iPhone connectivity to new S5 for CarPlay and charging ...

[LYKUNO]

New to the B9.5 S5 world --- found a slick solution to getting my antique iPhone 7 to connect with CarPlay and charging needs.

Background: I am making the transition from my 2011 S4 to a new 2023 S5 Sportback. With the S4, I used a Tune2Air bluetooth device for connectivity to my somewhat ancient iPhone 7. It was not an problem-free solution and I frequently had connectivity issues which occasionally required rebooting the phone. At times, when using the phone inside the house after a drive, the Tune2Air would automatically connect to the phone when I didn't want it to. It was a frustrating experience but I lived with it for many years.

The new S5 is an extraordinary improvement! With wired or wireless CarPlay, we can do all the things our old phone is capable of doing, listening to podcasts, recorded music, etc. But the iPhone7 doesn't have wireless charging, so I thought I was stuck with the continuing use of cords plugged into USB ports to keep the phone charged. Fortunately, I found a solution in an innovative 3D-printed B9/9.5 Armrest Phone Cradle. It handles both iPhones CarPlay and Android Auto, and makes charging and wired connectivity to the car as easy as sliding the phone into the cradle.

The product's creator, Martin Harnois says: "If you like to easily put your phone away when driving while running wired CarPlay or Android Auto and charging your phone at the same time, this cradle is for you. It is even more useful on longer drives when wireless charging can sometimes struggle to keep your phone charged." The price for his cradles are less than $70 for the iOS phones and include the cradle, choice of the MFi certified captive 12" long lightning to USB-C (or A) cable, mounting screws, instructions and ground shipping.

Here's a short video showing how easy it is to use the armrest phone cradle ...


He's got a presence over at the AW website where you can get more information, or alternatively, you can reach him at at [email protected]

I just installed the Armrest Phone Cradle on my S5 and am impressed with how well it works and how easy it is to insert the phone and go. And no more cords to deal with or inconsistent wireless performance (which was likely mostly a Tune2Air issue for me. Here are a couple pics I just took (sorry for the quality but with the phone in the cradle, I had to take the pic with an old iPad -- and the garage was a bit dark!)

[JohnEnglish]

MH62 is a poster on these forums and has been advertising that bracket for sale here for quite sometime.

[MH62]

MH62 is a poster on these forums and has been advertising that bracket for sale here for quite sometime.

I'm more active on the other site. This is a hobby of mine but I have refrained from advertising here as the forum rules don't allow it. I pay a bit of $ on the other site for the right to do so. For questions about these cradles, feel free to email me.

[GoneQuantum]

This is awesome. I have a few year old android phone without wireless charging and am definitely interested in this.

[RickNY]

On an unrelated note -- I think this is the first time I saw an actual pic of rotor gray in someone's car -- nice!

[LYKUNO]

On an unrelated note -- I think this is the first time I saw an actual pic of rotor gray in someone's car -- nice!

Thanks Rick! It's a great interior color for our S5. We really would have liked cognac leather to contrast with the District Green paint, but ordering anything involving Audi Exclusive options, whether inside or outside, would have added months to the build time, not to mention substantially increased costs.

[MH62]

This is awesome. I have a few year old android phone without wireless charging and am definitely interested in this.

You can PM me here or reach me at [email protected]

[humphammer]

This is awesome. I have a few year old android phone without wireless charging and am definitely interested in this.

I sent MH62 an e-mail, he sent the info needed for the transaction and mine was shipped out the same day. Got it yesterday, it was packaged very well all parts were included and it was a simple 5-minute install. I have an i-phone 13 and a 2018 S5. The cradle fits perfectly and although it has multiple adjustments mine was already almost perfectly set up to fit my phone. The provided cable is just the correct length to fit yet be completely hidden and out of the way. Very easy to insert your phone with one hand and it connects very easily. Phone is connected, secure and out of the way. Very nice well thought out device and well worth the $$$$$.

[MH62]

I sent MH62 an e-mail, he sent the info needed for the transaction and mine was shipped out the same day. Got it yesterday, it was packaged very well all parts were included and it was a simple 5-minute install. I have an i-phone 13 and a 2018 S5. The cradle fits perfectly and although it has multiple adjustments mine was already almost perfectly set up to fit my phone. The provided cable is just the correct length to fit yet be completely hidden and out of the way. Very easy to insert your phone with one hand and it connects very easily. Phone is connected, secure and out of the way. Very nice well thought out device and well worth the $$$$$.

Glad to see you like it and thanks for the review.

[mdpeterman]

Cool, but also seems like a complicated solution to solve a problem for a phone that needs replaced anyway. iPhone 7 won’t even run iOS 16. Seems like upgrading to an iPhone with wireless charging is the more ideal solution. To each their own.

[MH62]

Cool, but also seems like a complicated solution to solve a problem for a phone that needs replaced anyway. iPhone 7 won’t even run iOS 16. Seems like upgrading to an iPhone with wireless charging is the more ideal solution. To each their own.

Many find that it is easier to slide the phone in and out of the cradle than lining it up on and retrieving it from the wireless charging pad. And no risk of phone struggling to keep its charge or overheating on long drives when navigating with CarPlay. And a solid CarPlay connection.

[LYKUNO]

Many find that it is easier to slide the phone in and out of the cradle than lining it up on and retrieving it from the wireless charging pad. And no risk of phone struggling to keep its charge or overheating on long drives when navigating with CarPlay. And a solid CarPlay connection.

I concur! The armrest cradle was a perfect solution for me, and my iPhone 7, which I'm completely satisfied with, even if it's unable to run IOS 16. Not buying a new $1000 phone every year makes it possible for me to buy other things I want more! And when I do purchase a new iPhone someday, I'll still be using this armrest cradle for charging and CarPlay connectivity.

[B5I8]

I just received mine today, but I have Android. It definitely makes connecting and disconnecting my phone so much easier. I'm so glad I made the purchase, no regrets whatsoever. I have two recommendations for the installation. First, spend a lot of time making all the necessary adjustments to fit your phone and line up the connector. Make sure everything lines up and fits perfectly before installing. Second, I highly recommend using both the adhesive tape and the screws to ensure the mount is secure.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[MH62]

Combining S5 and Q5 cradles, now over 100 shipped worldwide:

Cradle Map.jpg

Thank you!

[GoneQuantum]

I didn't realize this, but my '23 S5 has wireless Android Auto (I thought only CarPlay was wireless). Although my phone still doesn't have wireless charging so will be considering one of these regardless!

[zztroyzz]

I’ve been using a wireless CarPlay adapter and wireless charger I got from AliExpress that works fairly well — not really applicable for you guys without wireless charging on your phone but I thought it might be interesting for others.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001896816416.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004873151333.html

I just ran power for the charger from the front 12v power and a slim usb cable so the car play adapter fit in the openable compartment in the wireless charger tray. I think I paid less than half for the CarPlay adapter I got so there may be better options now.

Wireless charging is slow. If someone made a sled that positioned the phone correctly with a MagSafe charger that would be great.

[GoneQuantum]

I didn't realize this, but my '23 S5 has wireless Android Auto (I thought only CarPlay was wireless). Although my phone still doesn't have wireless charging so will be considering one of these regardless!

Following up on this after actually using wireless AA for a week or so...it's been pretty hit or miss. Sometimes I will do a 25-30 min drive and it stays connected the whole time. Other times I will drive for 3 minutes and it will crash.

It may be an issue with my phone - I'm using a OnePlus 7t which has had numerous connection issues recently since it upgraded to Android 12. Going to try my wife's S22 when I get a chance and see if it behaves any differently.

Saw some other forum posts where wireless AA was spotty though and people ended up just using wired for a more consistent connection. May do the same, but at the end of the day I prefer to just use bluetooth connectivity for music and the built in nav since it actually works with the virtual cockpit and HUD.

[MH62]

Wireless charging is slow. If someone made a sled that positioned the phone correctly with a MagSafe charger that would be great.

I'm curious. A sled that would install where?

And doesn't MagSafe take care of the phone/charger alignment?

[MH62]

Cradle Map.jpg

Now in 8 countries, but interestingly, I've yet to crack the German market.

[LYKUNO]

For those of you out there using Martin's (MH62) excellent mobile phone armrest cradle, he's now got a solution for the iPhone users who plan to upgrade from their older iOS phones with the lightning cable interface to the iPhone 15's new USB-C interface. I have yet to get the new iPhone but this news ensures I'll be able to connect it to my armrest cradle with ease.

I suspect once the news gets out, those early iPhone 15 adopters in the fatherland will be getting on board!

[sjlversurfer]

I have one and it works well. Super easy to setup, and rock solid. I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+, and AA.

[KUNed]

Question. Can it be mounted further back so that not as much of the phone shows?

[MH62]

Question. Can it be mounted further back so that not as much of the phone shows?

The mounting location can not be changed but the length of the cradle is adjustable so you control how deep the phone sits underneath the armrest. Here are some pics with a Pixel 7 (6.13” tall) with the cradle first adjusted to its smallest length and then extended to its maximum. The adjustable range is 1.25”.

There is a small lip under the armrest and the bottom of the cradle is designed to rest against it and not further back. This serves two purposes:

A) The top of the cradle is near the front of the armrest so you can easily find the cradle and insert the phone without lifting the armrest.
B) The optional cradle mounting screws do not interfere with the internal armrest sliding mechanism.

As a reference, I personally like the cradle adjusted near its smallest size for my Pixel 7 so I can have the top of the phone easily available to grab when removing it. You can see from picture 6 that my Pixel 7 almost completely disappears with the cradle extended to its maximum.

Let me know if you have more questions.