Version 9.1.2 of the ServiceM8 supports Apple CarPlay, making it easier and safer to stay on top of your schedule and communicate with clients while you're on the road.
With CarPlay, you can see your jobs scheduled for the day in a glance of your vehicle's multimedia display. You can tap to call a client, or send an SMS to notify that you're on the way to their job, then switch to Apple Maps for turn-by-turn navigation.
My Jobs
See jobs scheduled to you, today. Tap to open.
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Tap to Call
Tap 'call' to make a call to the Job Contact.
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On the Way Texts
Tap 'directions' then 'notify client and navigate' to send an On the Way text to the client (including an auto-calculated ETA). You'll then switch over to Apple Maps for turn-by-turn navigation to site.
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CarPlay FAQs
What do I need to use CarPlay?
- An iPhone 6s or later.
- iOS 14.0 or later.
- Version 9.1.2 of the ServiceM8 app or later.
- A vehicle which supports Apple CarPlay.
How do I use it?
With ServiceM8 and CarPlay, you're essentially running an extension of the ServiceM8 app from your iPhone in your CarPlay interface.
Most vehicles which support CarPlay require that you plug your iPhone in with a USB cable. After installing ServiceM8 9.1.2 from the App Store, and connecting your iPhone to your car via USB, the ServiceM8 app icon will appear in your CarPlay display.
Does CarPlay work with my iPad?
No. iPad does not support CarPlay — it only works with an iPhone 6s (or later). ServiceM8's CarPlay support also requires iOS 14.0 (or later) to be installed.
Can I see job descriptions in the CarPlay interface?
No. Apple requires that apps which support CarPlay provide only minimal on-screen information, and require little decision-making, so it doesn’t command the driver’s attention. So, we've simplified what is shown in the CarPlay interface to the most relevant information and actions. This makes staying aware of your schedule and keeping in touch with clients easy, while staying safe on the road.
However, you could create a Siri Shortcut so you can ask Siri for a summary of your next job e.g. once you've started navigation via CarPlay and are checked in to the job, you can ask Siri something like "Hey Siri, job summary" to get a readout of the job description, checklist items, badges on the job and more.
Learn how to create Siri Shortcuts to ServiceM8 here.
Can I change the default navigation to a third-party app like Google Maps?
Yes, you can choose to navigate with Apple Maps, Google Maps or Waze — the navigation app used with CarPlay is the same as that used on your iPhone with ServiceM8. To change your default navigation app, in your iPhone go to Settings > ServiceM8 > Navigation app.
What can you do via the CarPlay interface?
- View your schedule of booked jobs for the current day.
- Call a Job Contact.
- Navigate to a job.
- Notify a client you're en-route with an 'On the Way' SMS, then navigate to the job.
Note that only jobs with specific booking times (e.g. 11:00am) will display in CarPlay— it can't display jobs with allocation windows.
Does it work with ServiceM8 Phone?
Not at this time, but this is something we want to do. If you use ServiceM8 Phone, the option to call a client from the CarPlay interface will not appear.