Well, I have numerous complaints about this device, but the brightness of the screen is not among them. I don't believe you can adjust the brightness of the screen, but it does not seem overly bright to me. My issues with this device are 1. software related to CarPlay by Apple and 2. just specific to this device. I'm not totally sure which category each complaint falls into; the reader can decide. Navigation is what I'm most concerned with. I want to use Google Maps like I do on my phone, but on the receiver, and be able to listen to music while getting turn-by-turn directions, and retain voice search in maps. So I'm trying to understand which connection method I should use. For audiophiles, the AppRadio 4 offers a number of features and modes to cater for your critical ears. Pre-set and customisable equalisers allow you achieve the type of sound you want, however if you’re on the lazy side, you can plug in a microphone and let the Auto EQ measure your vehicle’s acoustics and adjust the receiver’s audio levels automatically to suit your car’s interior. I will say that, using the CarPlay interface for sending and receiving texts works great. It reads your text to you and you speak your response. However, you cannot send/receive texts in this way using the Pioneer interface. And, have I mentioned before that the unit inexplicably reverts to the Pioneer interface at random? Great music discovery is effortless and free with Pandora. Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs, genres or composers and Pandora will do the rest.

A: Make sure you are using a mirrorlink compatible device such as the Sony Xperia Z or Galaxy S3 (requires drivelink app installed from samsung apps). With this head unit you can also do everything in a voice-automated and “eyes-free” way by making use of your iPhone’s Siri functionality. You don’t have to be distracted to look at and touch-control your head unit again and again while driving. The voice-input is taken through a built-in microphone on the head unit, and not the one on your iOS device. Dual USB Port If you simply want to connect your Android phone to listen to music, you can do that without an app too. A push notification will appear on the device asking to launch AppRadio. Select 'Yes' and AppRadio will now launch. A push notification will appear on the iPhone asking to launch AppRadio. Select 'Yes' and AppRadio will now launch.When you power up the device (without turning on CarPlay), you are taken to the Pioneer Home screen, that features quite a lot of menus and navigation options and might feel like a complex maze, especially for users accustomed to iPhone’s sophisticated, simple interfaces. If you have an iPhone 4S or 5, you'll hear Siri's voice prompts through your vehicle's sound system, and you can make commands or ask questions through the microphone that's included with this receiver. You can set reminders, ask for songs, request directions, or anything else you'd normally do with your iPhone. Works with Android™ phones

Powering up the Pioneer you’re taken to its main home screen. In today’s age of digital displays and tough-screens, I think it is now time for Pioneer to heavily invest some time in this area. For me, their current menu screens feel somewhat archaic. It’s practically ancient now, in its design, and it oozes that ‘boy racer’ style and doesn’t carry the sophistication that Apple has ushered into our lives and will be something iOS owners will be accustomed to. Navigating through the menus can feel you’re physically running through a mental mind maze, regularly finding yourself taking the wrong turn and ending up at a dead end. Interface & Apple CarPlay Bluetooth note: Use of this receiver's Bluetooth features will depend upon your phone's Bluetooth capabilities. Learn more in our article explaining Bluetooth profiles. The AppRadio interface isn’t bad, but of course it seems cluttered compared to Apple’s clean interfaces.The screen size is a bit smaller than that of other popular head units, because of the left side of the screen having a panel of touch-sensitive buttons with functions like “Home”, volume control, and switching between modes. It is worth highlighting that CarPlay is an evolving software platform that lives on your Apple iOS device, not in the receiver itself. So whichever aftermarket receiver you choose to install in your vehicle, the OS experience will be the same throughout – Don’t let any dealer tell you otherwise! Connect compatible mirrorlink device into USB port 2 (bottom port) on the rear of the SPH-DA120 with CD-MU200 cable This doubles the typical number of devices you can connect to your head unit at a time. You can charge your phone while playing music from another USB-connected device, or switch between music from two different devices. Bluetooth