How Apple CarPlay Works

The how-it-works part of CarPlay is pretty simple, which is just how Apple likes it. Take your iPhone 5, 5S, or 5C and plug that sucker into the car's Apple-ready interface with the Lightning cable. Voila! Your car is your phone, just like you always wanted. The 21st century has arrived. The car's computer doesn't do the heavy lifting of running iOS; it has other jobs to do, after all, like reading information from the sensors to keep your ABS working or making sure your airbags inflate when you hit the car in front of you while you fight with Spotify over which Maroon 5 playlist you want to hear. Your iPhone runs the entire operating system, which is what it was built to do.

That means the apps have to be installed on your iPhone in order to see them on the car's interface in the console. But unlike that rigged-up system you've got going now with your stereo, your phone and about seven different cables and cords, CarPlay completely integrates the car and the iPhone. It works natively with the car's controls, like volume, so you don't have to fumble for the phone to make changes. It also works with the touch screen, so the glass in the console works just like the glass on your phone.

Not all apps can run on CarPlay; as usual, Apple will have final say on what's cool and what isn't. (Cool: black turtlenecks. Not cool: Google.) Really, the app selection comes down to safety. The idea of CarPlay, and almost every in-car entertainment and communications system, is to minimize distractions. At least, that's what all the tech makers say. In any case, it's very unlikely that Apple will make it okay to play Candy Crush or Flappy Bird while you're driving. Music, navigation, and anything that lends itself to hands- and eyes-free use will be cool, because your hands and eyes should be driving. Not dealing with that Maroon 5 playlist business. Seriously.

If you've fallen in love with Siri and can't stand to be without her voice for even a second, CarPlay will make your dreams come true. (Also, you should see the critically acclaimed film and cautionary tale known as "Her."Maybe take some notes.)Siri will talk to you right through your car, surrounding you with her dulcet, stilted tones. She'll check your calendar and e-mails and tell you about upcoming meetings and appointments as you drive. She'll read your text messages to you and allow you to dictate your response, which she will then send on its merry way. And she'll help you make hands-free calls. Witty banter is probably entirely up to you, though. This is Siri, not Pepper Potts from "[Iron Man."

At its debut in Geneva, CarPlay only had a few non-Apple pre-approved apps available. Siri is a tough gatekeeper. Most of what you can get out of the third-party gate is music apps, which makes sense. Cars and music are a time-honored tradition, even in the era of smartphones. Stitcher, Beats Radio, Spotify and iHeartRadio are all there. Rdio is not, if that's a deal breaker for you.

But you know what else is not there? You probably don't need to be told, but here it is anyway: Google Maps. There's no way Siri is allowing that Street View-ing app-hole onto her iOS. You'll use Apple Maps with CarPlay, and you'll like it. Actually, you probably will like it. Apple Maps has improved quite a bit since its early days. Plus, there's the bonus of having the map on your car's screen and the spoken turn-by-turn directions coming through your speakers, rather than having to strain to hear Siri when she's perched in your cup holder.

When Apple debuted CarPlay at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the company confirmed that it had deals with about a dozen manufacturers, including Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo. That's quite a price range, so even if that Ferrari thing threw you off, you'll probably be able to find a car equipped with CarPlay that you can actually afford. These are the early adopters, but nearly every manufacturer will be able to play nice with CarPlay in 2015. Besides, who doesn't need more shiny gadgetry in the cockpit of their 651-horsepower Ferrari FF? What else are you going to do, just drive it? That's ridiculous.

If you Android fans are feeling the freezer burn of Siri's cold shoulder, don't worry. Google announced its Open Automotive Alliance (OAA) at the 2014 CES. It'll do pretty much the same thing as CarPlay, and it should also be in cars by the end of 2014. The early list of partners for OAA includes GM, Audi, and most interestingly, Hyundai and Honda. That's right -- those last two nutty manufacturers are working with both Google and Apple for in-car connectivity, like the Switzerlands of automotive apps. So if you kit-out your car at the dealership, you'll likely be able to choose the operating environment you already live in for the car you want to buy. And as long as the operating system lives on your phone rather than in the car's hard drive, it makes perfect sense.