Having a debate elsewhere about what an “app” is

TheRobSJ

TheRobSJ

Großer Mechaniker
I dunno why I bothered to get into it. But now my curiosity is enough that I need to know for sure.

Guy said that in order to make a car work with Android Auto or CarPlay, you have to go download the AA app or the CarPlay app to your phone first. Obviously he’s an Android guy. I correct him and say that there’s nothing to download since CarPlay isn’t an app, as it is baked into iOS. He gets defensive and thinks I’m one of those super kool aid drinking Apple zealots and insists that it’s still an application. I think it’s part of the OS, so it’s more of an API to me.

Who’s right?
 
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cheez

cheez

Master Of The Darkside
You're right- CarPlay and AirPlay are not apps, they are OS extensions possible because Apple can access all the jails on the device.
 
TheRobSJ

TheRobSJ

Großer Mechaniker
cheez said:
You're right- CarPlay and AirPlay are not apps, they are OS extensions possible because Apple can access all the jails on the device.
Click to expand...

Good point, AirPlay. Basically, another casting function of iOS. AirDrop too yes?
 
thedub

thedub

Octane Socks
You guys are arguing semantics. What if you just call it software instead? There, now there is no argument.
 
Yakoo752

Yakoo752

USN
It's definitely not an API

I'd lean to it's more a program then not.

I think you're getting hung up on what an app is.

Is wallet or calendar an app?

Counter argument to myself: If developers build apps to sit on Carplay, carplay can not then be an app itself.
 
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TheRobSJ

TheRobSJ

Großer Mechaniker
Yakoo752 said:
It's definitely not an API

I'd lean to it's more a program then not.

I think you're getting hung up on what an app is.

Is wallet or calendar an app?

Counter argument to myself: If developers build apps to sit on Carplay, carplay can not then be an app itself.
Click to expand...

From what it does? It seems like an API or some kind of interface. To me, an app is something you can install, delete, and say when it runs. And CarPlay is just...there already and does its thing when I connect a peripheral. Maybe more like a printer driver on my PC?
 
Yakoo752

Yakoo752

USN
It would be an API if the device handed off the data for the head unit to do something with.

An API would allow other vendor to manipulate the data and do something different with it. Your head unit does not manipulate what's being passed through by carplay at all.

This is why your head unit MUST be carplay certified before you can carplay on it.

In this instance all manipulation of data is managed by your iPhone
 
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tgrrdr

tgrrdr

Не мои о&#1073
TheRobSJ said:
Guy said that in order to make a car work with Android Auto or CarPlay, you have to go download the AA app or the CarPlay app to your phone first. Who’s right?
Click to expand...

found this online about AA, not sure about carplay though.

Phones running Android OS versions 9 or below will have to download a separate free Android Auto app from the Google Play Store, but phones with Android 10 come with the functionality built in. Any phone running Android 5.0 and up that have an active data plan can run Android Auto.
Click to expand...
 
bojangle

bojangle

FN # 40
Staff member
Lots of features used to be stand alone apps that were later incorporated into a phone's operating system. This is possibly more the case with android phones.

But everything gets called an app nowadays. Ever seen those Applebees type commercials advertising their appetizer "apps"?
 
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