Apple Car Play

[Jsuter]

Anybody has any experience with Apple Car Play and Sensus connect

The internet reports do not exactly praise Carplay ....

[AlexK]

No experience with the XC40, but used it in other models in the range. Volvo's implementation is about as good as CarPlay gets.

My personal opinion is that CarPlay is crap and has effectively been abandoned by Apple. It's useful in cheaper cars where a 'native' navigation function isn't provided, but since you're forced to use Apple Maps (which is awful), it's hardly a selling point.

Only thing I do like is that I find the call quality is better via CarPlay than over Bluetooth, but that's about it.

Again, just personal opinion - I know some people swear by it.

[senwar]

Agree with Alex. Rubbish system that seemingly isn’t being developed for some reason. Not worth paying the extra for.

Have it in my current car as didn’t have sat nav. But I hate apple maps with a passion and find CarPlay so buggy.

I know the sound quality is better than Bluetooth but I’ll try and run without it for a while when I get mine.

[Flatman5]

I’ve used car play on a number of vehicles and while it works well enough I find Apple maps less than inspiring

[Tux R40]

I find it to be extremely useful on the XC40. Siri is responsive & gets the directions right the 1st time. Music using Tidal Premium sounds full with a nice presence through CarPlay on the Harmon Kardon. Texting (iMessages) is as easy as talking to someone in the car. I’ve been using the MLB app & SIRIUSXM app as well with great results. No lag when switching between apps so I’m a fan.

[Boomer]

Well having spent lunchtime playing with Apple Carplay for the first time I am not feeling the love. Will be giving it a fair test over the coming days but having inadvertently discovered that I can run the "Downcast" podcast app (one of my key media apps in iOS/iphone) over Sensus's Bluetooth (I can accept the usual BT quality drop as we are talking podcasts here, and anyway they are still pretty good over the Harmon), carplay looks to be redundant for me. As I say I will though be giving it a fair crack of whip in the coming days and it might be that one or two that carplay apps come good.

[Bonus: Things I have learnt today. Make sure that you haven't by mistake "switched off" the carplay function on your iphone. I found that I had after a frustrating 45 mins trying to get the phone linked to Sensus. Abandoned it so as to have time to reflect on why it wasn't working. Anyway solution was in the iphones Setting - General - Restrictions - and then making sure carplay is toggled on (also Siri needs to be enabled).]]

[Boomer]

Only thing I do like is that I find the call quality is better via CarPlay than over Bluetooth, but that's about it.

Alex, actually you might have just reminded me that this might, just might, be Apple Carplay's saving grace. Literally the first thing I did when driving out of the dealership was call the missus (on a sensus linked bluetoothed iPhone), only to find that I could hardly hear her (she claims I have selective hearing at the best of times). Beyond 40mph (even with Sensus on max volume) it was effectively the end of the conversation as couldn't hear a thing.

Much research over the weekend (and another iPhone revelation moment) it seems that there is a separate volume scale in the iPhone when operating over bluetooth, so whacking the iPhone up to max BT volume and it is now workable in the Xc40. Not great but I can get to motorway speeds and still have a conversation.

Test of the phone with carplay today and it certainly appeared to be better quality. But I was stationary and need to test when moving.

[Jsuter]

Well having spent lunchtime playing with Apple Carplay for the first time I am not feeling the love. Will be giving it a fair test over the coming days but having inadvertently discovered that I can run the "Downcast" podcast app (one of my key media apps in iOS/iphone) over Sensus's Bluetooth (I can accept the usual BT quality drop as we are talking podcasts here, and anyway they are still pretty good over the Harmon), carplay looks to be redundant for me. As I say I will though be giving it a fair crack of whip in the coming days and it might be that one or two that carplay apps come good.

[Bonus: Things I have learnt today. Make sure that you haven't by mistake "switched off" the carplay function on your iphone. I found that I had after a frustrating 45 mins trying to get the phone linked to Sensus. Abandoned it so as to have time to reflect on why it wasn't working. Anyway solution was in the iphones Setting - General - Restrictions - and then making sure carplay is toggled on (also Siri needs to be enabled).]]

looking forward to your test ! tx

[AlexK]

there is a separate volume scale in the iPhone when operating over bluetooth, so whacking the iPhone up to max BT volume and it is now workable in the Xc40.

This is the only bit that bothers me about Bluetooth connectivity - listening to music over BT also requires you to remember to crank up your phone's volume, otherwise the car's amp is working with a poorer signal to begin with.

Not a Volvo specific problem, it's common to most cars - only Ford has sussed it with Sync3 as it automatically winds the iPhone's volume to max as soon as you plug it in. Only problem is, it leaves it like that, so you have a heart-attack when your phone next rings...

[Boomer]

I think it is only maximising the BT volume of your phone and so provided your not using BT headphones or similar should be standalone.

But then I am making memo to self to not fall in this (headphone) trap as I type.....