Best Apple Wireless Adapters and Carplay docks for iPhone

The Wireless Adapter is a device that takes the hassle out of connecting CarPlay or Android Auto to your car. With it you can connect your iPhone to the dashboard through a wireless connection. Just set up the Wireless Adapter once, and then every time you get in your car, CarPlay will connect to your dashboard via WiFi or BlueTooth.

In this review, we've rounded up the Best Wireless Adapters for CarPlay and Android Auto. We had to spend a lot of time selecting the really best performing adapters, as there are many different CarPlay dongles on the market. You will learn which CarPlay Adapter is the best choice to connect your iPhone to a headunit.

CarlinKit 3.0

Although the CarlinKit is positioned as a car radio adapter brand, the device is well suited to work with CarPlay through the car's headunit.

With the CarlinKit 3.0 you can convert the connection to your CarPlay from wired to wireless. To do this, simply connect your iPhone to this device and it will connect to headunit itself via WiFi.

And you don't need to connect your iPhone via bluetooth to the car every time. The initial setup is enough. As soon as you get in your car, just connect your mobile device to the docking station and CarPlay will work.

Supported devices: any cars with Factory CarPlay integration and plug-and-play devices. Any iPhone older than iPhone 5 (iPhone 6, 11, 12, 13 and above) can be used to connect to CarPlay.

Useful features of the adapter:

• Quick connection without a USB cable
• Car navigation, music playback, voice commands - all features available in Carplay
• Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth wireless support
• Easy installation
• Weather radar apps support
• Wifi connection to car headunit

The Carplay Dock device has good reviews and it works stably. 1 year warranty is provided after purchasing the adapter.

How the device works:

1. You connect your iPhone to the docking station.
2. CarlinKit connects via Bluetooth to the car,
3. the CarlinKit transmits the necessary data to disconnect the wi-fi network
4. The CarlinKit then connects to the Carplay.
5. Headunit is completely ready for navigation. It can be operated via the touchscreen.

Wireless CarPlay Adapter 3.1

The device plugs into your car's USB port, just like other Wireless apple carplay adapters. To operate the adapter you need to do the first setup, then the iPhone will automatically activate Carplay on the head unit of your car.

How to set up Carplay Automatic Connection:

Step 1. Before using the app, make sure there is a stable connection between the docking station and apple car play adapter.

Step 2. Use a USB cable to connect the device to your car's USB port.

Step 3. Activate Bluetooth and WiFi on iPhone.

Step 4. Connect the device to the vehicle by accessing the computer settings.

Step 5. Confirm that the Apple Carplay interface is displayed on the screen.

After the steps described, the device works and does not need any more adjustments. Note that Outlets and voltages may vary from country to country, so check the technical specifications and if necessary use an adapter or converter for use in your country.

Ways to control your device:

• Voice control via Siri,
• steering wheel control,
• touch screen control and OEM knob control.

Compatible vehicle models: Almost any modern car made after 2016. According to the developers of this device, it is supported by more than 95% of all cars where CarPlay is available. To be sure, you can check your car's compatibility on the official page.

Advantages of the adapter:

• Supports high speed connection by using 5G chip and 5.8 Ghz WIFI rate - so there will be no interference and the connection will be stable throughout the trip

• Small dimensions of the device (2.95 x 1.59 x 0.51 inches), which allows to place it in any convenient place

• 12 months of customer service to answer all your questions

KONDBAM CarPlay Adapter

This adapter will also be useful for working with car PCs that have Factory Carplay. By and large, the main function of the device is to convert the wired connection to wireless. This method of connection is much more convenient for Carplay to work with iOS devices. All you have to do is plug your iPhone into the docking station, and it will immediately connect to the car's headunit.

KONDBAM CarPlay Adapter looks like a wifi router, although the functions are slightly different. You can place the adapter directly next to your computer, glove compartment, or any free area of the car where the device will not get in the way. You can even put the CarPlay Adapter in your pocket - and it will work from there, too.

CarPlay Adapter features:

• Connects to your car's PC via 5GHz Wi-Fi (high-speed connection)
• Voice navigation, calls to other callers, car navigation available
• Touch screen support

Requires initial setup for operation. Details can be found in the manual of the device manufacturer. In brief, the installation process looks like this:

1. You connect the adapter to your car's PC with a normal cable.
2. Then you need to configure wifi and bluetooth connection by adding the device to the list of allowed.
3. After presetting, you don't need to configure the adapter any more.
4. Once you place the iPhone in the dock connector, Carplay will work.

The device has good reviews and the warranty is available worldwide for one year.

U2-AIR Wireless CarPlay Adapter

The developers of the device claim that the U2-AIR Wireless CarPlay Adapter connects to your car in a maximum of 7 seconds. What is meant is that it takes exactly this time to connect to the head unit wirelessly. However, other reviews have said that the standard connection time is 18 - 20 seconds with a standard wifi connection.

The unit comes with 2 12-inch cables - USB Type A to C and Type C to C. Accordingly, it is possible to connect to the car, if the legacy USB interface is used. At the same time, you need to keep in mind that the car must be compatible with the current version of Carplay. You can check this on the official Apple page. Basically, all cars manufactured after 2016 fall under this category.

Device features:

• works in Plug and Play format (no need to configure anything)

• Starts up when you start the car

• supports Siri voice control, steering wheel control, touch screen control and knob operation

• Night and daytime operation modes are available

• music playback, message reading, call acceptance and other standard functions

Carplay connection to head unit:

1. Connect U2-Air via USB cable to head unit
2. Activate Bluetooth on your iPhone
3. Connect the iPhone to the U2-Air
4. 5Ghz WIFI module will automatically detect your device type and put it into Carplay mode
5. The settings of the module can be accessed through the IP address which is entered into the browser on the mobile device.

Pros:

• Quick Plug and Play installation and setup
• USB cables included

Cons:

• Developers do not recommend upgrading firmware or you may experience incompatibility issues between iPhone and head unit

GCT Wireless CarPlay Adapter

Even though this adapter is not too popular, we paid attention to it. It is compatible with both Android Auto and CarPlay. The adapter requires,

• Android Auto and CarPlay must be supported natively in the firmware, you can find that in the documentation of the vehicle.
• It is desirable that the headunit supports touchscreen and gestures.

Carplay Dock installation is very simple:

1. Connect the adapter to the car via USB cable.
2. Open CarPlay app.
3. Add a new route on the map through the headunit.
4. Press the Go button.

In its characteristics the device is well enough equipped: 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM. You can insert a flash drive at 128G, also supports SIM-cards.

Available navigation functions: voice assistant, construction of new and alternative routes, media player control and Bluetooth music.

The Magic Box

The Magic Box is an all-in-one device which not only allows you to use Carplay for navigation, but also to watch streaming videos (Youtube, Netflix) on the car screen.

Connecting the Magic Box is done in the usual way:

1. First you connect your mobile device with Carplay via the 8-inch premium USB cable included in the package.
2. Then a wifi connection to the car is established.
3. The wifi source / mobile hotspot is selected.
4. The last step is to download from the app store the apps that you plan to use via wireless dongle.

This is a partial list of possible applications:

• YouTube
• Netflix
• Prime Video
• Spotify
• Hulu
• Disney+

The Magic Box allows you to broadcast video and audio content available on the above platforms. You need to have a touchscreen in your car to control playback. If the touchscreen is not available, you can use the Magic Remote as a substitute which can be purchased separately from The Magic Box supplier's website.

Features and benefits of the wireless dongle:

• Available Streaming Apps for YouTube, Netflix, Hulu
• Supports iPhone & Android: Can be used to control Android Auto or Carplay, both Android and iOS
• Automatic Connection: once connected via USB cable and bluetooth / wifi, the device does not need any extra settings
• Free Online Software Updates
• USA-based Business: High quality tech support, fast delivery and quick return guarantee

Pros:

• Ability to watch youtube via carplay
• Use as home TV
• Can use Google Maps or Waze as a navigator
• Phone Cast app lets you activate screen mirroring on your phone

Cons:

• Long startup time (approx. 20 seconds)
• It is recommended to turn off the device after you turn off the car engine

FEINODI Wireless CarPlay Adapter for iPhone

This device differs from the above mentioned ones in that it is based on a special smart IC chip, which provides fast and stable connection to the on-board computer. The device does not need to be preset, it works on a plug and play basis.

The adapter connects to CarPlay wirelessly. You can use touchscreen, OEM knob control and other controls to control the application and navigation.

The navigation functions are as follows: route guidance, multimedia player control, voice navigation, message creation and call reception.

Connecting FEINODI Wireless CarPlay Adapte is very simple:

1. iPhone is inserted into the adapter,
2. WLAN and Bluetooth must be activated.
3. After that, CarPlay is ready to work.

This adapter only works with CarPlay devices, it is not suitable for Android Auto. To interact with headunit, you need an iPhone 6 > and iOS 10 >.

To sum up

The KONDBAM CarPlay Adapter and CarlinKit 3.0 are two of the best Apple CarPlay docks for iPhone, designed to allow connection of an iPhone to a car's headunit.

Additionally, GCT Wireless CarPlay Adapter and FEINODI Wireless CarPlay Adapter are two devices that are compatible with both Android Auto and CarPlay.

Both adapters require initial setup for operation and connect to CarPlay wirelessly, providing navigation functions such as route guidance, multimedia player control, voice navigation, message creation, and call reception.

The GCT device has good reviews and the warranty is available worldwide for one year. An iPhone 6 and iOS 10 is required for both adapters.