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Android Auto / Apple carplay thread |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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Android Auto / Apple carplay thread
I thought I'd start a thread for those who have this functionality in the car. Do you find yourself using it a lot? In the case of Android Auto do you miss having your phone docked with extra information due to it blanking the phone screen?
Do you miss the better players and apps which aren't compatible? Have you had many technical issues using it? Would you recommend it to others? Do you think the Apple or the Google implementation is the best? (Dare I ask that )Any other thoughts or feedback? |
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#2 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 447
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Ive always been an android man, hate the iphone and ipad but ill concede the apple car play is a long way ahead of the android system. I work in car sales and have had a lot of time to compare the two in the last few months.
However, having said that....I dont actually see a particularly large benefit of either. The biggest i can see is possibly using google maps on your cars media system if you dont have a sat nav but the rest are a bit....meh. |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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Thanks, the reason why I ask is I've ordered a new vehicle for September and also in September I'll be looking at the new iPhone or changing for the next Android handset too, also it's interesting to discuss the pro's and cons of each.
I listen to a lot of podcasts using Beyondpod, I absolutely love google maps, especially the traffic info and I like Tune-in internet radio, those would be my 3 primary apps for use in-car and I'd want to stream whilst using maps like I can on the docked phone today. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,185
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Quote:
Ive always been an android man, hate the iphone and ipad but ill concede the apple car play is a long way ahead of the android system. I work in car sales and have had a lot of time to compare the two in the last few months.
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#5 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 447
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Quote:
I've only really seen Android Auto in action (and then only briefly), and never CarPlay. What would you say were the main advantages of CP over AA based on what you have experienced?
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#6 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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It's only £125 added extra on the car for me as it already has the touch screen and navigation and everything, so worth ticking the box to have it added to the order.
Android auto doesn't let you use the phone whereas iPhone does, this means a passenger couldn't use the phone which is a shame, but I see why they've done it. The Apple version is more app based with a home / Siri button, android has a more Google Now home screen with apps. All the apps are always just navigation and music as that's all they will allow to minimise distraction which is fair enough. Having proper Google Maps with traffic information will be good. I assume the data won't be counted as tethering, I bloody hope not! In general looking forward to trying it and I'll report back. |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 303
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We were in the USA recently and our hire car had CarPlay. It was fantastic.
Somehow the car had CarPlay but no sat nav installed, so we used CarPlay as a satnav. Also for music through Spotify, absolutely flawless, and now I want it at home
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 66
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I've speced it in my new Golf R. Can't wait to try it.
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 2,470
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I have Apple Car play and it's Excellent , but for some reason now Tunein has gone off from the Apple car play screen , the app was showing until a update a couple of weeks ago .
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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Quote:
I have Apple Car play and it's Excellent , but for some reason now Tunein has gone off from the Apple car play screen , the app was showing until a update a couple of weeks ago .
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Rutland
Posts: 924
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My golf has the hardware but to get it working I need to pay VW somewhere in the region of £200 to get it activated. I'm not sure I can justify the cost. The car already has Sat nav, Bluetooth etc
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14
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I got a new Golf GTI in June and it has the horrendously named 'Car Net App Connect' - VW's name for CarPlay/Android Auto.
I use an iPhone 6s Plus and CarPlay - it's wonderful. Browsing Apple Music from the touch screen is great for finding something to listen to. Siri is pretty reliable and works well for sending messages, having them read out and also making calls. And Maps is obviously far more advanced than the built in satnav - as soon as I connect it will suggest addresses I've recently searched for, or have received in emails/texts, or suggest home/work if it's the right time of day. I listen to podcasts using Overcast and that is integrated, as are a growing number of Third Party apps. When iOS 10 is released they'll add Third Party messaging apps like WhatsApp etc etc. I've only used the VW menu system for the radio! |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
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Quote:
My golf has the hardware but to get it working I need to pay VW somewhere in the region of £200 to get it activated. I'm not sure I can justify the cost. The car already has Sat nav, Bluetooth etc
I think you must be missing that module and that's what they are saying the cost is to add, once you have the hardware module, the software is free and ongoing use of it is free. I thought I'd have it put in along with keyless entry and Dynadio as those were the addons I most wanted. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Rutland
Posts: 924
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Quote:
There's no activation in software though, to add it as an optional extra on a new Golf is £120, that adds the additional module so that the phone can be plugged in and integrate.
I think you must be missing that module and that's what they are saying the cost is to add, once you have the hardware module, the software is free and ongoing use of it is free. I thought I'd have it put in along with keyless entry and Dynadio as those were the addons I most wanted. |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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Quote:
I have app-connect shown in the main menu of the screen. When I select it it displays the message that "app-connect can be enabled to means of an activation key, please contact your dealer". There's a few threads of VWROC and golfmk7.com forums about it. If I was ordering the car from new I would have selected it but mine was a pre-reg. Still has a few nice extras though. Dynaudio and winter pack being the main ones.
Yeah looking forward to the Winter pack too! |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14
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Quote:
I have app-connect shown in the main menu of the screen. When I select it it displays the message that "app-connect can be enabled to means of an activation key, please contact your dealer". There's a few threads of VWROC and golfmk7.com forums about it. If I was ordering the car from new I would have selected it but mine was a pre-reg. Still has a few nice extras though. Dynaudio and winter pack being the main ones.
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 2,470
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Tune in app has come back today which is strange .
My car is a Vauxhall insignia and it's 2014 and the same radio as in the car that they produce now , but the new 2016 has apple car play and they said there is no software update for my radio and a new radio would be 1000 pounds plus fitting which is crazy |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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So I was highly tempted to put in an order for the iPhone 7 plus, but there's 2 reasons why I didn't.
Lack of band control, not being able to force 4G No google maps on carplay, I'm correct in saying you can't have google maps? as it's much better than Apple Maps. |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 303
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Quote:
So I was highly tempted to put in an order for the iPhone 7 plus, but there's 2 reasons why I didn't.
Lack of band control, not being able to force 4G No google maps on carplay, I'm correct in saying you can't have google maps? as it's much better than Apple Maps. However I used Apple Maps on CarPlay to get around the USA and it was actually really nice. Everything was clear and simple. I'm a Google maps user on my iPhone, and was shocked at how nice Apple Maps was on Carplay! Also I switched to iPhone and was also worried about the band control and forcing 4G etc. I find that an airplane mode toggle always will get you 4G if it's there. Whereas on my Android sometimes an airplane mode toggle wouldn't change anything, until I forced 4G of course. I haven't found it a huge problem as if I need it I can airplane mode to get it, and I just prefer having an iPhone now, even if I do feel a bit like a sheep..
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#20 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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On google maps you can just type in businesses and visitor attractions, or find places along your route and I think the traffic information looks better.
The issue with Apple is wanting too much control, I want the choice to put Google Maps or Waze on if I want to, so it sounds like I'm sticking with Android for now, but sadly no Android phones excite me right now, with the LG G20 NOT coming out in the UK, sounds like I'll just be not upgrading until I see a newly released flagship Android phone I like. |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,185
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Quote:
On google maps you can just type in businesses and visitor attractions
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#22 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,545
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Quote:
I'm a Google user through-and-through and have never used Apple Maps, but surely you can just type in business names and attractions on Apple Maps too?
Apple have literally now with IOS 10 (out today) added "along your route" search for things like food, petrol etc I just prefer the Google Maps interface I think, Google gives me 3 options and tells me the difference in time. It also handily tells me at the start of navigation what the traffic it like, whether heavier than normal and my ETA. I have an offline option for maps too, to download them etc. It's basically a much, much better mapping app is what is what I'm trying to say and with the option to have it on my 8" screen in the car I'd rather go with Google Maps than Apple Maps. |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 2,470
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What other icons have people got on their screens apart from the normal apps ? I have tune In radio , streams and that's itt .
I'm on Apple Car Play . |
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14
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Quote:
It looks like you can although I still find it not as good as Google Maps. If want to find Nando's it's fine, but something less popular and Google Maps seems to have it nailed.
Apple have literally now with IOS 10 (out today) added "along your route" search for things like food, petrol etc I just prefer the Google Maps interface I think, Google gives me 3 options and tells me the difference in time. It also handily tells me at the start of navigation what the traffic it like, whether heavier than normal and my ETA. I have an offline option for maps too, to download them etc. It's basically a much, much better mapping app is what is what I'm trying to say and with the option to have it on my 8" screen in the car I'd rather go with Google Maps than Apple Maps. But you're right on the philosophical point - Apple maintains more control than the relative free-for-all on Android, and that is never going to change - and in the car I suspect that control will always be tighter to ensure they don't let any 'too distracting' apps through that cause an accident and give the Apple haters a field day! The Golf screen is amazing at 8", but resistive touch is so 90s! |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,572
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We have a new Vauxhall and the system will take either Android Auto or Apple car-play. The only deciding factor is which phone you have connected.
Having used both, I prefer Android Auto, this, however, is just personal preference as both are up to the job. I use Google maps and Deezer mainly. It's nice to be able to just talk to the phone and get things done. Getting texts etc read out while on the go is a nice touch. The phone is connected by USB and then stowed out of the way. Perfectly understand why the phone screen is blanked whilst driving and connected to the system.... |
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