I have a Lexus with built-in Wireless CarPlay, which is very handy when you’re hopping in/out of the car. On long trips, I still plug the device into the USB port to keep it charging since Wireless CarPlay drains an iPhone battery pretty fast, faster than wireless charging can keep up. I wanted the same capability in my Jeep, and this ticks the boxes well for a very reasonable price.
1. The “Delay” - There’s actually two delays. The first type of delay is the time it takes from starting the car to being connected to Wireless CarPlay. On every vehicle I’ve seen/tried Wireless CP on, it always takes several seconds for the system to boot and to connect to the iPhone. The delay in connection with this device is comparable to those cars where it’s built-in, possibly a second or two longer. The second type of delay is the time between pressing a button on-screen, such as pause, and having the iPhone complete the action. Again, even on vehicles with it built-in there is typically a small delay of 1-2 seconds. Some car models are faster than others in this regard, but none are instantaneous. None are as fast as a direct-wired connection. Strangely, this doesn’t slow down the actual interface itself (e.g., swiping left/right between screens), mostly just delays play/pause commands for music and podcasts. The degree of the delay is identical to the delay I had in my Jeep when I was merely connected to the radio via Bluetooth. If I pause the music on screen via Bluetooth, there’s actually about a 2-second delay before the actual music pauses. It’s the same via Wireless CP through this device. This is likely due to this using a combination of Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity in the way that Wireless CarPlay actually works. The heavy lifting/bandwidth items are managed via WiFi connection and the commands, and probably other things, traverse via Bluetooth. At least that’s my suspicion. The delay exists in every Wireless CP implementation I’ve encountered, and nearly every Bluetooth connection, but some cart models are much more delayed than others with Jeep being one of the most pronounced I’ve experienced. Still fully usable and not a deal breaker at all.
Setup is very straightforward. There is no app you need to download. It merely asks you to connect to the device via Bluetooth, and my phone immediately recognized it as a CarPlay device and requested permissions to use Wireless CarPlay. It was less than 30 seconds for the initial setup and once set up, needs no further effort. I also didn’t have to update any firmware.
The device is about the same size as a traditional USB thumb drive, and it comes with a short USB-A to USB-C cable about 3” long and a short USB-C to USB-C cable also about 3” long (not counting plugs). This is the smallest of all the Wireless CP devices I saw on Amazon that had decent reviews.
Lastly, I did not have to make my phone forget/disable Bluetooth to the Jeep directly. They remain paired at this time. I believe the Wireless CP simply supersedes this connection, just as wired CP likely has higher priority than wireless CP (I’ll test that soon just out of curiosity). Of course if you ever needed to turn off wireless CP, all you have to do is unplug the USB cable from this device and it powers down immediately.
Overall, this is performing exactly as hoped for, at least on my Jeep, and this is coming from someone with experience in other vehicles with built-in wireless CP. This is, in my opinion, at least 95% as good if not equivalent. It’s also a very reasonable price if you just want to try it out.
Wireless CarPlay Adapter 2023 Pro Edition - Fastest and Most Compact Wireless CarPlay Adapter - AutoSky - Factory Wired CarPl
3.8
| 1,573 ratingsPrice: 34.99
Last update: 12-01-2024
About this item
Finish: AutoSky Wireless CarPlay Adapter for iPhone has a Carbon Fiber finish with a protective coat to protect it from scratches of daily use! Great for Carbon Fiber dashboards!
Functionality: Just like our other model, this CarPlay dongle works like magic! Equipped with 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz module for the fastest and best connection and experience possible. The Car Play adapter also comes with USB-A to USB-A cable extension for tight fit areas and a USB-A to USB-C cable for cars with car stereos who have USB-C ports
Easy Connection: The AutoSky - Pro Edition - Wireless CarPlay Adapter connects quickly and automatically after pairing, All you have to do is pair it using bluetooth and make sure you have your WiFi settings turned on!
Compatibility: With over 600 vehicle models compatible with the Wireless CarPlay Adapter - Pro Edition, Please take a look at our compatibility list on our images to see if your car MODEL and YEAR are listed.
Online Update: After connecting your wireless CarPlay adapter with your phone, scan the QR code given in the manual for the latest software update, you can also enter the local address given on the user manual manually for updating. If you have any problem connecting the Bluetooth device, please check the troubleshooting page on the User Manual, use the QR code. Enjoy your stereo system in a new way with this Bluetooth CarPlay dongle and take your experience to another level.
Functionality: Just like our other model, this CarPlay dongle works like magic! Equipped with 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz module for the fastest and best connection and experience possible. The Car Play adapter also comes with USB-A to USB-A cable extension for tight fit areas and a USB-A to USB-C cable for cars with car stereos who have USB-C ports
Easy Connection: The AutoSky - Pro Edition - Wireless CarPlay Adapter connects quickly and automatically after pairing, All you have to do is pair it using bluetooth and make sure you have your WiFi settings turned on!
Compatibility: With over 600 vehicle models compatible with the Wireless CarPlay Adapter - Pro Edition, Please take a look at our compatibility list on our images to see if your car MODEL and YEAR are listed.
Online Update: After connecting your wireless CarPlay adapter with your phone, scan the QR code given in the manual for the latest software update, you can also enter the local address given on the user manual manually for updating. If you have any problem connecting the Bluetooth device, please check the troubleshooting page on the User Manual, use the QR code. Enjoy your stereo system in a new way with this Bluetooth CarPlay dongle and take your experience to another level.
Product information
Product Dimensions | 2 x 1 x 1 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 2 ounces |
ASIN | B0B4CBKNTT |
Item model number | WUA-2 |
Customer Reviews |
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars
1,573 ratings
3.8 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #956 in Car Electronics Accessories |
Date First Available | July 21, 2022 |
Manufacturer | Promaster Electronic LLC |
Country of Origin | China |