Just announced - the 2018 Sport, EX and EXL will finally get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. About freaking time! Now they need to give us the software update so GK owners with perfectly good HondaLink Next Gen head units can have it too!

Honda adds Apple CarPlay to some 2018 Fit configurations

 

Since they're only adding the capability to to the high end 2018 Sport and EX models and not the full 2018 model line then I would say there is no chance of them going back and adding the capability to any previous model years. In other words they are using it for a selling incentive for new Fits only and only the higher end models. Too bad for everybody else. Just my opinion though.

 

The full 2018 details are out now with this announcement:

2018 Honda Fit Gets Fresh: New Styling, New Sport Trim, Added Tech and More Refinement Bring New Attitude - Honda News

This is the US announcement. The Canadian 2018 versions will be slightly different and I haven't seen that announcement.

 

I've never understood the fuss and furor over Apple and Android. I had an Apple when I bought my 2015 EX ... the salesman paired the two. The Apple became too expensive to keep. I now have an Android that I paired myself (much to my surprise). Works just fine. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Apple, but it works. The phone is a ZTE.

 

but wat about them blackberry users? hahaha!

verizon doesnt even consider bb's smartphones.

 

Agreed. I loaded Android auto on my cell phone and have it mounted next to the head unit. I have the capabilities of AA and still can see the trip info at the same time. It even auto launched when it detects the fit's Bluetooth

 

Honda Canada is always slower. Which makes no sense since we Canadians actually buy small cars. We already get a model called the SE that sits below the EX and my guess is that the Sport may replace it. Hopefully as I want an orange or yellow Sport 6MT and need it before winter so I'm ready to order it soon. What sucks is we lost the 6MT option on the upper trims after 2016. Also bizarre since we also buy more manuals than the U.S.

 

Has Honda in the past ever made a retrograde head unit update on any of their models? It was only ME 2017 that the Accord received AA/Carplay. Does Honda have a way to do software updates to the head unit, without going to the dealer? If so, please tell me, because right now I don't think they do. In other words, even if you get AA and Carplay, you'll not get any upgrades, so within a year you'll be out of date.

It seems like AA and CarPlay are just a marketing tactic. The drivers most into these features are young and tech savvy, yet they only offer these features in their very high end Fits. I see a disconnect here. They are treating AA and CarPlay like some luxury feature, such as leather seats: Pay more to get more. If Honda is really serious about AA and CarPlay, which I am sure they are not, they would have offered it on all Fit models, not just the top end.

If you really want AA and CarPlay, find a car that offers it, but also offers a way to update your software by yourself. If you need to go to the dealer to get the upgrade that is a bad sign. You'd never buy a phone that you cannot upgrade yourself, and AA/CarPlay is the same. All software has bugs and needs updates. Otherwise the bugs become public, there is no fix, the bad hackers then use these exploits to crack your device.

 

carplay is merely an interface and the upgrades are done on the iphone side. you can continue using the carplay HU even if more features are added to your phone. i know from experience as ive gone from iphone6, 6S, and now 7 and no issue on my carplay with zero updates on the vehicle side. apple has gone through several iOS updates within that time...all compatible to Carplay.

high end models..hmmmm.. imo there's no high end on a Fit. they are all low end but they still offer the basic super low end without carplay for those that dont feel the need for it nor want to pay. i thought that was smart. re-qualifing a vehicle with added features is a lot of cost for a car manufacture. why spend the money if one will never use carplay? .. kinda

 

On average we keep our cars for 12-13 years. I'd say that even 5 years for any phone-based software is a very long time. Your changes from an iPhone 6 to the 7 are very evolutionary. When you get to the iPhone 10 or 11, will CarPlay still work?

Software is never static. There are bugs discovered and then patched. AA/Carplay need to update just like every other piece of software in the world. Or risk a future security breach.

 

Exactly, and at some point a new feature will require a newer version of carplay on the headunit. Software will only work with the lowest common denominator so some features (or the whole thing) may not work if both devices are not up to date.

That's why I'd rather run carplay on my phone, I can update that on the fly.

 

The biggest advantage of having AA and Apple Carplay is you will be able to use the map/navigation of the phone and do not have to pay for navigation option on the car. The maps will update along with traffic information and all POI as long as your phone maps gets updated. All this will display on the 7" touch screen.


You have only taken advantage of the Blutooth feature so far which allows you to pair the phone for phone calls and music.

 

I have a stand alone Garmin NUVI with lifetime maps and a 4.5 inch screen I moved it from my Suzuki SX4 when I bought the Fit in May 2015. Works fine, no voice interface, but it tells me what I need to know. I have one of the world's worst senses of direction.

Suzi was taller, heavier, 4 speed automatic and nowhere near as tossable the Fit.

 

you should be asking whether Apple would still be around 5yrs from now.

im pretty sure the basic functions will still work 5-10 yrs from now even on the newer iphones.