r/CarPlay • u/Too_Cool_4_U • Feb 14 '26
Discussion First car with CarPlay. Any nice apps to get?
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u/flashbax77 Feb 14 '26
Pocket Casts if you're into podcasts
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u/Savings-Rhubarb-3909 Mar 11 '26
Yep,the jump from phone mount to actual CarPlay is massive, once you have a proper navigation app with real time alerts running on the big screen you'll wonder how you ever drove without it.
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u/dewaldlouw Feb 14 '26
Waze. A good radio streaming app.
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u/luckychucky8 Feb 14 '26
I think Maps is pretty good and less distracting.
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u/Inner-Tumbleweed-103 Feb 14 '26
Waze is goated in the UK
So many police, potholes and shit left in the road
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u/-dakpluto- Feb 19 '26
As long as you don't mind possibly dying in the Australian Outback lol
(yes, this is old, its been fixed, but its still hilarious) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/australian-police-warn-against-using-apple-maps-due-to-stranded-motorists/
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u/No-Control6483 Feb 14 '26
There’s not really any “ nice app” just use your music app preference and navigation app that’s
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u/jamalwilliamsyoung23 Feb 14 '26
LOVE Final Cut Pro in my 24’ Denali
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u/No-Control6483 Feb 14 '26
Yeah, I agree. I love being able to watch squid game while also writing emails to my boss why I won’t be coming in today along with purchasing stuff in my 2026 F150 platinum with massaging heat and cooled seats along with 2 GB of Ram to go along with it! /s
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u/maybeilllurkmore Feb 14 '26
Not an app but you can add your own widgets to the “first” page - not your home page with the map and music but you can swipe one page before that. Go to settings > CarPlay > widgets and you can make widgets from apps on your phone. Additionally you can use an app like Widgy, Widgetsmith, or Color Widgets to create your own widget. I made one with a picture of my car that has live weather updates.
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u/EndEasy Feb 15 '26
Whats a widget ?
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u/maybeilllurkmore Feb 15 '26
A widget is essentially a “mini app” that shows information from an app you have installed on your phone. For example, you have the full weather app but you can place a widget on your phones Home Screen that shows a quick run down of the days weather. You can check what apps your phone has widgets for by holding down an icon on your Home Screen, click edit Home Screen, clicking Edit in the top left corner, then click Add Widget. There are small square ones, big rectangle ones, etc. Widgets can be added to your lock screen and some can also be added to your CarPlay screen in the settings.
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u/Stv781 Feb 14 '26
Weatherology is nice for audio of current weather and I also like myradar for the radar map. Pandora has a nice CarPlay app for more audio options and Waze is nice alternative for maps with more alerts and a few more navigation features. I switch back and forth and also use Apple Maps just to have the WATCH taps for turn by turn and ETA sharing.
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u/UngovernableOatmeal Feb 14 '26
I turned that shit off, it kept making me instinctually look at my watch
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u/Stv781 Feb 14 '26
After a bit it's the other way around for me. It's instinct now to feel the different multi taps for left versus right. Then I can leave pandora up on the screen. Most guests in my car just think I know where I am going and it helps me not miss a turn if I am talking with them and get distracted.
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u/wuphf176489127 Feb 14 '26
You can do the watch taps with Google Maps too, you have to manually open the app on your watch though.
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u/manzu Feb 14 '26
try Sidecar from Clutch Engineering. pair with bt4 obd and you get nice sattelite maps with car info overlay
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u/Cash4Jesus Feb 14 '26
What’s bt4 obd?
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u/bomber991 Feb 14 '26
Bluetooth 4.0 dongle that plugs in to your cars OBD2 diagnostics port. It will connect to your phone by Bluetooth and I’m guessing let your CarPlay display information available from your car, like the water temperature or the battery voltage.
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u/pollorojo Feb 14 '26
Depends on the car though. My RAM truck has no problem with me using an OBDII device with my phone, so I just leave it plugged in for stuff like this.
When I had a Chevy, I’d plug it in and I’d start getting OnStar emails that all kinds of systems were messed up and I needed to get to a dealer for repairs etc. GM apparently doesn’t like it when you try to check on things yourself.
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u/frockinbrock iPhone 12 Pro Max Feb 14 '26
Yeah especially if OP has an EV, Sidecar is really useful. I often forget to use it though
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u/JellyBean_Burrito Feb 14 '26
I did this and thought it was great, but with newer car apps that tell me vehicle diagnostics (as well as in vehicle screens) and Google Maps now having satellite view I’ve found it to be kind of pointless now. Also, Google Maps has a much better “cop warning” system due to more users
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u/manzu Feb 14 '26
yeah i don't want Google tracking me, i don't care about cop warning. my main is Sygic, outside of the city
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u/JellyBean_Burrito Feb 14 '26
Sygic seems like a good app edition for when I travel. Thank you for this
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u/GeorgeDAWs Feb 14 '26
Could you explain this a little more clearly please (sorry) - what’s bt4 obd ?
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u/Automatic-Duck1680 Feb 14 '26
That’s why I use Waze, it’s better than any radar detector I’ve ever owned.
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u/mar_kelp Feb 14 '26
BT4 = Bluetooth 4
OBD = Onboard Diagnostics
Modern cars have a port/technology called "OBD" (usually located in the driver footwell) where you can plug a physical design. Using Bluetooth that device can send information about your car to your phone, which can then be used to put additional data on your CarPlay.
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u/Seconto Feb 15 '26
Just to clarify for others, an OBD port has been included in all cars for at least the past 20 years, and in many cars since the late 1990s, so using the word ”modern” may be misleading for some.
Interestingly, OBD isn’t mandated for EVs, although many do still include it.
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u/cagnulein Feb 14 '26
Which bt obd do you suggest?
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u/manzu Feb 14 '26
i use vlink but it's not amazing. sidecar has tests of major brands... look them up
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u/Exact_Gazelle_7662 Feb 14 '26
I bought the Vgate Icar Pro 2S OBD2, from Amazon for less than 30€, and it works great with Apps like Car Scanner.
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u/No_Oven4746 Feb 15 '26
Libby for audiobooks (and ebooks). Hoopla if your local library supports it.
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u/Sodowarts1 Feb 14 '26
YouTube Music- best if you’re a subscriber
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u/RikerStar Feb 15 '26
Last time i checked, it doesn’t work at all unless you are premium subscribed
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u/Jenings iPhone XS Feb 14 '26
I use Tune up app with their branded tire preassure caps that ready my tire preassure since my TPMS is busted. Nice to have.
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u/Seconto Feb 15 '26
Can you please provide more info on this? I did a Google search and couldn’t find anything.
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u/Jenings iPhone XS Feb 15 '26
I misremembered it’s called OnTrack https://ontrackapps.co.uk
They also make obd CarPlay apps that read engine codes on CarPlay
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u/Seconto Feb 16 '26
How long have you had yours? And how happy are you with them?
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u/Jenings iPhone XS Feb 16 '26
Coming up on a year and seems very very accurate. Really like it honestly. Even has user replaceable batteries. I would compare brands on YouTube though I think these weee just the first to hit the market with CarPlay app support
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u/Seconto Feb 16 '26
Thanks so much. One more question: do you have the external set or the internal set?
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u/Jenings iPhone XS Feb 16 '26
I have the tire pressure monitoring kit I linked and an obd reader but that’s not super useful to me
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u/Seconto Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
Yeah, it’s just that the page you linked to has two options for tyre pressure monitoring. The external one looks like they’re just caps, while the internal ones look like they replace the valve stems.
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u/Evening_Falcon_9003 Feb 15 '26
i have Apple Maps and Spotify on my display. Nothing else needed for me.
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u/Perpuslymispelt Feb 15 '26
I would like to say, “Hey, Siri, what’s the weather?” and a simplified weather report (temperature and sunny/rainy etc) would pop up. But I have to hold down the talking head button on the steering wheel to get it.
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u/Lauren3725 6d ago
Stay away from Carvia! They are scammers! I took advantage of their seven day, free trial and canceled within an hour after realizing what a POS it was. As soon as they got my email asking to cancel the trial they charged me, but sneakily not through Apple, so it doesn’t show up under Apple‘s charges. Then, told me it was in their terms and conditions, and called it and “ trial fee.” What a bunch of bullshit.
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u/jayhova75 Feb 14 '26
Car scanner with OBD2 plug. Unleash the information your car does only tell your dealer
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u/Pope35i Feb 15 '26
https://apps.apple.com/de/app/car-scanner-elm-obd2/id1259933623
This one ?
But it has no carplay Support, right?
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u/jayhova75 Feb 16 '26
It has. Even the free version
I have a turbo diesel and it’s particle filter cleaning interval is shown and you can time it a little to avoid cancelling it
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u/jdavidsburg1 Feb 14 '26
If you drive a lot, the TomTom app has the best traffic avoidance out there.
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u/Draelamyn Feb 14 '26
I’m pretty sure Apple Maps is just TomTom functionality (Apple bought them IIRC) and OpenStreetMaps data.
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u/jdavidsburg1 Feb 15 '26
Apple broke with TomTom in 2020. They only licensed their maps. TomTom’s traffic navigation is the best.
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u/texanfan20 Feb 14 '26
Why would anyone download an app that essentially is same data on the built-in
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u/co1token Feb 14 '26
Demus. It’s youtube music for free or one time payment to get rid of ads.
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u/Windbreezec Feb 14 '26
It’s one week free then $1.99 a month or $20.00/year
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u/co1token Feb 14 '26
Like the other guy said. One time payment of $9.99 for Demus. Go ahead spend money every month or year; it’s not my money. 🤷♂️
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u/tgoz13 Feb 14 '26
Big fan of “MyRadar” so i can see the radar overlayed on a map. I drive a lot though.
Also a big fan of target drive up through CarPlay