasn’t aware of the features.

If I use CarPlay I tend to have waze in the main screen and then the audio track on the vc. Shame the car doesn’t have native Spotify, especially when (oddly) it has Napster.


Biggest find for me when using CarPlay was the realisation that you could navigate by pushing the rotary up/down/left/right rather than rotating it.
 
Iv been so close to buying that dongle but just can’t justify it. Reviews seem totally mixed too so I’m gonna gold out till something reputable comes out.
 
Bishop187 said:
Do you have a link for it. I’ll take a punt for £50


A7 3.0tdi 272 Black Edition Mythos Black Tech pack
Click to expand...
Nope. I get asked a lot for Apple CarPlay on PFL A3 vehicles and always say “MIB2 retrofit or CarPlay box needed”. I don’t supply CarPlay boxes , as they all pretty much suck, so when people ask for examples I search Aliexpress and copy and paste a link, which is when I see these dongles pop up. Had two customers with them today, a golf owner who paid £150.00 and an S3 who paid $60.00, same thing different logos
 
The_Ironist said:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32983926178.html

About £43.

They use bluetooth though and I’ve noticed a degradation in sound quality using Bluetooth using the normal Bluetooth connection in my car.
Click to expand...

Hang on! Those types state they are for aftermarket android head units, would these work with our MMI?? Would be good to know as if not then we will all get the cheap one! The one that’s £120ish and states for cars with factory CarPlay and specifically states Audi is the only one so far that I can see works...
 
￡97.49 21％ Off | Carlinkit CarPlay Wireless Activator for Audi Porsche Wolkswagen Volvo Original car with CarPlay Wireless Carplay Activator
https://a.aliexpress.com/_UEfPw

This is the one your cars with factory CarPlay


A7 3.0tdi 272 Black Edition Mythos Black Tech pack
 
Bishop187 said:
￡97.49 21％ Off | Carlinkit CarPlay Wireless Activator for Audi Porsche Wolkswagen Volvo Original car with CarPlay Wireless Carplay Activator
https://a.aliexpress.com/_UEfPw

This is the one your cars with factory CarPlay


A7 3.0tdi 272 Black Edition Mythos Black Tech pack
Click to expand...


I have one that has been tested and works. This is for cars which already have wired CarPlay and you want to go wireless. I now have a car with wireless CarPlay so dongle is available for sale. Pls make me an offer if interested and I’ll send to you. Cheers
 
The_Ironist said:
Aha didn’t notice the difference. May need to spend more then.
Click to expand...

I have one that has been tested and works. This is for cars which already have wired CarPlay and you want to go wireless. I now have a car with wireless CarPlay so dongle is available for sale. Pls make me an offer if interested and I’ll send to you. Cheers
 
Ormesome said:
Iv been so close to buying that dongle but just can’t justify it. Reviews seem totally mixed too so I’m gonna gold out till something reputable comes out.
Click to expand...

I have one that has been tested and works. This is for cars which already have wired CarPlay and you want to go wireless. I now have a car with wireless CarPlay so dongle is available for sale. Pls make me an offer if interested and I’ll send to you. Cheers
 
What is the difference then between the ones that are on the £100 mark in Ali and the ones that mention Android and are half of the price? Will the Android ones do the same for us that we have the genuine CarPlay wired connection that the ones of the £100?

Thanks
 
Raul_sbd said:
What is the difference then between the ones that are on the £100 mark in Ali and the ones that mention Android and are half of the price? Will the Android ones do the same for us that we have the genuine CarPlay wired connection that the ones of the £100?

Hi, the cheaper one works with android head units only and will not work. What you need is one that works with factory units with CarPlay wired already built in. These are the expensive ones. The dongle turns it from wired to wireless.
Have a dongle that will work for £65 including postage if interested. I now have a car with wireless CarPlay. Thanks
Upload 2020 2 24 2 30 52


Thanks
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks Nabz. Works well

401cec9aa563b4367eb4a17a6871c9d9.jpg



A7 3.0tdi 272 Black Edition Mythos Black Tech pack
 
How’s the music sound quality vs wired?

The standard Bluetooth ruins music.
 
The_Ironist said:
How’s the music sound quality vs wired?

The standard Bluetooth ruins music.
Click to expand...

It uses Bluetooth at the start to connect your phone to its Wifi signal. So the music and CarPlay is all done over a WiFi connection.

Don’t ever think u will beat a wired connection. But to be honest I seemed quite good. But only used it an hour.

Connects within 5-7secs on start up, When u skip a track it has a slight delay of a second, but when using the knob to navigate its fine


A7 3.0tdi 272 Black Edition Mythos Black Tech pack
 
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