Boss Audio and sister brands Planet Audio and Sound Storm Laboratories are introducing new car stereo head units today that include support for Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto for just $400. With a capacitive 6.75-inch screen and supporting vehicle features like a rear camera and steering wheel controls, the new systems offer a solid value for older vehicles updating to a more modern head unit.
I’ve had the opportunity to spend the past few weeks testing the Planet Audio version of the head unit, model PCPA975W, and I’ve been quite impressed with its functionality and simplicity. While you won’t find features like a CD/DVD player or built-in navigation, many users find those features unnecessary when most of that content can be played directly from their phone.
In the early days of wireless CarPlay, I was skeptical of its usefulness, considering the possibility of draining phone batteries and the fact that the car is often a good place to plug in and recharge a bit during the day. As I’ve been able to spend considerable time using the feature, however, I’ve come to like it. Many car trips are short commutes or errands, and ‘CarPlay’ automatically pops up on the dash without having to take my phone out of my pocket.
Between the short travel length for wireless CarPlay and Apple’s power management improvements, any battery concerns I had about it were a non-issue. If I’m traveling a long way I’ll definitely plug in my phone, but it’s such a small part of my trip that it’s rarely something I end up doing.
I won’t really spend time detailing ‘CarPlay’ here, as it’s a pretty standard experience that most are familiar with by now, and Apple has improved the experience over the years with features like the Dashboard, the new Apple Maps. Better support for third-party apps and EV routing.
Boss Audio’s new systems aren’t very flashy, but they certainly get the job done, at least as far as I’ve seen in my testing. User interfaces on both original and aftermarket infotainment systems have long lagged behind smartphones in visual appeal and usability, but they’re starting to make some real progress on that front. You wouldn’t mistake Boss’s interface for an iPhone, but it’s far better than anything I’ve used, including a previous Boss audio system I tested last year.
There’s a solid range of connectivity options and supported sources, including terrestrial radio, Bluetooth streaming, USB media and an AUX input for older iPods and other devices. An external microphone can be routed to a convenient location such as the headliner at the edge of the windshield for optimal performance. SiriusXM is not supported.
The 6.75-inch capacitive display with 480×800 resolution takes up most of the face of the unit and the display is bright and responsive to touch. There’s some Planet Audio and model number branding below the face, and then there’s a strip of touch controls on the left side The touch-sensitive buttons support multicolored illumination configured through the head unit’s settings, and they offer quick access to several functions, including a dedicated power/home button to help navigate the system, a microphone button to activate Siri, volume up and down button, and a mute button.
The user interface is simple and easy to navigate, the radio screen provides a clear view of currently tuned stations, songs and other information for stations broadcasting information via RBDS, and a strip with three pages of station preset slots. Onscreen icons offer access to tuning, station scanning and an EQ that offers different preset sound profiles and the ability to customize your own.
Setup for wireless CarPlay was easy, and all I had to do was plug my phone into the system via USB, walk through a few steps to configure wired CarPlay, and then toggle on the Wireless CarPlay option. Since then, I’ve had some issues with CarPlay. It takes 15 seconds or so for CarPlay to come on screen from the time you start the car and I’ve had a few instances where it didn’t pop up automatically, but it was easy enough to manually activate it from the head unit’s main screen and the problem is probably my home wi -The short hiccup between the hand off between the -Fi network and the head unit was related to when I left my house.
For those who don’t want to use ‘CarPlay’ or Android Auto, you can still pair your phone via Bluetooth for phone calls and media, which can be controlled via the head unit.
While $400 is a great price for a system that supports wireless CarPlay, it’s important to note that this is only for the head unit and there will be other costs involved in installing the unit in your car. Items like wiring harnesses to interface with your specific car model, modules to integrate with steering wheel controls and backup cameras, and a trim plate to match your car’s dashboard will add to the cost. And if you’re not comfortable doing the installation yourself and need a professional to do it, those incidental costs for parts and labor can add up to more than the price of the head unit, doubling your cost.
Still, the cost can be worth it for a major upgrade to your driving experience, especially if you’re willing to do a self-install. Recent models have so much functionality in their native infotainment systems that swapping them out for aftermarket units isn’t really possible or desirable, but there are still plenty of cars on the road, some even a few years old, that could certainly benefit from the technology upgrades available in these head units.
Boss Audio is debuting four new models today under its various brands: BOSS Audio BVCP9850W, Planet Audio PCPA975W, Sound Storm Laboratories DD999ACP, and BOSS Elite BE950WCPA. All four models cost $400 and are essentially identical except for the branding
Note: Boss Audio provided MacRumors with a Planet Audio PCPA975W unit and installation services for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an authorized partner with Amazon. When you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps keep our site running.
