Tech News and Commentary

Dave and the team discuss Google I/O News, Google Photos new filter features, Pinterest positivity reminder, YouTube Shorts, Google Assistant filling checkout details for you, new Sony phones, the growth of podcasts in 2020, and more.

Tom in Saint George, Louisiana listens to the podcasts and asked: "I have an older 2015 GMC Yukon. I'm interested in a device that would allow me to upgrade to the Apple CarPlay. I heard there was some type of device you can plug in and connect your iPhone to it and it would transform that screen in those older GMCs and Chevys to work with the Apple CarPlay."

https://media.blubrry.com/into_tomorrow/content.blubrry.com/into_tomorrow/04-16-2021-H3S1.mp3

Tom,

The number one way to get CarPlay is to replace your head unit with a brand new one.

Some manufacturers like GM, but also others like Honda, Hyundai, and others are offering the owners of select models the option to pay for an upgrade that either via new software or new hardware makes their original touch screens CarPlay compatible.

There are a few reasons why thats not typically the best way to go.

The first one is just price, you can easily be looking at $500 for what amounts to a software update if you go with an OEM update. You can find new head units with CarPlay for much less.

You may also have to deal with the lack of some hardware that would make your experience better if youre getting just a software update. There are two flavors of CarPlay: wired and wireless.

Wired is just USB, but Wireless uses both Bluetooth and WiFi. Most non-CarPlay compatible hardware does not come with WiFi.

That means means that for the most part if you go with the OEM upgrade you will be stuck with having to plug in your phone to use CarPlay.

That brings us to another hardware limitation, you may or may not get adequate performance and depending on what happens to be powering your radio.

Some radios will deliver a perfectly acceptable and responsive experience while others are not backed up by the hardware required to deliver.

If you still want to do it, reach out to a GMC dealer and see if theres an upgrade available for your particular Yukon, but you may save some money and get better results if you go with an aftermarket solution.

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