It’s been a long time coming, but Mazda will finally offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across its range by the end of the year and there’s good news in store for current owners.

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Unlike a lot of manufacturers that won’t retrofit new technology to existing products, Mazda will offer customers the ability to retrofit the smartphone mirroring technology to all vehicles equipped with MZD Connect. While it’s yet to confirm the cost of the retrofit, the company claims that it will be a seamless process for customers and visually, the system won’t look or perform any differently following the upgrade. Speaking with media at the launch of the CX-8, Mazda Australia marketing director, Alastair Doak, said: "We will start rolling this technology out on other new Mazda models [outside of BT-50] before the end of the year," Doak said.

"Mazda Australia will offer, by year's end, an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto upgrade kit, which will work seamlessly with the MZD Connect system. It will be available for all customers with an MZD Connect system that first went on sale with Mazda 3 in early 2014." "A customer buying a CX-8 or any other car will be able to have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in their vehicle before the end of the year. We haven't figured out the price yet, we are just working through that now," said Doak. Retrofitting smart phone mirroring technology to MZD Connect will involve both hardware and software revisions performed by the dealer. Asked whether consumer demand drove the decision to create this revision, Mazda was convinced that customers aren't fussed.

"It is something that is there and you need to move with the market. Are we seeing people walk out of dealerships because we don't have it? No," said Doak. Would technology like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto sway your decision when buying a new car?