Pioneer SPH-DA120 Apple CarPlay compatible with large 6.2-Inch Capacitive Touch Screen, GPS, Bluetooth, Android and iPhone. Also supports AppRadio Mode

Product Information

There are usually two types of touchscreen technologies sold in automobile head units: resistive and capacitive. I will not report on CarPlay itself on the Pioneer because, what is written today can change or could be improved upon next month with software updates, so be sure to read our other articles for opinions on Apple CarPlay OS, its app updates and changes to Apple’s CarPlay platform with each new iOS update. The lower half features a ‘mode’ button to switch between App and AV screens and below this you’ll find the seek/skip forward and back buttons.

for wireless control of devices and related metadata (if available) with the ability to browse music libraries on smartphones wirelessly. This head unit comes with a rear camera input option too – to make it easier when reversing, parking, and maneuvering through tight spaces. First, ensure that your iPhone (for Apple CarPlay) or Android phone (for Android Auto) is connected to the radio via USB cable. One killer feature that the AppRadio 4 has over the Alpine, is its Bluetooth audio streaming support.Here is where aftermarket radio systems like the Pioneer AppRadio 4 SPH-DA120 with CarPlay make life easier. Simply download Pioneer’s free of charge AppRadio application onto your iPhone® or Android™ device and connect to the AppRadio receiver using the appropriate Pioneer connectivity kit (sold separately) to unleash the power of compatible apps right from the dash of your car! Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs, genres or composers and Pandora will do the rest.

It is designed for modern vehicles and offers a variety of connectivity options, making it a versatile accessory for any car owner. Run smartphone apps, listen to your favourite music, watch videos or photos, and charge your battery on the go. The voice-input is taken through a built-in microphone on the head unit, and not the one on your iOS device.

Once again, you can add your own image here by plugging in a USB drive and selecting your launch image of choice. The Pioneer SPH-DA120 is a sleek and functional car radio that offers a touchscreen display, making it easy to navigate through various menus and settings. Compared to the Alpine the AppRadio 4 has a smaller screen size, which is due to the left edge of the bezel being slightly thicker, to accommodate a handful of touch-sensitive function buttons. When activated, Siri provides voice prompts through the vehicle’s speakers, and the user’s questions and commands are received and transmitted using the external microphone provided with the AppRadio 4 unit.

A ‘home’ function button is placed in the middle of the pack, with the upper half housing volume buttons. When you look at the AppRadio 4 (SPH-DA120), it is clear that Pioneer has made some effort to match the look of the iOS devices, with a silver-rimmed, bezel design.The better your problem and question is described, the easier it is for other Pioneer owners to provide you with a good answer. Another common feature found in Pioneer’s headunits is MIXTRAX – a technology that creates non-stop mixes of selections from your audio library, complete with DJ effects that make your music sound as if a DJ is sitting in the back seat. If you can’t find the right colour to match your interior you can enter the colour wheel and select any colour you desire.

Without a CD/DVD drive, you’re limited to radio and media over USB or HDMI, but by simply connecting your smartphone to the AppRadio 4, it will bring new life into the headunit, with the possibility of feeding it a variety of your own content, not only through Apple’s CarPlay platform or MirrorLInk, but with your device connected, applications such as Apple Music, Spotify or Pandora can be played through the receivers own audio player. Now for the first time in an aftermarket car stereo, you can enjoy FLAC files in your vehicle without the need to convert. With two USB ports, you have the opportunity to have a fixed connection for your iPhone whilst having the ability to connect additional media, such as video and image files.With the Pioneer SPH-DA120, you can control either your iPod or your iPhone through your car’s dashboard. The AppRadio 4 is certainly feature packed for a ‘budget’ receiver, and it will allow you many media options, all of which I’ll touch on later.