Honda announces wireless Apple CarPlay upgrade for more than 600,000 Accord owners, but it'll cost you

(Image credit: Future/Lloyd Coombes)

If you have purchased a Honda Accord in the last few years in the US, you may be able to avail of an upgrade to its Apple CarPlay capabilities, for a price.

For a suggested MSRP of $112 (plus labor charges), you can now take your Honda Accord made between 2018 and 2022 to an authorized Honda dealer to get the software update that ‘enables customers to leverage hardware already in their Honda vehicle”. This will give it access to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

According to Jay Joseph, the vice president of the Sustainability and Business Development Division: “Enhancing the ownership experience and market value of Honda vehicles already in use is a key strategy in pursuit of our goal to have zero environmental impact by 2050.” Though this is a nice initiative, it is quite a lot for a simple “software update” and customers might be more likely to use their cars long-term without that cost.

Seems cheap to me

Tammy Rogers

Ok, so $112 is a lot of money for what is essentially a software update, but it pales in comparison to the kind of money that some people have to spend on CarPlay. My car is from 2003, for example, and parts are very easily available from the manufacturers 'heritage' division that I can access at a main dealer. They'll even put CarPlay in my old car — although I have to pay thousands of dollars for the privilege.

Count yourselves lucky, Honda owners.

Is wireless Apple CarPlay worth the cost?

Honda Accords made between 2018 and 2022 already have wired CarPlay so that extra cost would have to justify the difference. Generally speaking, wireless CarPlay is a little easier to use as you don’t need to worry about bad wires. It also benefits from anyone in your car being able to use it, as well as being able to swap between devices quickly. It helps that you can place your iPhone anywhere. However, wired CarPlay means you can charge your iPhone while it is in use and a wired connection makes for smoother latency-free sound.

For $100 or more, the upgrade is a pretty expensive one that might not be worth it if you have never really found yourself wishing for a wireless solution. If you want to charge your iPhone while driving, you will end up using it wired anyway.

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James is a staff writer and general Jack of all trades at iMore. With news, features, reviews, and guides under his belt, he has always liked Apple for its unique branding and distinctive style. Originally buying a Macbook for music and video production, he has since gone on to join the Apple ecosystem with as many devices as he can fit on his person.

With a degree in Law and Media and being a little too young to move onto the next step of his law career, James started writing from his bedroom about games, movies, tech, and anything else he could think of. Within months, this turned into a fully-fledged career as a freelance journalist. Before joining iMore, he was a staff writer at Gfinity and saw himself published at sites like TechRadar, NME, and Eurogamer.

As his extensive portfolio implies, James was predominantly a games journalist before joining iMore and brings with him a unique perspective on Apple itself. When not working, he is trying to catch up with the movies and albums of the year, as well as finally finishing the Yakuza series. If you like Midwest emo music or pretentious indie games that will make you cry, he’ll talk your ear off.