Photo: reddit user ARJeepGuy123
People have been looking for cheap ways to get CarPlay in their cars for many years, and it now appears that there’s a new way to do it. Maybe not in the most convenient way, that’s true, but trying it out won’t cost you anything.
Someone has managed to get CarPlay up and running on a first-gen Amazon Echo Show 5, turning the device into a wireless Apple CarPlay unit. That’s right, the device you probably almost threw away can now run CarPlay, and the process of setting up everything isn’t the most complex.
It’s all possible thanks to LineageOS and an application called DiPlay.
Amazon’s devices ship with FireOS, so the first thing you must do is get rid of this operating system and install LineageOS. Once you do this, you get access to a whole new world, but if you want to stick with the CarPlay dream, you need to install DiPlay.
This application has a very simple purpose: enable CarPlay on an Android device, and best of all, it offers both wired and wireless connections. This means that you won’t even need to connect your iPhone with a cable to run CarPlay on the Echo.
Don’t imagine that you’ll get the same experience as on a native or factory-installed CarPlay head unit. Not at all, but at first glance, you’ll get audio, wireless connections, and several other big things that would otherwise cost high dollars.
The user who did this explains on reddit that downgrading to an earlier version of DiPlay was necessary due to a music bug. On the other hand, the music is playing correctly directly through the Echo’s speakers, but if you want, you can also connect another stereo system to the device using the audio jack, so eventually, you can turn the Echo into a media player running Spotify or any other app supported by CarPlay.
Such a project is fun and exciting for those who were looking for a new use for their aging Echos, but in reality, you’ll still want to get a real-deal CarPlay unit if you want to enjoy Apple’s system in your car. Nothing beats a factory-installed unit or an aftermarket media receiver with CarPlay support – not long ago, Sony revealed that it’s leaving this market, so if you’re searching for such an upgrade, you’d better decide on your purchase ASAP.
The full instructions to get everything up and running are available here, but keep in mind that you could come across various bugs that might require further steps to deal with. However, considering the first-gen Echo can’t be used for many things these days (though I do recommend that you replace FireOS with LineageOS to breathe new life into your Echo), giving CarPlay a go is a good choice.
