Just as cars are steadily becoming more advanced, slowly moving towards alternative powertrains and automated driving, the in-car entertainment experience, too, is becoming increasingly connected. And Pioneer, a leader in aftermarket car audio, is taking that step forward with its new AVH-Z9150BT multimedia receiver.
AVH-Z9150BT? That's quite a mouthful
The AVH-Z9150BT is Pioneer's top-of-the-range multimedia receiver and it's packed to the brim with all the latest and greatest connectivity features available in the market that make it so.
For starters, for the Singapore market, it's equipped with both wireless and wired Apple CarPlay functionality, wired Android Auto functionality, Pioneers proprietary AppRadio Mode +, dual camera input, dual USB input and HDMI hook-ups.
However, for wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, your iPhone must be running on iOS 11 or higher, and if it runs on iOS 12, you also have access to third-party navigation apps such as Google Maps and Waze. More importantly, iPhone users will have direct access to their Spotify playlists via the AVH-Z9150BT's CarPlay feature.
But while wireless Android Auto connectivity isn't available for Singapore, the AVH-Z9150BT's built-in Wi-Fi Wireless Mirroring feature does allow Android users to, well, display the said wirelessly connected Android smartphone on the receiver display, as viewed from the smartphone itself.
With Wi-Fi Wireless Mirroring, drivers can wirelessly mirror their Android phone's screen onto the AVH-Z9150BT's touchscreen display. This allows them to mirror with two-way communication and use all their phone apps - such as navigation, messaging and music apps - right onto the AVH-Z9150BT without the mess of cables and connectors.
However, do note that not all smartphones are compatible and you must first install the AppRadio Mode + and AppRadioLIVE app on your smartphone.
Needless to say, whether your smartphone is connected to the AVH-Z9150BT via cable or wirelessly, you will get to enjoy the same, smarter, safer way to use it while on the move.
But how about the hardware, then?
With its capacitive touchscreen, the AVH-Z9150BT also offers a sleek design, high picture quality and premium smartphone-like (think Apple iPhone XS and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus levels of quality) touch screen appearance, feel and responsiveness.
Compared to its predecessor's resistive screen, the AVH-Z9150BT's capacitive touchscreen looks even brighter and sharper, feels much more sensitive, supports multi-touch, and is easier to operate with a new Graphical User Interface. This makes the AVH-Z9150BT more responsive than a resistive screen, especially when it comes to gestures such as swiping and pinching.
And to satisfy the ears of audiophiles, the AVH-Z9150BT is built with specialised parts. They include a high-performance 48-bit dual-core DSP featuring a full-custom integrated circuit design, a high-capacity capacitor, a Sound Master Clock Circuitry and a 13-Band Graphic Equaliser, just to name a few.
Android smartphones can also be quick-charged thanks to the AVH-Z9150BT's Charging Downstream Port that provides up to 1.5 amperes. And if you're taking the family on a road trip, the AVH-Z9150BT can pre-register connection information for up to 20 smartphones. A maximum of five smartphones can be connected full-time and used at any point of time.
Okay, I'm sold. Where can I get one of these?
Pioneer's authorised dealers are stationed islandwide at your convenience. To find out which is closest to you, visit Pioneer Singapore's dealer locator here. Alternatively, you can check out the list we have narrowed down, here. The Pioneer AVH-Z9150BT retails for about $1,400, but prices may vary from dealer to dealer.
