Last year, we reviewed the AAWireless Two and were impressed with how compact it was while also adding functionality and remaining easy to use.  

At the time we mentioned that a version supporting Apple CarPlay was soon to be launched, the  AAWireless Two+, and it’s a big PLUS.  Well, now it’s here, and we have been putting it through its paces for the last couple of weeks and have found it to be a great product, filling a void that so many people want.

The AAWireless Two+ is the same compact size as its older sibling, the Android Auto-only version and still offers the same excellent, easy-to-use Android Auto experience.  What is new is the Apple CarPlay support.  

So how is it?

Now, I’m not an iPhone user by any means but I know my way around an iPhone, having used them on and off for many years.  Setup was simple on an Android phone with the AAWireless Two+, but on the iPhone, it was less so. 

Turn your car on, then plug the AAWireless Two+ dongle into the usual CarPlay or Android Auto USB port in your car – this bit is simple.  Once plugged in, you’ll never have to touch it again.

After downloading the AAWireless app from the App Store, I paired the dongle via the phone’s Bluetooth settings.  You are meant to be able to pair it through the app but the app wouldn’t recognise the dongle by itself – and the app had been given all the requisite permissions.  

A moment or two later, the dongle appeared in the app, allowing me to connect it to the car, update the firmware, and change the settings I needed.  The iPhone also popped up a notification asking you to tap the Connect button to connect to CarPlay.

There are fewer settings available for the user with the iPhone and CarPlay, but given how basic CarPlay is, that is no surprise.  (I won’t rant here about how childish and woefully-designed and inept Apple CarPlay is compared to Android Auto but if you’ve used both, you know)

In the end, the lack of extra settings isn’t a major issue, as most people just want it to project CarPlay to the car’s display and don’t care about much else.   

Once set up, the AAWireless Two+ worked seamlessly with the iPhone 15 I tested it on, connecting the phone to the car when the car was powered on after the dongle was powered on.  

Once again, the AAWireless Two+ includes a single button to switch between phones connected to the car.  It was other functions too, such as:

  • Hold for two seconds to pair a new phone
  • Single click switches the dongle to the next paired phone
  • Holding for 10 seconds resets the dongle to factory settings

Around the button in an LED light that lights up different colours, letting you know what is going on with it at that time:

  • Booting up – solid green 
  • Connecting to phone – blinking green
  • Connecting to car display – blinking blue
  • Successful connection – solid blue
  • If the dongle is in pairing mode – solid purple

The AAWireless Two+ can be set to automatically connect to the last-used device, which is handy if on a road trip.  

Should you buy it?

At the time, the original AAWireless dongle was an innovation that filled a gap in the market, and, as one of the pioneers in the space, AAWireless’s experience remains among the best.

The AAWireless Two+ offers a better connection experience than the original dongle, and the added Apple CarPlay support means everyone can now connect wirelessly to their car’s display, no matter what flavour of phone they prefer.

The new button on the dongle still makes it much easier to control the experience for connecting with multiple people and users in the car – and the multi-coloured LED makes it easy to work out pairing, connection and more. 

The AAWireless Two+ retains what made the original great, with a compact design and a separate cable, so you can replace it in the future if needed. Once set up, it’s a fast experience that’s only marginally slower than plugging it in – and a lot more convenient. 

You can get your hands on the AAWireless Two+ through their website, with shipping through Amazon for a now-cheaper $109.99 AUD.