Ford Brings Wireless CarPlay to the 2021 F-150 Pickup

Ford's F-series pickup is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., and last night the carmaker unveiled the redesigned 2021 F-150, which includes Ford's new SYNC 4 infotainment system with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.

2021 f150
Ford announced SYNC 4 last October, with the first announced vehicle to include it being the upcoming electric Mustang Mach-E. With the F-150, Ford will be kicking off inclusion of the new system in its more mainstream vehicle lineup.

The 2021 F-150 comes with SYNC 4 and wireless ‌CarPlay‌ standard, but there are two different sizes of infotainment screens available: an 8-inch screen that's standard on the lower XL and XLT trims and a larger 12-inch screen that's available as a package option on the XLT trim and standard on Lariat and higher trims.

2021 f150 interior
Wireless ‌CarPlay‌ has been relatively slow to trickle out and has largely been limited to premium brands like BMW, Porsche, and Audi, although we're on the cusp of seeing much broader rollouts with Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler all announcing support for the feature in select 2021 models launching later this year.

In addition to wireless ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto with SYNC 4, the F-150 includes a number of other technology enhancements such as standard over-the-air updates that can improve performance, add new features, and reduce needed maintenance and repairs over time.

The F-150 also includes many of the driver-assist technologies that have become common in recent years, and in the third quarter of 2021 will receive a software update to support Active Drive Assist, which will allow for hands-free driving on over 100,000 miles of divided highways throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The 2021 F-150 will start rolling out to dealers this fall.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...

Top Rated Comments

mattspace Avatar
66 months ago
"PCs are going to be like trucks. They’re still going to be around, they’re still going to have a lot of value, but they’re going to be used by one out of X people."
Fast forward to...

Ford's F-series pickup is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nerdAFK Avatar
66 months ago
One word: CYBERTRUCK




Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brien Avatar
66 months ago

Fast forward to...
Yeah, I don't get it. Trucks and SUV/CUV sales account for something like 70% of ALL car sales in the US. "Car sales" is a misnomer at this point.

I like small cars and hot hatches, I may be SOL.

PS: Don't like trucks but good to see Ford do something interesting. 700 miles per tank (on the hybrid) would've been crazy talk even 5 years ago.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
66 months ago
Tethered CarPlay is WHACK imo

I like the interface but was shocked to see it put to use requiring it be hooked up, feels like a regression experience wise no matter the technical explanation

That makes it a bit inferior to my bluetooth equipped (non-carplay) vehicle that is always wireless
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mnsportsgeek Avatar
66 months ago

Tethered CarPlay is WHACK imo

I like the interface but was shocked to see it put to use requiring it be hooked up, feels like a regression experience wise no matter the technical explanation

That makes it a bit inferior to my bluetooth equipped (non-carplay) vehicle that is always wireless
Every car with CarPlay has Bluetooth in addition to CarPlay. You can still take calls and play music over Bluetooth in a CarPlay enabled car.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Airforcekid Avatar
66 months ago

Very soon. The already sold out Mustang Mach E is based on Rivian technology. I can't wait until the second year to buy one. Most of Ford's model line will be hybrid or electric in the next three or so years.
Everytime I read see the Mustang Mach E I die a little inside as someone whose deep into the Mustang community (Owning over 40 since getting my license 15 years ago) I dont know a single person even considering it even the Ecoboost had a small following at first and I saw some physical fights the first time someone showed up to a meet with one. Id be all over a 5.0 hybrid but an SUV will be a hard sell in the long run since a lot of hardcore followers wont buy out of principal.


I ordered some Chinese dongle for wireless CarPlay... hoping it works... if it ever gets here
Does it plug into USB?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)