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Unboxing the Pioneer AppRadio (photos)

We've documented the unboxing and installation of Pioneer's newest (and unique) car stereo.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Let's unbox the Pioneer AppRadio!

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2 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The packaging is split into two sections: the white box contains all of the installation accessories and the brown padding contains the AppRadio itself.
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3 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

AppRadio unit

Removed from its box, we were amazed at how lightweight AppRadio is relative to other double DIN units we've tested, and even a few single DINs! The lack of an optical drive and the dampening required for skip protection saves quite a bit of mass.
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4 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Back panel

We couldn't help but notice that almost all of the connections on the back of AppRadio are wire harness based.
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Rear connections

The only hard-wired physical connections on the back panel are these pigtails for the AM/FM radio and microphone input...
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GPS connection

...and this connection where the external GPS antenna is screwed in.
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7 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET
In the accessories box, you'll find the user manuals, GPS antenna, microphone for Bluetooth calls, an extremely long and thick Apple dock connector, mounting screws, and four separate wire harnesses. One harness holds the auxiliary outputs and iPhone inputs; another makes connections such as the parking brake sensor or rearview camera; a third harness is for the power and ground connections; and the final harness is for the speaker level connections.
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8 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Pre-stripped connections

We like that all of the speaker level and power leads are prestripped, taking one step out of the installation process. Of course, because the speaker leads are on their own harness, installers can also omit these connections altogether if they're using an external amplifier.
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9 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Physical buttons

Returning our attention to the AppRadio unit itself, we noticed that there are only three physical buttons on the device: volume up, volume down, and a home key.
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10 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

MicroSD card slot

On the far left edge of the lower bezel is a small door that hides a reset button and a microSD card slot for firmware updates.
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Sibling rivalry

Compared with its older brother, the Pioneer AVIC-Z130BT, AppRadio seems much simpler, with fewer buttons and a smaller, glossier screen.
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Glossy screen

Side-by-side comparisons show that AppRadio's glass capacitive touch screen (right) is much more reflective than the AVIC-series' plastic resistive screen.
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13 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

iPhone connections

AppRadio's dock connector for iPhone is actually a Y-type connector that bridges a full-speed USB port and a proprietary connection that carries audio and video data. Both of these cables are quite heavy, making routing them behind the dashboard a tricky affair.
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14 of 15 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Making the connections

With all of the connections made for the GPS antenna, Bluetooth microphone, speakers, power, AM/FM antenna, and that hefty iPhone cable, there's quite a bit of wire that needs to be tucked into the dashboard behind the AppRadio.
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Ready to go

With the AppRadio's connections tested, we're ready to bolt the unit in place and put it through its paces on the road. Check out the full review of the Pioneer AppRadio.

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