New Pioneer Z-Series receivers run smartphone apps in vehicles

Source: Pioneer. Easy connectivity with Apple CarPlay, AppRadio Mode+, and Android Auto with the Pioneer AVH-Z5050BT multimedia receiver.

Pioneer Electronics Asia Centre, a specialist in aftermarket car audio, has announced four new multimedia receivers in Singapore.

Leading the 2017 lineup are the 1-DIN AVH-Z7050BT and 2-DIN AVH-Z5050BT, followed by the AVH-Z2050BT and AVH-Z1050DVD. In line with Pioneer's focus on enhancing user experience, the entire range offers even greater smartphone connectivity, a one-cable connection, and better audio-visual performance -- making Apple CarPlay*, Android Auto ², and other premium entertainment features accessible to every driver.

"The world is more connected than ever. Together with the proliferation of smartphones and mobile internet across Southeast Asia, local drivers are expecting better seamless connectivity from their in-car infotainment systems," said Takao Chiba, Deputy GM of Business Planning and Marketing Division, Pioneer Electronics Asia Centre.

"The new Z-Series multimedia receivers were developed to meet consumers' evolving expectations of easier smartphone connectivity and superior audio/video performance. With that in mind, we have focused on both hardware and software upgrades to offer a complete and improved user experience."

Features in Pioneer's 2017 multimedia receivers include:

More smartphone connectivity options. All Bluetooth-ready Z-Series multimedia receivers can simultaneously connect up to five Bluetooth devices. Additionally, users can browse their media library with upgraded Bluetooth AVRCP 1.6 capability.

Enjoy a premium selection of mobile applications (apps), simply by connecting a smartphone to the head unit, via AppRadio Mode+, Pioneer's proprietary entertainment platform.

An example is Waze, the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app. Viewing maps and directions from Waze is easier with the head units' larger touchscreen. Users can also play videos stored in a smartphone, as well as stream online videos via the AppRadio LIVE app.

Another highlight is Spotify³, currently available in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines with more Southeast Asian countries in the pipeline⁴, which has a library of over 30 million titles⁵. This music-streaming app can be selected from the head unit's source list, and operated directly onscreen.

Connecting a smartphone to any one of the 2017 multimedia receivers is now a plug-and-play affair, as the head unit can automatically detect and retrieve the available content from the phone.

Operating the new multimedia receivers is now easier thanks to a new customisable graphical user interface. Key enhancements include easy device switching, icon display customisation, plus colour and design personalisation with 112 backlight illumination colours and seven background themes.

Pioneer is upping the ante by delivering a more cinematic entertainment experience for discerning movie lovers. The plug-and-play convenience extends to video playback, thanks to new full-HD (1080p) support for popular video file formats like MKV, as well as additional support for the NTFS format, giving users the flexibility to play clips that are larger than 4GB direct from portable hard disks. With a new and improved 24-bit true colour LCD screen, these receivers can reproduce up to 16,777,216 hues, or with around 256 times better colour fidelity than most regular displays.

To elevate the overall sound quality of these receivers, Pioneer has made refinements 'under the hood' with technologies and expertise from its TAD professional audio division. This includes a newly developed circuit board, which eliminates external interference to enhance audio signal integrity. Performance is further improved by leveraging audiophile-grade components for maximum listening pleasure. Lastly, all models are professionally tuned by Pioneer's sound engineers, in addition to the following audio-enhancement functions:

• A 13-band graphic equaliser
• Auto equaliser
• Auto time alignment
• Advanced sound retriever
• 192kHz/24-bit FLAC file playback
• Clearer hands-free voice calls via the implementation of wideband speech support for Bluetooth-enabled models.

Pioneer Electronics Asia Centre is the regional headquarters of Pioneer Corporation. Pioneer's core business is in car audio visual technology. Pioneer aims to be a leading aftermarket manufacturer and supplier to leading car brands, providing comprehensive infotainment solutions for in-car, by developing next-generation devices and innovative cloud services for the growing connected car market.

Interested?

The new Pioneer Z-Series multimedia receivers will be available in Singapore soon.

Recommended retail prices (S$):

• AVH-Z1050DVD/$649
• AVH-Z2050BT/$699
• AVH-Z5050BT/$999
• AVH-Z7050BT/$1,099

Additional notes:

i. Do not use your Pioneer system if doing so will divert your attention in any way from the safe operation of your vehicle. Always observe safe driving rules. In some countries, certain operations of devices while driving may be illegal. Where such regulations apply, they must be obeyed.

ii. Pioneer Multimedia Receivers are compatible with selected Android and iPhone smartphones only.

iii. Compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, AppRadio Mode +, AppRadioLIVE, and third-party applications varies by the iPhone/ Android models and their software versions.

iv. Android Auto may not be supported on all Android devices, and is not available in all countries or regions.

v. Bluetooth functionality requires a compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

vi. Bluetooth features may not be supported by all compatible Bluetooth-enabled devices, and/or the functionality of such features may be limited in certain devices or by certain wireless carriers.

vii. AppRadio LIVE requires a Pioneer AppRadio Mode compatible multimedia receiver. Specific models vary by region.

viii. Pioneer does not guarantee compatibility with all USB mass storage devices, and assumes no responsibilities for any loss of data on media players, smartphones, or other devices while using the receiver.

ix. FLAC Codec support are for the files stored in USB thumb drive.

x. Full-HD playback, for USB devices, is not supported for some compatible codecs.

xi. CarPlay is accessible via the user's iPhone cable or Pioneer's optional CD-IU52 cable, and Android Auto is accessible via the user's compatible Android device cable or Pioneer's optional CD-MU200 cable. USB Type-C devices may require additional Google certified adapters or cables.

xii. Notes on connecting Android smartphone with USB Type-C to Pioneer receiver - For audio and multimedia receivers featuring Android media playback and control via AOA and/or MTP, it is recommended that the audio or multimedia receiver is directly connected to the phone using only the CD-CU50, or a certified USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable (preferably under 1m in length). For AV receivers featuring Android Auto, it is recommended that the AV receiver is directly connected to the phone using the USB Type-A extension cable supplied by Pioneer and the CD-CU50, or only the CD-CU50, or a certified USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable (preferably under 1m in length). In some cases, a connection between a Pioneer receiver and a phone using a conventional USB Type-C cable may be dysfunctional.

xiii. An active data connection is required to use the Waze application. Functionality is limited when driving to reduce driver distraction. The parking brake must be engaged to access the keyboard and enter location destinations.

xiv. To use Auto EQ or Auto Time Alignment, Pioneer's CD-MC20 microphone is required and is sold separately.

xv. Compatible mobile digital devices and premium subscriptions are required for Spotify, where available.

*Apple CarPlay is available on Apple iPhone 5 or later with iOS 7.1 or higher, and requires Lightning to USB cable. For information about Apple CarPlay's availability, please visit https://www.apple.com/sg/ios/carplay/. To find out about supported Apple CarPlay features in each market, visit https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/#applecarplay-applecarplay

2 Android Auto is only available for AVH-Z7050BT and AVH-Z5050B. Android Auto is available with Android phone running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher with a data plan. Availability of Android Auto may vary depending upon the country and phone model. Visit http://www.android.com/auto for more information.

3 Only for DEH-X2950UI, DEH-X3950B, DEH-X4950BT, DEH-X7850BT, MVH-X195UI, MVH-X395BT, MVH-X585BT, and FH-X785BT

4 http://sea-globe.com/spotify-singapore-asia-headquarterds-focus-asean/

5 https://press.spotify.com/sg-en/about/

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