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Prius and iPhones (6 Plus)?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by DoubleDAZ, Jun 8, 2015.

  1. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    I'm considering upgrading my Motorola Droid Razr to an iPhone 6 Plus in August and am wondering what kind of problems I can expect using the Entune app, making/receiving hands-free calls, syncing contacts/addresses, etc., using Bluetooth. Any real problems I need to know about?

    One specific question. My sister connects hers to her Honda and she can have texts read to her through the car audio. I can't do that with my Razr, so is that a feature of the Honda or the iPhone?
     
  2. 2015BlizzardPriusFour

    2015BlizzardPriusFour Active Member

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    Mine doesn't read the texts back to me. Could be user error or yet another issue with my head unit.

    Also keep in mind with iPhone you will have to plug in to use apps like pandora, iheart, bing, pretty much anything.
     
  3. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    Remember, it was a Honda my sister connects hers to, so it might just be Toyota, not your specific unit.

    I knew there was something about the iPhone and BT I had read here. So, none of the apps work over BT? If I need to connect the USB cable, does that mean it's also charging? Does the hands-free feature for making/receiving calls at least work over BT or is yours connected via USB?
     
  4. Barb_H

    Barb_H New Member

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    For having texts read back, you can use the Siri function on the iPhone. With iOS 8 Siri can be voice activated when plugged in. With my iPhone 5 I can send texts and have them read back over the car speaker using Siri. Depending on what apps you are using some will work with the Bluetooth in the car and others such as google maps don't (solved with using an auxiliary cable).
     
  5. breakfast

    breakfast Active Member

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    You have the same 6.1" Entune system that I do. It will read your texts to you on an iPhone 6 if you have the "allow texts as notifications" setting turned on. However, you cannot respond to the texts with an iPhone 6 using Entune (which isn't necessarily a bad thing safetywise!)

    All the internet-based Entune stuff works great using the iPhone 6 connected by USB cable. With the 6.1" Entune system, the wired connection is required. I don't mind plugging it in though thanks to the "there is no wrong way to plug it in" Lightning cable. I do especially like the Bing search for stuff like "Find restaurant in Laredo Texas" or "Find Panera Bread near Elmira, New York" or "Find Cabela's in Hartford, Connecticut". The gas price finder is also great because it's also navigation-linked.

    Hands-free phone calls - dialing or receiving - work over bluetooth and usb - so your calls will come in or go out hands free even if you choose not to plug in your phone :)
     
  6. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    Thanks for the replies. I don't mind plugging it in, but I'll need to figure out a way to keep from pinching the cable when I open/close the console lid. Perhaps I can use a short USB extension cable so my wife doesn't have to mess with the console. I don't know why Toyota put the port in the console instead of where it could be easily accessed like many other cars. I guess as long as phone calls work via BT, I'll be happy, I'm getting a 6+ for other reasons. I was going to test Entune with my current Razr, but I believe I'll be able to upgrade before we leave, so I'll have to test it with the 6+. It'll be interesting to see how much of my data plan we use testing things.

    The one limitation I see in using Entune to find restaurants and particularly gas stations is that they can't look ahead along a route, they can only look in a city you name. That's why I tend to plan my gas stops the night before. Gas Buddy lets me scroll around a map to see where the cheapest gas is along the next day's route.
     
  7. stannc

    stannc Junior Member

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    I have an iPhone 6 plus in my 2014 IV with Entune and I connect using the iPhone's personal hotspot. I can use all the apps and make and receive calls but my incoming text messages don't show up on the screen. It just says "New Text Message". Small price to pay to be wireless.
     
  8. breakfast

    breakfast Active Member

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    If you tap the "new text message" when it comes in, does it take you to the screen where it will read it for you? It does for me.
     
  9. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    How do you do that? I thought the only ways to connect were Bluetooth and USB.
     
  10. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    FWIW, I was searching for something in the owner's manual yesterday when I came across a note saying the iPhone has to be connected via cable for the Entune app suite to work with it. I then ran across a comment on an iPhone forum saying something about turning on the hotspot feature along with BT to get the apps to work without a cable. This seems to add credence to what stannc posted above, but he hasn't responded to my question here or via pm, so I guess I'll just have to experiment myself when I get the new phones. I'm a little surprised I didn't get more comments tough. I'm wondering if I'll be able to ask Siri something like, "find a McDonald's along I-10 east of my current location."

    I did look closer at the console and noticed there is an opening in the front for cables to come out without getting crimped, not sure why I never noticed this before.

    That reminds me, I need to up my data plan today, so I get the full benefit of the increase during our upcoming trip next month. I anticipate my wife taking/posting a lot of photos with the new phone. :)
     
  11. stannc

    stannc Junior Member

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  12. stannc

    stannc Junior Member

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    I'll have to go try that. Usually I'm driving and I would prefer to set it to auto-read it. But that's just dreaming.
     
  13. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    Thanks for the link, stannc.
     
  14. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    Costco is closed today, so I can't upgrade. They had a sale last month too when I couldn't upgrade, so they may be out of stock for the 64Gb model and I'll have to put off the upgrade for a bit. In that event, I may just wait to see if Apple releases an "S" model this fall.
     
  15. stannc

    stannc Junior Member

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    The "New Text Message" box isn't "Hot" for me. It's not clickable. Are you connected via Bluetooth/hotspot or via cable?
     
  16. breakfast

    breakfast Active Member

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    Via cable. I don't find it useful though as it only pops for a couple of seconds. If I am driving I just ignore it for safety purposes. You know what - I bet its clickable only if the car is stopped - just like how address entry via touchscreen is disabled whole moving. Maybe there is a way to access them via voice while moving - I will check out the voice command list.
     
  17. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    I frickin love my new IPhone 6 Plus 64gig.

    I can honestly say I have not even used Entune once since I upgraded a couple months ago from the IPhone 4. Siri is pretty darn cool.

    :)
     
  18. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    Wasn't able to get the 6+ before our trip. Costco had a sale, but wasn't able to upgrade before the sale was over, so I decided to wait a bit to see if a model "S" comes out this fall or if there's another sale.