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Ford offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto in all 2017 models

Good news, Apple and Android fans: every 2017 Ford model in the U.S. will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

That's because Ford is rolling out its latest telematics platform, SYNC 3, to the full 2017 model-year lineup. As the automaker revealed back in January, SYNC 3 is what makes CarPlay and Android Auto tick. 

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SYNC 3 is the latest iteration of Ford's telematics system, which is built not on the Microsoft platform as previous iterations were, but on Blackberry's QNX. By many accounts, that change has greatly improved speed and reliability, which is sure to make many Ford customers happy, given how frustrated they've been in the past.

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What's more, Ford says that it plans to continue improving the SYNC 3 software using over-the-air, wi-fi updates, which could keep it humming along.

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Unlike some automakers, Ford has made Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available on every model equipped with SYNC 3. Ford's Jeffrey Hannah says that:

"Ford is not taking the traditional approach of introducing Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto on a few piecemeal models or as an expensive option on luxury vehicles only. The guesswork for consumers is over – if you buy any 2017 Ford vehicle with SYNC 3, you drive off the lot with both of these innovative technologies ready to go."

A number of those 2017 models can already be found at dealerships, including the Ford Explorer, Escape, Fusion, and Mustang. 

Ford also notes that besides CarPlay and Android Auto, SYNC3's AppLink feature offers useful apps for owners, including Spotify, Pandora, and AAA.

To see CarPlay and Android Auto in action, check out the two demo videos below.