Apple’s CarPlay To Be In Toyota Cars By 2015 [UPDATED]

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Update by Toyota: A previous version of this article said Apple CarPlay would be in Toyota cars from 2015. This is incorrect and we are happy to put the matter straight. No announcements have been made about if and when Apple CarPlay will arrive in Toyota cars.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s new CarPlay smartphone integration for iOS devices may be available to Toyota car users by 2015. Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM), in an official Toyota UK blog, assured that by 2015, iPhone users could get Apple CarPlay integrated in their Toyota cars.

“Come 2015, you’ll be able to get the iPhone experience you love in your Toyota with Apple CarPlay,” says the blog.

Toyota a “committed partner” of Apple

Toyota cars, once integrated with the iOS app, will literally become the biggest iPhone accessory an iPhone user owns. Bringing the technology, in just one year, is a quick turnaround by Toyota considering the fact that it took almost a decade to integrate USB ports and Bluetooth in their cars as an audio source.

When CarPlay was announced by the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Toyota emerged as the “committed partner” to integrate technology in future models. This information is mentioned as a footnote on Apple’s website. Further, the assurance by Toyota has just made the commitment of the company even more clear and determined.

However, the automaker has not announced the car model that would be integrated with the technology. Also, no clarification has been given on how the CarPlay technology will work simultaneously with the automaker’s Entune app connectivity suite.

Siri to offer eyes-free experience

During the time of announcement of CarPlay, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stated that it will be compatible with the iPhone. When the user connects the handset to the car with CarPlay, the app starts using iPhone’s Maps features to provide GPS information such as route info, traffic conditions and more. The app will also try to figure out the destination of the user based on recent emails, texts and contacts.

Apple CarPlay will also use iPhone’s Siri voice features, which offers eyes free experience by replying to the request through voice commands, reading deriver’s message and letting them speak in response or make a call.

The users of CarPlay can run their music from iTunes collection along with any podcast, audio books and third party services like Spotify and iHeartRadio. Other hot brands like Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo could also announce CarPlay features in some of their vehicle models by the end of this year. Car manufacturers like Ford, General Motors, Honda and BMW will also integrate the feature in their cars. Only iPhone 5 and higher versions can enjoy CarPlay feature in their phone due to its use of lightning connection.

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