Apple's CarPlay technology continues its expansion with both Kenwood and Pioneer announcing new CarPlay receivers at CES 2015. Kenwood and Pioneer's releases follow earlier CarPlay announcements from automobile manufacturer Volkswagen and car audio accessory maker Parrot.
Following statements from early last year that it was "looking at" CarPlay, Kenwood today announced its first car audio receiver that includes Apple's CarPlay technology. For iOS owners, the DDX9902S features Siri integration that allows the driver to respond to messages, control music playback, and access Apple Maps for navigation.
Other receiver features include the ability to add an optional rear view camera, support for a SiriusXM tuner, and compatibility with factory steering wheel audio controls. In order to appeal to a wide range of smartphone owners, the touchscreen-enabled DDX9902S also offers support for Android Auto. Pricing and availability for the DDX9902S are not yet available.
While Kenwood is preparing its first CarPlay receiver, early adopter Pioneer today announced its second-generation Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) in-dash receivers with CarPlay support. All five models feature Bluetooth connectivity and are Sirius XM-Ready, with the top of the line model carrying a capacitive WXGA display while the remaining member of the family offer resistive displays.
The new receivers will be available starting in March with list pricing starting at $700 for the AVH-4100NEX. Other models include the AVIC-8100NEX ($1,400 SRP), AVIC-7100NEX ($1,200 SRP), AVIC-6100NEX ($900 SRP), and AVIC-5100NEX ($750 SRP).
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...
It's 2015 and yet they still use 800x480 7" screens. At $1500, it should at least be full HD. They have been using the same screens for almost a decade.
