The little dongle that made wired Android Auto feel obsolete just got even better. Now AAWireless Two Plus adds full Apple CarPlay support while maintaining its rock-solid Android chops, transforming one of the most useful in-car accessories into a must-have for mixed-phone households.
For $64.99, the Two Plus is just slightly more than the previous Android-only model and opens its reach significantly. If your car has Android Auto or CarPlay via a USB port only, the cleanest and most reliable way to get wireless support for either is to replace your head unit with one that offers mirror link screen mirroring.
How AAWireless Two Plus Works and Why It Truly Matters
The Two Plus just plugs into your car’s USB port, then takes over as a secure bridge: Bluetooth does the initial quick handshake and takes control of the session, which hops onto 5 GHz Wi‑Fi for bandwidth‑intensive tasks like maps, voice streams, and music. It looks the part relative to the previous‑generation model outside, but inside it’ll talk both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay without discrimination.
This “solves a pain point” (as in I’m banging my head against the wall—nuts over this)! Apple says the vast majority of new cars sold in the US now come with CarPlay, and Google is working to extend that kind of universal support for Android Auto to as many mainstream brands. J.D. Power’s surveys of tech satisfaction consistently find that owners generally like the look and feel of smartphone mirroring at a higher rate than some automakers’ built-in infotainment systems, and Counterpoint Research estimates iOS has about half the share of US smartphones, with Android controlling the rest of the world. In other words, many households are platform‑mixed and one dongle that serves both is the sensible solution.
Equally crucially, the Two Plus doesn’t attempt to retrofit functions that your car doesn’t have. If your head unit is wired Android Auto or CarPlay native then this makes them wireless. If it doesn’t exist, no dongle can summon them. That honesty is refreshing — and a defense against disappointment.
Setup Process and Everyday Performance in Real Use
Installation is a matter of minutes: plug in, pair your phone and follow some prompts. You don’t have to set up an account, and firmware updates are delivered over the air through the companion app. In everyday use, the adapter is transparent — the highest praise you can give a car gadget.
Between a variety of vehicles and phones, start‑up to usable interface usually occurred between about 12 and 20 seconds post ignition — par for the course with other premium adapters, but not as spotty in response time. Navigation, Siri/Assistant, and streaming audio all remained solid as a rock with no dropouts on 5 GHz once connected. Both ends of the call were crystal clear and the steering wheel controls worked as you’d expect.
Such logic could prove useful for families with a multitude of drivers. You can specify which phone you’d like to prioritize when multiple paired devices are in the car, and it will remember your preference so setup is done automatically each time. One minor annoyance carries over from the previous model: you still can’t rename a paired phone within the app, which makes juggling a long list of devices slightly fiddly. And although connection times are fast, some will wish the handoff was a few seconds faster. These are little nits, not reasons to back away from the table.
Compatibility, security considerations, and key caveats
The Two Plus has sweeping compatibility with factory systems and popular aftermarket head units from such brands as Pioneer, Kenwood, and Sony. It’s low‑power from USB, cool running, and can be hidden in a console or glovebox. The 5 GHz connection avoids crowded 2.4 GHz cabin environments from hotspots and dash cams.
Security‑wise, the device establishes a secure Wi‑Fi session for the phone connection and doesn’t leave your car vulnerable to your home network.
Firmware updates are adding to that compatibility list once more whilst quashing any of those annoying edge‑case bugs that the brand has been very good with so far. Still, consider a few realities of wireless mirroring: if you’ve got a very low battery and/or your USB port is puttering out power, connection hiccups can occur; and latency‑sensitive apps (such as rhythm games) are still best over a wire, though that’s not what these systems were built for.
Value verdict and final thoughts on AAWireless Two Plus
Its $64.99 price tag makes the AAWireless Two Plus cheaper than many of its rivals, which switch between delivering Android and iPhone support or demand that you purchase separate models.
Rival adapters from Carlinkit and Ottocast often start in the high‑$70s and reach well past $100, and their dual‑ecosystem performance can be hit‑or‑miss. The Two Plus seems built to perform one job well and then clear space for you.
If your crew is Android‑only, the existing model, the AAWireless Two (about $54.99), is still a great deal. For everyone else — anyone in a household of mixed Android and iPhone users, for instance — the Two Plus is the clear choice. It’s one of those rare automotive accessories that upends your daily cadence for the better, needs zero thought after installation and simply works, trip after trip.
Bottom line: the top wireless Android Auto dongle has become the best wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay dongle, without inflation on price or frustration in use. That’s how a good gadget becomes even better.