Ottocast says the U2-Air works with 600+ car models from on, except for some Sony aftermarket head units. Its boot time is rated at 18 seconds, and it defaults to 5GHz Wi-Fi. This model only works with iPhones running iOS 10 and up. Unlike some of the other vendors in this roundup, Ottocast has actual offices in the US, but that doesn’t mean the device arrives in the mail any faster.
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The stylish-looking (by dongle standards) U2-Air is easy to set up. It includes a 12-inch USB-A to USB-C cable plus a USB-C to USB-C cable. Once the iPhone connects via Bluetooth, the iPhone takes over the screen. Like many other adapters, it supports multiple iPhones. You can access the U2-Air’s settings via an IP address typed into the browser on your iPhone.
Most of these devices required a firmware upgrade in my tests, but the U2-Air was different. It worked out of the box, and the manual specifically says, “Updating is NOT recommended when every function works well.” I updated it anyway...and the U2-Air immediately stopped talking to the dash. I could still access the dongle's Wi-Fi, but the browser settings page wouldn’t let me hard reset, so I had to use the old paper-clip-stuck-in-the-recessed-button-slot reset—Ottocast is one of the few to have that option.
The Magic Link from The Magic Brand is rated to work with any iPhone from the 5 on up in “any vehicle with wired CarPlay.” It's bigger than some of the others at 3.2 inches long and includes a decent-sized status LED on the front. It also has two ports—one at the top for USB-C and another for USB-A at the bottom—which you can plug the iPhone into via a cable to use wired CarPlay, making The Magic Link just a pass-through.
Like the above devices, using The Magic Link starts out just fine: Plug it in, watch the intermediary interface appear on the screen, look for the Bluetooth connection on the iPhone, connect to it, and CarPlay is up and running. The usual lag applies. It includes a 12-inch USB-A to USB-C cable.
Rather than go against the manual, I did not update the firmware on The Magic Link. Instead, I got annoyed that it created Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network names like HondaXXXX. So, I used the web interface with the device via Safari on the iPhone to change the Wi-Fi SSID. Big mistake. After the reboot, The Magic Link’s LED started blinking red. While the device would talk to the dash and connect to my iPhone via Bluetooth, the Wi-Fi network was no longer available. There’s no recessed reset button to set it back to the factory settings and no info on it online. I emailed the vendor for reset instructions but never heard back.
In short, don’t mess with the settings on these dongles if you don’t have to. Once they are up and running, leave them alone.
The Android Auto dongles induced hairpulling during setup, starting with the Carsifi. Admittedly, I was somewhat hampered by testing with an Android device (a Google Pixel 4) without a cellular data plan—that would have made the firmware updates and accessing the help files via the Carsifi app a lot easier. But even after the updates, I still had to experiment with settings, finally turning off Carsifi’s “Intercept AA protocol” before it would work in my Honda.
The big difference between an Android Auto dongle and a CarPlay dongle is that the Android Auto ones require an app from the Google Play store and a firmware update you must perform from the app. The Carsifi box lid has a QR code inside that makes it easy to get the right app; there’s more info and help on the company's website.
Once I finished setup, the Android Auto interface took over my dash quickly. Restarting the car or replugging the dongle did nothing to break the connection. It seemed the connection was a little faster than with CarPlay. I like that Carsifi ships with cables for those USB-A and USB-C connectors. It includes a short (9-inch) USB-A to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and double-sided tape.
These Android Auto dongles are not for people who can’t tolerate installation hassles. This might explain why the Android Auto wireless dongles are typically among the lowest priced in this roundup.
Unfortunately, setting up the AA Wireless dongle was about as painful as the Carsifi. It comes with a long, braided cloth and an 18-inch USB-C to USB-A cable, which is nice. You first connect to it via Bluetooth—it comes up with a name like “AndroidAuto-AAWCxxxxxx.” After that, you need to install an app so you can do the required firmware update. A QR code for the app is on the back page of the little manual, and there’s a link on the company website.
Normally, it should then take over the dashboard, but that didn’t happen until I went into the app, clicked Device Settings, and set “Passthrough” to disabled. Thankfully, unlike so many other devices of this ilk, the software for the AA Wireless is at least nice to look at, though the settings remain esoteric.
After that, Android Auto popped right up on the screen and worked fine after a few car restarts and re-plugging the device into the smart port. This is good because there isn't any apparent tech support available from the company. The website allows ordering (it promises to ship within 7 days from their Dallas warehouse for US customers).
For help, there’s a FAQ and troubleshooting guide in the app, but mostly you’re on your own. [AA Wireless wrote PCMag to say, "The companion app has a troubleshooting section which will guide you through most common issues and if none solved the problem, it will create a support ticket linked to our support system which then will be followed up with emails."] Thankfully, if you screw things up during the setup, the AA Wireless has a recessed reset button.
A newer model, the AAWireless Two, is available and features a multifunction button designed for easier pairing. We cannot attest to how well it works as we have not tested the product.
Carlinkit is one of the most advertised wireless adapter dongles out there. The company also sells an older combo CarPlay+Android Auto device (version 4.0), which can't do wired Android Auto, among other devices. The 5.0 is ready for any iPhone version 6 or higher or phones running Android 10 and above. The box contains two cables, one C-to-C, and another C-to-A; to get started, plug the USB-C end into the Carlinkit and the other end into whatever port you have on your dash or head unit. One end has a USB-C port, and the other end has a USB-A port to use as a pass-thru if you want to plug in a to charge.
The Carlinkit takes over the CarPlay screen and displays its own interface, where you pair it to your iPhone via Bluetooth; like others, it creates a unique name to pair to along with the car's make. Mine was something like “Honda-45XX”. Tempted as I was to change this by spelunking into the settings, I learned my lesson when testing other dongles. I didn’t mess with that. But proving that I also learned nothing, when I did use the Safari browser to look at the settings, the pull to update the firmware was too enticing. Even though the manual says you don’t have to update if the device is working. I did it anyway and waited—and it worked. This is good because there’s no reset button.
The latency issue is there, like with all these devices. The Carlinkit also did a great job connecting more than one iPhone, so either my wife or I can take over the wireless CarPlay when alone. To change it when we’re both in the car, the person whose is auto-connected must turn off their Wi-Fi, which is annoying. At $69 this is one of the cheapest dongles, especially one able to support both iOS and Android.
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The $169 Carluex Air has a unique look among the dongles here, in that it almost looks like a little Hot Wheels racer, until you realize it doesn’t have wheels. It's also priced a little high, but that’s because it will support both Android and iOS, plus offers a few extras like the Magic Box—namely, wireless streaming from YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu from your devices.
The initial connection via USB in the car to the Carluex’s USB-C port is easy and the interface comes right up. The instructions suggest immediately getting the device on your home Wi-Fi (or whatever Wi-Fi is in range that you have a password for) but that’s not really necessary unless you want to do a firmware update. The connection between and dongle is Bluetooth; you have to push an extra button on the screen in the Carluex interface to activate CarPlay/Android Auto. Like any interface from these no-name companies with hardware they’re essentially licensing, the interface isn’t exactly Apple-quality, with tiny fonts and byzantine menus. It's not for technophobes.
The ads say Carluex Air is lag-free and I might give it the benefit of the doubt that it feels a little faster than most—but it's definitely got more lag than a direct wired connection. That’s par for the course. The website has a quiz you can take to check car compatibility, but essentially should work with non-BMW cars with CarPlay from forward.
Almost all the wireless dongles that support both CarPlay and Android Auto in one are still well under $150. When you see the price of The Magic Box (now priced at $229), you know it's something different from the rest. That’s because it's a standalone Android box you can plug directly into to take over the dashboard screen. While it runs Android, it still supports CarPlay for iPhone users. The Magic Box works in (most) cars and even on your home TV via an HDMI out port.
I say most because the vendor told me upon requesting the device, "Magic Box doesn’t have 100% compatibility with Honda.” That could be a problem since I tested with a Honda CR-V. But “most of the time, it works,” they said. So why not try it?
The installation video says you plug it into your car's smart port, be it USB-C or USB-A, with the other USB-C end going into The Magic Box. It includes an 8-inch premium braided cloth USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable. The Magic Box takes about 20 seconds to load and displays a fun animation screen. It warns you not to use the dongle while in motion and then deposits you in a configuration screen. The Magic Box runs Android itself and thus has its own settings you must use—like setting it up to use Wi-Fi from your home when parked by the coffee shop or off of your ’s mobile hotspot while you’re on the road.
On the home screen are apps to launch CarPlay or Android Auto, plus others such as Google Maps. Pretty much any app available in the Google Play store or that you can sideload is an option—they even ship with a few of the non-Google-Play apps available on the device. You’ll need to log into individual apps and keep them up-to-date, like on your . If you prefer to mirror your to the dashboard (or your TV), you select the Cast app and activate screen mirroring on your —it should work like a charm with iOS.
The vendor says to unplug The Magic Box whenever you turn off the car. It pulls more electricity than other dongles when in use, so it could drain your car battery faster if you leave it in. It didn't matter, though, because I never got it to work with my Honda. The boot animation tried to launch exactly once (pegging my speakers at full volume) and then it never worked again. After numerous re-plugs, resets, and erasing settings stored in the dash for Bluetooth, I gave up. It's not like I wasn’t warned.
Version 2.0 of The Magic Box is now available for $299. We haven't tested it yet, but it promises the same functions plus streaming with apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu right on your dash (which is a terrible idea, but we can't stop you). The little dongle has 64GB of storage on board and 4GB of RAM. It even has slots for MicroSD cards. From the home screen on your dash, you can access various Android apps (like Google Assistant) or jump right into CarPlay or Android Auto with your .
If, like me, you’re rocking an iPhone in your pocket and you drive, you’re probably quite keen to use CarPlay in your motor. It was a must-have for me when picking out my most recent car a while back. But there’s only one problem – I’m constrained to the wire. And as a 21st century tech enthusiast, that just won’t do. I want to leave my in my pocket. It’s lazy, but I don’t care. Having to plug my in every time I get in is just more inconvenient than I’d like. So I’m retrofitting wireless CarPlay.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t some complicated retrofit with wires and screwdrivers – it’s a £40 dongle from Amazon. My car isn’t particularly old – it comes with wired CarPlay as standard. So this accessory gives it the technological upgrade I was after. And it worked surprisingly well.
Unlike other CarPlay retrofits, this doesn’t require giving your front panel any facelifts with a new display. That’s because my car already has CarPlay built-in – you’ll need that too if you want to do the same thing. The difference is that we’re making our wired CarPlay wireless, rather than adding it to the vehicle. For reference, the car I’m doing this to is a Jaguar E-Pace, with this AirLinnnk dongle from Amazon.
Once you’ve got your dongle, you plug it in to the USB port in your car. Use the same one you’ve been using for wired CarPlay this whole time. On some cars, you’ll need to use a specific hole. Once it’s plugged in, your car’s display will ask you if you want to open the device with CarPlay. Hit Yes and any “Remember for next time” options that may present themselves. What will open up is a black display with the name of the dongle written on.
Now, you’ll want to whip out your iPhone. Make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both switched on. Connect to the dongle via Bluetooth. Your handset will ask you to allow your contacts to sync, it’s essential you allow this for CarPlay to work properly. It’ll then ask you if you want to use the accessory for CarPlay. Unsurprisingly, you’ll want to allow that as well.
Once you’ve done that, you should see CarPlay spring to life on your central display. And hey presto, you can go about using the in-car software as you usually would. But how does it fare?
With the CarPlay dongle all set up, it’s high time that we see how it performs. When you get back in your car, your will connect to the dongle and CarPlay will boot up automatically. It’ll do this in around 10 seconds or so, which is fairly typical of wireless CarPlay that comes baked in to other cars.
Latency is a little slower than the wired connection you’re used to, or when wireless CarPlay is built-in. That’s because any buttons you press have to go through the dongle before getting to your , rather than jumping straight to your . For example, if you’re skipping a track, it might take two words of the song before it actually skips. It’s negligible really, but worth bearing in mind before you jump in.
Otherwise, all systems are a go. The dongle works really rather well, and you’d forget that you’re using a retrofit rather that software that’s been there the whole time. Your only tell-tale sign is that your car’s settings might show the dongle’s name connected rather than your . But using CarPlay? The experience is smooth, seamless, and reliable.
Going through this process has taught me that a wireless CarPlay is a happy CarPlay. Being able to leave your in your pocket and pick up CarPlay where you left off (and your music) feels as exciting as when Bluetooth first arrived inside cars. It’s how CarPlay was meant to be experience, and now you’re not being throttled by a cable.
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