As CES comes to a close, we look back at some of the biggest announcements made for the 12-Volt Industry.

Alpine Electronics unveiled the world's first aftermarket stereo with wireless Apple CarPlay capabilities. 

The iLX-107 is an AM/FM receiver with a 7-inch WVGA capacitive touch screen and LED backlighting for bright visibility. Wireless Apple CarPlay lets iPhone users make and receive calls, access text messages, play music, and get directions optimized for traffic conditions in a way that allows them to stay focused on the road. Apple CarPlay is accessed through the iLX-107’s touch screen or through Siri voice control, and the resulting music, driving directions and phone calls are played through the vehicle’s speaker system. Apple CarPlay is compatible with iPhone 5 and later, including iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and the latest version of iOS.

Once wireless Apple CarPlay has been set up, the iLX-107 will automatically search for and connect to the most frequently paired iPhone for all subsequent uses. Since the Apple CarPlay connection to the iLX-107 is wireless, there is no need to remove the iPhone from a pocket or purse to use it in the vehicle. The iLX-107 uses the 5 GHz WiFi band to optimize wireless connectivity performance. 

Via Alpine Electronics

JL Audio C7 Ultra-Premium Component Car Speakers

No detail or design element has been left unexamined in each of the C7 speakers: from the exotic, corundum ceramic-coated diaphragm of the C7 tweeter, to the C7 midrange speaker's intricately machined motor, which significantly improves linearity. The C7 component woofer's dust cap went through ten prototype generations before arriving at the solution that resulted in the smoothest response and the best mechanical integrity. These details, and hundreds of others like them, simply had to be perfect for Mr. Proni and the design team to be satisfied.

You will not find a passive crossover network in the C7 line. This is a completely deliberate omission. The designers assumed that systems built with C7 speakers would avoid technical compromises, so they designed the C7 speakers with active crossovers in mind. These duties will typically be handled by a high quality DSP, such as JL Audio's TwK^™ 88, or TwK^™ D8.

Via JL Audio

Kicker's new Incomparable KX-Series Amplifiers

The KX-Series Amplifier line features a bevy of additional features for 2017, the first of which is one-Ohm stability. Available on five KXA.1 mono models and the subwoofer section of the ingenious five-channel KXA800.5, the feature will allow for even more subwoofer configurations to be available to the consumer.

To optimize subwoofer performance, KX-Series Amplifiers are also equipped with KickEQ+ variable 18dB bass boost, plus a variable 24dB subsonic filter with adjustable frequency control. Mono models will also include a full range RCA pass-through for easy system expansion.

The new KXARC wireless Bluetooth LE remote will come standard with mono and five-channel amplifiers. The remote will offer a convenient way to monitor and change vital controls on the amplifier any time, without the need for long wire runs between the amp and controller. Features like gain, bass boost, SHOCwave bass restoration, and signal clip are now easily monitored from anywhere in the vehicle. A single remote will control as many as four KX-Series mono or five-channel amps simultaneously.

The KX-Series Amplifier line features a bevy of additional features for 2017, the first of which is one-Ohm stability. Available on five KXA.1 mono models and the subwoofer section of the ingenious five-channel KXA800.5, the feature will allow for even more subwoofer configurations to be available to the consumer.

To optimize subwoofer performance, KX-Series Amplifiers are also equipped with KickEQ+ variable 18dB bass boost, plus a variable 24dB subsonic filter with adjustable frequency control. Mono models will also include a full range RCA pass-through for easy system expansion.

The new KXARC wireless Bluetooth LE remote will come standard with mono and five-channel amplifiers. The remote will offer a convenient way to monitor and change vital controls on the amplifier any time, without the need for long wire runs between the amp and controller. Features like gain, bass boost, SHOCwave bass restoration, and signal clip are now easily monitored from anywhere in the vehicle. A single remote will control as many as four KX-Series mono or five-channel amps simultaneously.

Via 12 Volt News